 Mizu Gami "Water Goddess" |
 Isshinryu Karate Patch |
HISTORY OF MIZU GAMI ISSHIN RYU EMBLEM
In 1953, Master Tatsuo Shimabuku was teaching in the court yard of his home, in Agena, Okinawa. In the yard, the Master had a tank, which was used to collect water in case of drought and to supply hard-working students with a refreshing drink between workouts. One day, after a full-day of teaching, the Master sat on top of the tank in order to enjoy a little sake and cup of tea.
The day’s activities and tensions began to float away, leaving the Master in a very restful state. Soon, he fell asleep and began to dream. In his vision, he heard a man enter the gate of the courtyard and approach him. When the man confronted Shimabuku, he challenged the Master to a fight, but instead of accepting his challenge, Shimabuku waved the man away with his left hand and made a fist over his head with his right hand. Symbolically, Shimabuku put out an open hand, mean-ing peace, but backed up the peace with a closed fist representating his ability to destroy the stranger if he tried to hurt the Master. (This open left hand and closed right fist is also the salutation before performing each Isshin Ryu Kata)
Instead of leaving in peace, however, the man encircled the Master in flames, and as mysteriously as he appeared, the man disappeared.
This left Master Shimabuku in a rather difficult position, but instead of running about in panic, the Master kept a cool head and used the bucket in the tank to pour water over the flames. Before too long, all the flames were extinguished — so was his dream. The Master awoke.
This left a lasting impression on the Master, so much so that he couldn’t get the dream out of his mind. The next day, when he went to Naha (Capital of Okinawa), for business, he entered a great house and there hanging on a wall was a picture of a woman waist deep in water. Immediately he ran to an employee of the building and asked her who that was in the picture. The Master was told that it was Mizu Gami, the Shinto Water Goddess.
What impressed him most about the picture was that the lady, this Mizu-Gami, was in the same stance that he took the night before in his dream against the strange man. Furthermore, Mizu-Gami was in water — like he was on the tank — and she was using water to extinguish flames in the sea — as he used to extinguish the flames around his body.
The Master came to the realization that water was the symbol of purity, strength, goodness; whereas fire was the symbol of evil, aggression, and destruction. What’s more, he came to understand that evil can only be destroyed if first one is willing to yield to it with an open hand, tempered with the strength and confidence one achieves through proper karate training.
As the Master discussed the woman’s image and how he would like it to somehow represent his karate system, an understanding and creative GI. who was studying with Master Shimabuku at the time, set-out to design and incorporate the Master’s thoughts into an emblem. The soldier also did this to honor the Master. The Isshin Ryu patch as it is known today is of oval shape to represent the vertical Isshin Ryu fist. In the center is the figure of Mizu Gami (water goddess) and at the top are three stars representing Master Shimabuku’s three teachers: Chojun Miyagi (Goju Ryu), Chotoku Kiyan (Shorin Ryu), and Choki Motobu (Snorin Ryu). The stars are at the top to represent the Masters’ looking down on the developing karateka, Tatsuo Shimabuku. They are in heaven, and if you follow the right path, they too, will guide you to attainment.
The emblem is bordered by a red (sometimes orange) circle signifying the flame that surrounded Shimabuku in his dream. The flame signifies evil; the water purity; and Mizu-Gami, the equalizer, and it is always worn on your uniform over the heart symbolizing the “one heart way.”
Above Mizui-Gami flies a dragon. The dragon in Eastern mythology represents good fortune. Also, the serpent, like the karateka, is born of the sea (or starting from The bottom), and when the dragon matures (or the karateka developes) he ascends into the heavens and achieves attainment.
Last Modifided Date