Shorin-Ryu Karate finds its roots from the old form of toute-jutsu that had been cultivated and practiced in Okinawa before the 20th century. Heavily influenced by the Chinese martial arts, Shorin-ryu, most influential figure was Soken “Bushi” Matsumura (1797-1889). The four main branches of Shorin-ryu that exist today ( 1) Kobayashi -small forest, 2) Shobayashi – young forest, 3) Matsubayashi – pine forest and 4) Matsumura Seito) can be traced back to him.
Matsumura is credited with passing on the kata known as Naihanchi I & II, passai, seisan, chinto, gojushiho, kusanku and hakutsuru to some of his more notable students; Anko Itosu; Kentsu Yabu; Gichin Funakoshi; Chomo Hanashiro; Nabe Matsumura; Chotoku Kyan; and Anko Asato.It was in the latter part of the 1800’s that the teachings of Matsumura, Soken began to be called Shorin-ryu, a name that acknowledges the arts’ roots in China and the Shaolin temple.
Characteristics of Shorin-ryu
More than blocking, kicking and punching, Shorin-ryu comprises of a multitude of fighting techniques including; joint manipulation (kansetsu waza), pinning/restraining techniques (katame waza), seizing nerves, attacking tendons, grappling (tuidi waza), attacking anatomically vulnerable points (kyusho-jutsu), strangulation and choking techniques (shime waza), sweeping and throwing techniques (nage waza), ground fighting techniques (ne waza) and countering attacks (gyaku waza).
Shobayashi Shorin-ryu
Shobayashi-ryu KamonShobayashi Shorin-ryu (Shaolin-way) is a style of Okinawan Shorin-ryu karate founded by Chotoku Kyan and passed to Eizo Shimabukuro.
Introduced by his uncle in 1939, Eizo Shimabukuro began training in Goju ryu under Chojun Miyagi. Miyagi taught him the fundamental principles of proper breathing, strength training the katas sanchin and seiunchin. During the same time he also studied with his older brother, Tatsuo Shimabukuro founder of Isshin ryu. After Miyagi’s departure to the mainland in 1940, Shimabukuro became a student of both Choki Motobu and Chotoku Kyan from who he learned the naihanchi katas and koryu patsai (Motobu) and the advanced kata Seisan, Ananku, Wanshu, Gojushiho and Chinto (Kyan). Eizo Shimabukuro dropped the Chatan Yara no Kusanku and the Oyadamari no Passai he learned from Chotoku Kyan and he added Kusanku Sho and Dai and Passai Sho and Dai of Yasutsune Itosu lineage.
When Kyan died in 1945, Shimabukuro was left in charge of the Shobayashi-ryu system. Today Shobayashi ryu is one of the four prominent styles of Shorin-ryu taught world-wide
Tranquil Cloud Temple, located in New Lenox, IL, houses the headuqrters of the Endo Kan Honbu Dojo. The Endo Kan teaches classical Shobayashi-ryu Karate Do with a direct lineage to the founder Grand Master Eizo Shimabukuro. Our classes are for men and women of all ages.