Matsubayashi-ryū

Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu)

Official Logo Official Logo
Date founded	1947
Country of origin	Okinawa, Japan
Founder	Osensei Shōshin Nagamine
Arts taught	Karate, Kobudō
Ancestor schools	Tomari-te, Shuri-te
Official website	www.matsubayashi-ryu.com

Matsubayashi-ryū (松林流), is a style of Okinawan karate founded in 1947 by Shōshin Nagamine (1907–1997). Its curriculum includes 18 kata, seven two-man yakusoku kumite (prearranged sparring) routines, and kobudō (weapons) practice. Matsubayashi-ryu is one of the four main styles of karate on Okinawa today, and was one of the styles represented when the Okinawa Karate-do Federation was founded. It included the styles: Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu, Shorin-ryu, and Matsubayashi-ryu.

Sensei Nagamine named his style in honor of the two most important masters that his teachings were based upon, Sōkon Matsumura of Shuri-te and Kosaku Matsumora of Tomari-te. He chose to name the school using the first kanji characters from both master's names Matsu (松) and the style is pronounced in Japanese "Matsubayashi".

Shuri-te is divided into three styles, two are called Shorin-Ryu and a third is called Matsubayashi-Ryu. Matsubayashi-Ryu is a style of Shorin-Ryu and the terms Matsubayashi-Ryu and Shorin-Ryu can be used interchangeably. Normally, the style is referred to as Shorin-Ryu but when a definite distinction is required between the other styles of the Shorin-Ryu family (Kobayashi-Ryu, Shobayashi-Ryu and Matsumura Seito Hohan Sōken) then it is called Matsubayashi-Ryu.

Shoshin Nagamine also credited Motobu Chōki as the teacher who inspired his seven Yakusoku kumite forms. Until his death in 2012, the official Matsubayashi-ryū organization was run by Shōshin Nagamine's son, Takayoshi Nagamine. However there are many schools teaching Matsubayashi-ryū that are separately affiliated with the Nagamine dojo. A new kata, Fukyugata San, was developed in 1960 by Ueshiro sensei and is performed in his association's schools, however it is not included in the general kata for Matsubayashi -ryu.

Matsubayashi-ryū is one of the better-documented traditional karate styles, owing to Nagamine's book, The Essence of Okinawan Karate-dō. as well as Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters.

After the death of Shoshin Nagamine in 1997, many of his senior students formed their own organisations to teach Matsubayashi-ryu. After Shoshin Nagamine the following people were the successors to this organisation:

• Takayoshi Nagamine (1992-2012), second generation headmaster (Soke)
• Yoshitaka Taira (2012-), Association President / Toshimitsu Arakaki (2012-), Association Vice-President

Kata

Kata are sets of moves in Karate and are considered the most important part of the Matsubayashi-ryu style.

• Fukyugata series (1-2)
• Fukyugata San not one of the original 18 kata.
• Pinan series (1-5)
• Naihanchi series (1-3)
• Ananku
• Wankan
• Rōhai
• Wanshu
• Passai
• Gojūshiho
• Chintō
• Kusanku

Ranks

These are the ranks as set out by the World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-Do Association (WMKA) and the Kodokan Nagamine Karate Dojo (World Honbu).

Mudansha

• 8th Kyu - White Belt, one green stripe
• 7th Kyu - White Belt, two green stripes
• 6th Kyu - Green Belt, three white stripes
• 5th Kyu - Green Belt, two white stripes
• 4th Kyu - Green Belt, one white stripe
• 3rd Kyu - Brown Belt, three white stripes
• 2nd Kyu - Brown Belt, two white stripes
• 1st Kyu - Brown Belt, one white stripe

Yudansha

• 1st to 10th Dan - Black Belt

Shogo Titles

• Renshi (6th Dan) - Black Belt with one stripe
• Kyoshi (7th & 8th Dan) - Black Belt with two stripes
• Hanshi (9th & 10th Dan) - Black Black with three stripes
• Hanshisei (10th Dan) - Black Belt with four stripes

Major Organizations of Matsubayashi-ryu

After the passing of the Matsubayashi-ryu founder, Shoshin Nagamine, in 1997 all practitioners of Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do were affiliated with the Nagamine Honbu Dojo and the Okinawan Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Federation. After the passing of Shoshin Nagamine, some students decided to form their own organisations. The Major organizations in the USA are the WSKF, the NAMKA and the World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-Do Association (WMKA).

• World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-Do Association (WMKA), Okinawa, Headed by Yoshitaka Taira and Toshimitsu Arakaki
  • Other Matsubayashi country-based sub-associations include:
    • European Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-Do Association (EMKA), Europe, Headed by Ole-Bjørn Tuftedal
    • Okinawa Shorin-ryu New Zealand, New Zealand, Headed by Kevin Plaisted
    • Matsubayashi-ryu Karate Association of Australia (MKAA), Australia, Headed by John Carlyle
• North American Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-Do Association (NAMKA), United States, Headed by Don Caponigro
• Karate USA - Terry Maccarrone, United States
• Shorin-ryu and Kobudo Association, United States, Headed by Eihachi Ota
• World Shorin-ryu Karate-Do Federation (WSKF), United States, Headed by Frank Grant
• Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu International, Ireland, Headed by Patrick Beaumont
• Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-Do Argentina, Argentina, Headed by Shigehide Akamine
• Shorin Ryu Karatedo International , United States, Headed by Jerry Figgiani
• The Bubishi Karate Do Organization (Non-Profit)

Well-known Matsubayashi-Ryu Practitioners

Ranks and honorifics have been excluded from the list for simplicity.

