Traditional Okinawan Karate in Edmonton
International Okinawan Shōrin-ryū Seibukan Karate-dō Association
国際沖縄少林流聖武館空手道協会
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Recently, Kato Tetsuya, a highly-skilled and respected Seibukan karateka from Tokyo, gave a three-day seminar here in Edmonton. All of us learned so much. We see karate as ongoing and life-long education. In March, Clayton and Doug spent five weeks in Okinawa training. In June, Lucy, Clayton, and Doug attended a four-day seminar in Washington state given by the chief instructors of Seibukan. And in October, Lucy, Doug, and Craig will be going to Okinawa for the 62nd anniversary celebration of Seibukan and four weeks of intensive instruction. For Lucy and Doug, it will be their seventh trip to Okinawa since 2014, even though Japan was closed to foreigners for much of the pandemic.
Some dojo advertise themselves as "world-class." We are content that our instructors are always learning from the very best in the world and bringing those lessons back to the dojo.
Dojo member Jared at Red Rock Canyon, Waterton Lakes National Park
Lucy, one of our instructors, on Toguchi Beach in Okinawa
Lucy, one of our instructors, on Toguchi Beach, Okinawa
Training in Okinawa, March 2024
The head of Seibukan karate worldwide, Shimabukuro Hanshi, is unequivocal that it is necessary for Seibukan karateka to go to Okinawa:
Karate is from Okinawa, so you must go back to Okinawa and see what we do; every karate technique you must correct in Okinawa. Make sure you visit your sensei and feel all Okinawan people.
Please visit Okinawa, to feel traditional Okinawan karate, and eat Okinawan food and breathe Okinawan air. Many things you have to experience in Okinawa.
Heeding Hanshi's direction, in March three senior members of our dojo traveled to Okinawa to train there for almost five weeks.
It was marvelous, exhausting, illuminating. Here's a taste of what we experienced (move the cursor over an image for explanatory text; click to expand text; click on the arrows to navigate instead of using the automatic slide show).
A few months ago, Governor Denny Tamaki honoured Zenpo Sensei for his contributions to Okinawan culture. We were very happy to attend the celebration of that award at a hotel ballroom in American Village.
Tamaudun is the Naha mausoleum for the royal family of the Ryukyu kingdom. The direct antecedent to karate was often practiced on the level ground in front of tombs.
Zenpō Sensei said to me, "My father told me that before you do kata in front of an audience, you should bow, then take a step back to show respect." I think his lesson to me was to show respect to those in front of me, in any situation, by taking a step back before acting.
A few months ago, Governor Denny Tamaki honoured Zenpo Sensei for his contributions to Okinawan culture. We were very happy to attend the celebration of that award at a hotel ballroom in American Village.
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