Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryū

Infobox martial art school

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name = Shōrin-ryū
aka = Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryū
date founded =
country = flagicon|Japan Okinawa, Japan
founder = Eizo Shimabukuro
head = Eizo Shimabukuro
arts = Karate
ancestor arts =
descendant arts =
ancestor schools = Shorin-ryū
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Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryu (Nihongo|小林流)|Shōrin-ryū is a style of Okinawan Shorin-ryu karate founded by Eizo Shimabukuro.

History

Although Chinese martial arts began spreading to Okinawa in the 14th century, it was not prominent until the 18th century, when Kusanku, a Chinese military official, visited Okinawa and gave a demonstration. In subsequent visits, he started teaching "chuan fa" (meaning "fist way") to Okinawans.

Kanga Sakukawa blended Kusanku's "chuan fa" with indigenous Okinawan martial arts to form the first martial art style called karate. His student Sokon Matsumura blended Sakukawa's style with Shaolin kung fu to form Shorin-ryu karate.

Matsumura was Anko Itosu's primary instructor, and both Matsumura and Itosu instructed Chotoku Kyan and Choki Motobu. Several of Kyan's students would go on to lead their own branches of karate. These are: Chosin Chibana (Kobayashi-ryu), Shoshin Nagamine (Matsubayashi-ryu), Tatsuo Shimabukuro (Isshin-ryu), and Eizo Shimabukuro.

Eizo Shimabukuro studied under Chojun Miyagi before taking up Shorin-Ryu under Chotoku Kyan. Although Kyan then became his primary instructor, Shimabukuro also studied under Choki Motobu and weapons under Taira Shinken. When Kyan died in 1945, Shimabukuro was left in charge of the Shobayashi-ryu system. In 1959 at the Kodokan in Japan, Kanken Tōyama promoted Eizo Shimabukuro to 10th Dan. At the age of 34, Shimabukuro was the youngest person ever to receive such an honor.

Shimabukuro was also the instructor of Matt Larsen (who later founded the US Army Combatives School) and American kickboxer Joe Lewis.

Shimabukuro currently lives in Okinawa and actively teaches classes on the island. He also tours around the United States upon request, visiting dojos within his organization and performing demonstrations on proper form and technique.

External links

* [http://www.inch.com/~sritter/oskia/index.htm Grand Master Eizo Shimabukuro] - Okinawa, Japan
* [http://www.rendokan.com/ New York Rendokan] - New York, NY
* [http://www.osakidojo.com/ Okinawan Shorinryu Alliance Karate, Inc.] - Grand Prairie, TX
* [http://www.okinawankarateclub.com/ Okinawan Karate Club] - Dallas, TX
* [http://www.atlantaokinawankarate.com/ Okinawan Karate Club of Atlanta] - Atlanta, GA
* [http://okinawankaratesanfrancisco.com/ Okinawan Karate Club of San Francisco] - San Francisco, CA
* [http://www.atlantakarateschool.com/ Atlanta's Traditional Okinawan Karate-Do Dojo] - Atlanta, GA
* [http://www.geocities.com/karatejmh/Shorinryubranches.htm Akari-ki Karate: Shobayashi Shorin-Ryu]
* [http://www.extremekarate.us/ Extreme Karate] - Southington, CT
* [http://www.nerendokan.com/ New England Rendokan] - Rocky Hill & Westbrook, CT
* [http://www.insideoutkarate.com/ Insideout Karate and Fitness] Lake Tapps, WA