Okinawa

• Shoshin Nagamine, Founder of Matsubayashi-Ryu (DECEASED)
• Takayoshi Nagamine, Second generation headmaster (Soke) of Matsubayashi-Ryu (DECEASED)
• Yasuharu Makishi, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine (DECEASED)
• Toshimitsu Arakaki, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine
• Yoshitaka Taira, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine
• Kiyoshi Shinjo, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine
• Nobuhide Higa, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine and Yoshitaka Taira
• Ansei Ueshiro, Chief Instructor at the Nagamine Dojo, sent to the United States by Shoshin Nagamine in 1962 to promote Matsubayashi-Ryu in the United States
• Chotoku Omine, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine and sent to the United States to promote Matsubayashi-Ryu by Shoshin Nagamine (DECEASED)
• Kensei Taba, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine and Founder of his own organisation, the Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Association
• Masao Shima, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine (DECEASED)
• Eihachi Ota, Senior student of Masao Shima. He came to United States in 1969 to promote Matsubayashi-Ryu
• Chokei Kishaba, Senior student of Shoshin Nagamine and Founder of Shōrin-ryū Kishaba Juku
• Shigehide Akamine, Student of Shoshin Nagamine who moved to Argentina and heads the Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) Karate-Do Argentina

United States

• James Wax, First non-Okinawan to receive a Black belt from Shoshin Nagamine in Matsubayashi-Ryu.
• Sam Palmer, Student of Ueshiro Sensei (DECEASED)
• Parker Shelton, Student of Bob Yarnall and James Wax (DECEASED)
• Don Caponigro, Student of Takayoshi Nagamine & Frank Grant, Head of the North American Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association
• Joseph Carbonara - 1st Disciple of Chotoku Omine (DECEASED)
• Bill George - Original Black Belt of Takayoshi Nagamine. North American Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-do Association. Also black belt rank in Judo.
• Bob Yarnall, Student of Jim Wax
• Frank Grant, Student of Jim Wax, Ansei Ueshiro and Shoshin Nagamine, Head of the World Shorin-ryu Karate-do Federation
• Walter Rowden 8th Dan, Student of Sam Palmer, Shoshin Nagamine(Deceased)
• Harold Finke 7th Dan(posthumous),Student of Walter Rowden(Deceased)
• Fred Christian, Student of Sam Palmer, Shoshine Nagamine, Takayoshi Nagamine, Yoshitaka Taira; Shorin-ryu Karate Club of Belleville (IL); World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association
• Br. Michael Anthony Ramos, Senior student of Ansei Ueshiro (Deceased) and Eihachi Ota. Also black belt ranks in Akido, Jujitsu, Iaijutsu, Judo and RyuKyu Kobudo.

Terry Maccarrone title kancho Shorinryu Karate USA Ueshiro-ha most active karate USA sensei and sport karate promoter 6th Dan Matsubayashi 1995 7th Dan Kyoshi Kodansha 1992 8th Dan Kyoshi/ Kancho 2002 6th Dan Renshi IMAF USA 1986 5th Dan Renshi Okinawan Kobudo 1984 Professor at St Joseph's College Patchogue 27 years USKK ny state director 1995 USAMA LifeMember 2013

Canada

• Frank Baehr - Student of Shoshin Nagamine

Spain

• Ricardo Fuchs Camani - Student of Shoshin Nagamine and Shigehide Akamine

Norway

• Ole-Björn Tuftedal - Student of Takayoshi Nagamine

References

1. ^ Shoshin Nagamine. The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do. ISBN 0-8048-2110-0 chapter 1 pages 21–24
2. ^ Patrick McCarthy and Mike Lee. Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate ISBN 0-89750-113-6 Chapter 1 page 18
3. ^ Bishop, Mark. Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles and Secret Techniques. ISBN 0-8048-3205-6.page 12
4. ^ http://www-edu.pref.okinawa.jp/hotai/karate/dojolist-2009/shurite11.html The Directory of Okinawa Karate and kobudo
5. ^http://seinenkai.com/ The History of Japanese Karate. Masters of The Shorin-ryu. by Graham Noble with Ian McLaren and Prof. N. Karasawa Part Three:
6. ^http://seinenkai.com/ Master Funakoshi's Karate, The History and development of the Empty Hand Art Part 2. by Graham Noble
7. ^ http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/008/001/index.html
8. ^ http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/014/009/index.html
9. ^ http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/003/004/index.html
10. ^ http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/003/002/index.html
11. ^ Maccarrone-Kresge Martial Arts Book Collection anotated bibliography z Patchogue-Medford Library 11772

1980 to present

External links

• Okinawan webpage on Matsubayashi
• The World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association (WMKA)
• Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate Association of Australia (MKAA)
• European Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate Association (EMKA)
• The North American Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association (NAMKA)
• Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Information Page, New Zealand
• Shorin-Ryu Karatedo International (SRKDI)
• Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Information Page, Sydney Australia
• The Official World Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Federation
• the Official Okinawan biography of Shoshin Nagamine
• The Official Okinawan Lineage of Tomari-te
• The Official Okinawan Lineage of Shuri-te
• An academic paper by performance theory scholar Meron Langsner on the nature of kata in the Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences.
• Okinawa Karate Philosophy Input