was a karate master and the founder of Shorin-ryu Seibukan

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

Early life

Zenryo Shimabukuro was born in

Shuri Shuri may refer to: People *, ring name of Syuri Kondo, a Japanese professional wrestler, shoot boxer and kickboxer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese professional wrestler Characters * Shuri (character), a Marvel Comics superhero ** Shuri (Marv ...

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

in 1908. He earned his living as a baker and

tatami are soft mats used as flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. They are made in standard sizes, twice as long as wide, about , depending on the region. In martial arts, tatami are used for training in a dojo and for competition. ...

maker, but had studied karate under the karate master Chotoku Kyan. He began his training with Kyan in 1932, but trained with him until Kyan's death in 1945, excluding the years during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, when karate instruction had ceased.

Karate career

Following World War II, Shimabukuro opened his own

dojo A is a hall or place for immersive learning, experiential learning, or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts. The term literally means "place of the Tao, Way" in Japanese language, Japanese. History The word ''d� ...

, teaching karate out of his home. His students included his son Zenpo Shimabukuro and his nephew Zenji Shimabukuro, each of whom became karate masters in their own right. One of his early students was an American

paratrooper A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...

named William Fuller Jr., who arranged for Shimabukuro to teach karate to some of the other American paratroopers stationed in Okinawa. In 1960, he became president of the Okinawan branch of the Japan Karate-do Federation/All-Japan Karate-do Federation, though the branch later withdrew and became the Okinawan Karate-do United Association. In 1962, Shimabukuro founded his school, which he named Seibukan (meaning ''Holy Art School''). In 1964 he was awarded a 10th dan red belt, which is the highest rank available within the Okinawan Karate-do United Association. In 1967, the Okinawan Karate-do United Association became the All-Okinawan Karate-do Federation, with Shimabukuro continuing to serve as the organization's vice president.

Death

On October 14, 1969, while in Osaka on his way back from the 1st All Japan Karate Championship, organized by the Zen Nihon Karate-dō Renmei and held at the Nippon Budōkan, where he performed kata

Seisan The karate ''kata'' (alternate names ''Sesan'', ''Seishan'', ''Jusan'', Hangetsu) literally means '13'. Some people refer to the ''kata'' as '13 Hands', '13 Fists', '13 Techniques', '13 Steps' or even '13 killing positions'; however, these name ...

, Zenryo died of

appendicitis Appendicitis is inflammation of the Appendix (anatomy), appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever and anorexia (symptom), decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these t ...

. His son Zenpo Shimabukuro became the master of the school his father had founded, Seibukan.

References

External links

His official site (Japanese)IOSSKA (International Okinawan Seibukan Shorin-ryu Karate-do Association) The Official International site Alaska/Northwest Seibukan (USA) Article about Seibukan karate with information about Shimabukuro (including photographs)
1908 births 1969 deaths Okinawan male karateka People from Naha Shōrin-ryū practitioners 20th-century Japanese sportsmen {{Japan-karate-bio-stub