No – Not The Movie…

I have been informed that Grand Master Eizo Shimabukuro will be coming to North America in September of 2008.  This Master karate teacher is a living treasure and has trained 1000’s of students over the course of his life.  He is to be honored for his selfless lifetime of sharing the many virtues of Okinawan karate with his personal students.

Shorin Ryu is the distinct form of karate that Master Shimabukuro is mostly known for although he is a student of almost every (still living in his time) one of the “who’s who” Masters in Okinawan Karate.  Although Master Shimabukuro trained USMC troops in Okinawa for decades, his Shorin Ryu style has become one of the most popular styles of karate on the planet.  His students “by association”, meaning those who have been trained by his students have grown like a brushfire across the globe.  There are probably 10’s of 1000’s of Shorin Ryu students who have never trained with, or met him.  His teachings live on through them and will continue to do so forever.

Master Shimabukuro has an itinerary of stops for his sparse USA/Canada visits.  I have inquired as to his itinerary and if highly regarded Shorin Ryu practitioners would be allowed to train or visit with him during this visit.  The reply hasn’t arrived to date.  Eizo is getting along in years and the barriers are starting to be erected – or so it seems, to enable his many “personal” students to spend time with him.  It would be a rare treat to train in one of his seminars, be they simply oral teachings or physical training and instruction of proper techniques, kata, and weapons.  We’ll post back again if he will be available to Shorin Ryu students who are of his lineage but not personal students.  Keep kicking!