Master Tatsuo Shimabuku (1906 – 1975)

Isshin-ryu’s founder, Tatsuo Shimabuku, is remembered as a very practical and realistic man. His legacy, Isshin-ryu karate, is also a very practical and realistic style of karate. Isshin-ryu karate teaches the student techniques with little wasted movement and responds directly to an attacker. When Tatsuo created Isshin-ryu karate, he had over 44 years of martial arts experience. He started when he was very young; earliest dates have him starting karate around age 6. He wanted to learn karate so much that he would walk six miles to his Uncle’s house for lessons in Shuri-te. His Uncle, Gajoko Chioyu, initially refused his request and instead put young Tatsuo to work sweeping, cleaning and gardening around the dojo. When Tatsuo was eight, his Uncle finally accepted young Tatsuo as a student and his study of the martial arts began. He studied with his Uncle 4 to 6 years. His Uncle then introduced Tatsuo to Chotoku Kyan.

His years of martial arts instruction were influenced primarily by 4 masters:
o Chotoku Kyan
o Choki Motobu
o Chajun Miyagi
o Taira Shinken
There is only brief historical accounts of Tatsuo’s early life; more has been written about him as he grew in stature and respect among other martial artists on Okinawa, in Japan, and even as far away as the United States.

Tatsuo’s original name was Shinkichi which he later changed to Tatsuo when he was gaining prominence as a master in the martial arts. Tatsuo means “dragon boy”. Tatsuo was a small boy and grew up to be a relatively small man. He was only 5’ 2” tall and weighed 125 pounds. He was a farmer’s boy; his Dad was a farmer and Tatsuo did some form of farming most of his life. As mentioned earlier, he was a very practical and intuitive person and never passed up an opportunity to learn more about karate. Tatsuo also held a deep respect for tradition and honored his masters (teachers); but he also never felt bound or restricted by them. He was known by his students and others as being a very creative and innovative martial artist.

Chotoku Kyan instructed Tatsuo for 15 to 20 years in traditional Shuri-te forms like Wansu, Kusanku and Chinto kata. He was also instructed in Kobudo. During this time, when Tatsuo was 22 years old, he gained fame and recognition by performing Chinto kata before Okinawa’s leading martial artists. Tatsuo’s next instructor was Chajun Miyagi. From Miyagi, Tatsuo learned Seiuchin and Sanchin katas. These katas were considered to be more difficult or advanced katas. When Miyagi left for Japan, Tatsuo started instruction with Choki Motobu. Matobu was well known for his fighting abilities. Motobu brought forth in Tatsuo some of the more combative overtones present in Isshin-ryu karate that is still present today. Tatsuo also studied Shur-te with Motobu. About the same time, Tatsuo also started studying under Taira Shinken. In exchange for teaching Shinken karate lessons, Tatsuo was given instruction in Kobudo from Shinken. From this relationship, a lasting friendship was formed between these two marshal artists that lasted up until Shinken’s death in 1970.

By 1940, Tatsuo was teaching his own style of karate. It consisted of a blend between all the martial arts he was exposed to up to this point. It primarily consisted of both Goju-ryu and Shorin-ryu styles of karate. He started building a reputation that would grow in time. During the day, Tatsuo would farm and also run a small business. In the evening, he practiced and taught karate. Then, on December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl harbor and brought the United States into World War II and fundamentally changed Okinawan people’s lives forever.

On April 1, 1945, sixty thousand American troops were deployed to Okinawa. The largest battle of WW II commenced on the island and, 83 days later, the following grim statistics emerged:
• 11 thousand Americans died
• 110 thousand Japanese died
• 150 thousand Okinawans died
Okinawans were basically against the war; many Okinawans were forced to fight in the military for Japan. Many decided not to fight for Japan because it was against their beliefs and principals. Tatsuo Shimabuku was one of those Okinawans who chose to avoid the war rather than fight against his moral beliefs and values. Tatsuo decided to become a fugitive rather than fight for Japan against Americans. During this war, his father was killed and life became very hard for Okinawans. To end his life as a fugitive, Tatsua agreed to become a karate instructor for Japan. On June 22, 1945, the Okinawan battle ended and life became a constant struggle for survival. Tatsuo returned to farming and taught karate for free and in private due to the economic difficulties in Okinawa. This lasted for 7 years.

By the early 1950’s, Tatsuo began teaching again publicly. Many Americans were stationed in Okinawa and Tatsua’s reputation was growing in stature. Isshin-ryu karate was formalized at that time and Mizugami was adopted. Americans started seeking Tatsuo for instruction in the martial arts. Tatsuo’s first impression of Americans was amazement at their size and stature. He was also approached and offered $300 per month to teach local Americans. This was a large sum of money and readily accepted by Tatsuo.

The American military described Tatsuo’s teaching as relaxed yet intense. There was rarely a formal beginning or a formal ending to the classes. In most classes, the senior students taught the lower students. Tatsuo would sit and watch the class and correct anything that was taught incorrectly. By the early 1960’s, Isshin-ryu was famous among the American military as well as becoming famous in the United States. As military personal were being replaced, those men would return the States and start their own Isshin-ryu dojos. Three men who were prominent in establishing Isshin-ryu karate in the United States were:
• Steve Armstrong
• Harold Long
• Dan Nagle
Tatsuo visited the United States several times during the 1960’s. During one of his final visits, he made some video tapes of open-hand kata as well as Kubuto that are still viewed as the absolute final word on Isshin-ryu for many followers. Afterwards, he sent his son-in-law, Angi Uezu, to continue to represent him. He died of a stroke at his home in Okinawa on May 30, 1975 at the age of 67.

Some of the innovations Tatsuo introduced that went against traditional forms during the time but were later adopted as inspirational were:
• The vertical rising punch (instead of the corkscrew)
• Making a fist with the thumb on top (not along side the fist)
• Blocking with the muscle on the outside of the forearm (not blocking with the bone)
• Sunsu kata – formed mostly from other kata techniques
• Making Naihanchi kata reversed; going left first, rather than right

Tatsuo Shimabuku’s Masters

Chotoku Kyan (1870-1945)
A frail child; developed into a strong adult through karate
Known for his mastery of ki
Extremely proficient foot techniques
Practiced Seisan kata diligently
Well versed in all aspects of the martial arts
Taught Shimabuku Kobudo techniques

Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953)
“The body of a bull and spirit of a saint”
Founder of today's Goju-Ryu karate-do
Responsible for taking Naha-te and formulating it into the Goju-Ryu system

Choki Motobu
One of Shimabuku’s most colorful instructors
Initiated fights to see if his techniques worked
Taught himself karate for many years
His fighting techniques left a lasting impression on Shimabuku

Taira Shinken
World's greatest expert in the bo and sai
Studied Kobudo
Taught Kobudo to Shimabuku
Formed Ryukyuan style of karate