My Teacher Sensei Apsega 5th Dan with (L to R) Hanshi Ader 8th Dan (Midwest Director), Kiacho Isao Kise 9th Dan (President of OSMKKF), Hanshi-Sei Fusei Kise 10th Dan (Supreme Master), Hanshi Shipes 8th Dan (West Coast Director), & Hanshi Fasig 8th Dan (2012)
Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Lineage
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“I have taught you all I know. There is no more I can teach you. I am a candle whose light has traveled far. You are my candles to whom I have passed on my light. It is you who will light the path for others. Today I see around me the lights of Shaolin. The flame of tomorrow. My task is done, soon my flame will end. Teach the true spirit of karate-do and one day you may enter the Temple of Shaolin“. |
Satunushi Sakugawa
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Most modern karate styles can be traced to the famous Satunuku Sakugawa (1733-1857) called “Tode” Sakugawa. Sakugawa first studied under Takabara Peichin of Shuri. Later, Sakugawa went to China to train under the famous Kusanku. Kusanku had been a military attache in Okinawa. When Master Kusanku returned to China, Sakugawa followed and remained in China for six years. In 1762, he returned to Okinawa and introduced his kempo (“fist way”). This resulted in the karate we know today. Sakugawa became a famous samurai and was given the title of Satunuky or Satonushi, titles given to Okinawan warriors for service to the Okinawan King. Sakugawa contributed greatly to Okinawan karate. We honor him today by continuing many of the concepts he introduced. Sakugawa’s greatest contribution was in teaching the great “Bushi” Matsumura Sokon. ______________________________________________ Matsumura was recruited into the service of the Sho family (Royal family of Okinawa) and eventually became the chief martial arts instructor and bodyguard for the Okinawan King. Matsumura is credited with passing on the kata or formal exercises of Shorin Ryu Karate known as Naihanchi I & II, Passai Dai (Matsumura no Passai), Seisan, Chinto, Gojushiho (fifty-four steps of the Black Tiger), Kusanku (the embodiment of Kusanku’s teaching as passed on to TodeSakugawa) and Hakutsuru (white crane). Matsumura was given the title “Bushi” meaning warrior by the Okinawan King in recognition of his abilities and accomplishments in the martial arts. Bushi Matsumura before his death passed on his menkyo kaiden (certificate of full proficiency) to his grandson, Nabe Matsumura. ______________________________________________ NABE MATSUMURA brought the old Shorin-ryu secrets into the modern age. His name does not appear in many karate lineage charts According to Hohan Soken (1889-1982), the purest teaching of Matsumura’s Shorin Ryu was carried on by Matsumura Nabi (c.1860-1930). He received training in the family style of Matsumura Shorin Ryu which also included the secret techniques of the white crane. The white crane system was reputed to be a secret family style that was only taught to immediate family members. In his later years, Nabe Matsumura was referred to as Nabe Tanme or “old man” Nabe. He was known to be a stern and disciplined teacher. He had only one student, Hohan Soken. It is said he was one of the top karate men of his time. He passed on his menkyo kaiden to his nephew, SOKEN HOHAN ______________________________________________ Master Soken began training at age thirteen under his uncle, Nabe Matsumura. Soken had to work in the fields as a youth in spite of his Samurai heritage. This was due to a political reorganization in the Ryukyu Islands and all of Japan as a result of the Meiji restoration. After ten years of basic training under Nabe Matsumura, Soken began learning the techniques of the white crane or Hakutsuru. This was in 1912 when he was twenty-three years old. According to Soken, this was a secret technique or training methodology which was confined to the Matsumura family. Bushi Matsumura had learned the white crane system in China. Soken’s instruction in the white crane technique emphasized balance training. One training method that he practiced was to perform the Hakutsuru kata on a board floating in a pond. The board was just large enough to support his weight. Hohan Soken’s light was most certainly passed on to a candle to help light the way for others. Hohan Soken gave his Menkyo Kaiden to Fusei Kise prior to his death. The legacy of Matsumura Shorin Ryu continues with Master Fusei Kise. ______________________________________________ Kise began his study of karate in 1947 under his uncle, Master Makabe. In 1955, Master Kise became a student to Master Shingake Nobutake and received his shodan. In 1958, Master Kise began studying under Grandmaster Soken Hohan, the third successor of Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu karate-do. In 1960, he was a student of Grandmaster Nakamura Shigeru, founder of the Okinawan Kenpo Karate-Do Federation, and qualified for his 7th degree black belt. After five years of training, Master Kise became a shihan (“master”)on January 1, 1965, when he passed the 7th dan examination under Grandmaster Nakamura. At that time, Master Kise taught and practiced Shorinji-ryu karate-do. During this time, he continued studying Shorin-ryu under Grandmaster Soken. On January 1, 1957, Master Kise switched completely over to Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu. On January 3, 1972, Master Kise qualified for the hanshi title by passing the 8th dan examination held by Grandmaster Soken and Master Makabe. Sep 1st 1976 Master Kise qualified for his 9th Dan by Grand Master Hohan Soken. In 1977 Master Kise founded the Shorin Ryu Karate Kenshin Kan Karate and Kobudo Federation. On Oct 25 1987 Master Kise was promoted to 10th Dan by Master Shigaru Tamaiya. ______________________________________________ Kaicho (President) Isao Kise is the President of the All Okinawan Shorin Ryu Kenshin Kan Karate and Kobudo Federation. Kaicho Isao teaches at the Main Dojo, Okinawa City, Okinawa Japan, military bases on Okinawa and has his on Dojo in Okinawa City. Kaicho is the All Okinawan Kata, Kobudo, and Kumite Grand Champion. Kaicho teaches Traditional Karate, Sport Karate, Sport Kumite as well as full contact Karate. He is a senior judge for tournaments throughout the Island of Okinawa. Kaicho has been training since the age of 4 and was born July 27, 1957. Kaicho believes in hard demanding workouts and trains his students to be champions. Kaicho Currently Holds the rank of 9th Dan. ______________________________________________ Hanshi John Shipes, US West Coast Director of the OSMKKF. Hanshi Shipes began his formal martial arts training in 1978 under Master Roy Kurban in Arlington, Tx in Tae Kwon Do, and trained there for about 4 years. He moved to Palestine, Tx in 1981 when he first met Steve Warren, a student of Master Kise’s, and trained with him for about 3 months. He then joined the Cha Yon Ryu system of Master Kim Soo under instructor Ken Pickle, a more familiar Tae Kwon Do based system. This training continued for about a year when Sensei Shipes left Mr. Pickle’s school and returned to Sensei Warren’s school and has remained with Master Kise’s system ever since. Hanshi Shipes also Hosts an annual training camp dedicated just to practicing the art of tuite (joint locks). _________________________________________________Sensei Apsega started formally training in the Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Seito system in 1986. Opened first dojo (school) in Whitneyville, Maine in 1990. Joined and served the United States Marine Corps from 1994-1998.Honorably Discharged from the United States Marine Corps in 1998. (Airborne Certified). Sensei Apsega has traveled to the hombu dojo in Okinawa twice, in 2004 & 2006. Promoted to Yondan(4th degree black belt) on May 16th 2009. In 2012 he past his Certified Instructor Test for all three Karate,Kobudo & Tuite. In 2013, He was Promoted to Godan (5th degree) and in 2014, he was rewarded title Renshi. |
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