Shorin-Ryu

The Development of Okinawa Karate-Do Shorin-Ryu

Sensei SOKON MATSUMURA (1809 – 1899)     

  • Founder of the Shuri-Te style.
  • Left a scroll to one of his students, Kuwae Ryosei, in which he described the “Principles of Karate.”
  • Studied Jigen-Ryu (a Kenjutsu style).
  • Developed the following katas: Naihanchi, Kushanku, and Gojushiho.

Sensei ANKO ITOSU (1831 – 1915)       

  • Student of Matsumura Sokon Sensei.
  • Modernized Karate, shaping it into its current form.
  • Author of “The Ten Principles of Karate Practice.”
  • Created the popular Pinan katas (around 1907).
  • Modified Bassai and developed Passai Sho.
  • Either created Naihanchi Ni-Dan and San-Dan or divided and expanded the original Naihanchi form into three parts.

Sensei CHOSHIN CHIBANA (1885 – 1969)

  • Student of Matsumura Sokon Sensei and successor to Itosu Anko Sensei.
  • Opened a dojo in 1918 and named his style SHORIN-RYU (in 1933).
  • Founder of the first Okinawan Karate style organization, the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Do Association, in 1948.
  • Received the Kun Yon-to Zuihosho award in 1969 for his contributions to Karate.

 Sensei KATSUYA MIYAHIRA (1918 – 2010)

  • Successor to Chibana Choshin Sensei.
  • Head master of the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Do Association.
  • Founder and leader of the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karatedo Shidokan Association.
  • Held the 10th Dan rank in Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate.

Sensei SHUGORO NAKAZATO (1920 – 2016)

  • Student of Chibana Choshin Sensei.
  • Founder of the Okinawa Karatedo Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan Association.
  • Held the 10th Dan rank in Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate.

Sensei HIGA YUCHOJU (1910 – 1994)

  • Began training with Chibana Sensei in 1948.
  • Named his own dojo Kyudokan in 1954.
  • Received the 9th Dan rank from Chibana Sensei in 1965.
  • Awarded the Hanshi 10th Dan rank by the Zen Okinawa Karate-Do Federation in 1976.

Sensei CHINEN KENYU (1944 – 2024)

  • Student of Chibana Choshin, Miyahira Katsuya, Nakazato Shugoro, and Matayoshi Shinpou (Okinawa Kobudo).
  • Pioneer of Shorin-Ryu in Europe.
  • Founder of the World Oshukai Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Federation (1993).
  • Held the 10th Dan rank in Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate and the 9th Dan rank in Okinawa Kobudo.

Shorin-Ryu lineage

Shorin Ryu Családfa