Matsubayashi-ryū

Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu)

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)

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