E Komo Mai!

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Welcome! The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai was established in 1933 by Karate supporters from Hawaii's Okinawan community. The first instructors of the Seinenkai were Mizuho Mutsu, Kamesuke Higashionna, Seishin Uehara and Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro. Mutsu and Higashionna were visiting from Tokyo. Uehara was an Okinawan immigrant and Miyashiro was an Okinawan nisei.  All Pages Books Only   Miyashiro was originally trained in Karate by Kuniyoshi Sensei. He then trained with Kentsu Yabu (Yabu Gunso) in 1927 and Choki Motobu (Motobu No Saru) in 1932. He had a particularly strong connection to Motobu, who had been detained by Immigration officials in Hawaii and denied entry. Miyashiro trained with Motobu for about one month at the Honolulu detention center. It appears that Motobu had asked Mutsu and Higashionna to continue Miyashiro's training. Karate classed were established in various locations on Oahu. After Mutsu and Higashionna returned to Japan, Uehara and Miyashiro continued to teach. Members of the Seinenkai also trained with Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu, during his visit in 1934. Karate classes were discontinued during World War Two. The Seinenkai continued to exist for a few years after the War. It gave a demonstration at the first Okinawan Sumo tournament held after the War. This was in 1948 at the Japanese Consulate in Nuuanu. For over 50 years, the Seinenaki ceased to exist. As a tribute to its original founders, it was reestablished on January 1, 2001 by Karate instructor and historian Charles C. Goodin of the Hikari Dojo. Goodin had been working on a book about Hawaii's Karate pioneers and had consulted with many of the surviving Karate pioneers and the earliest teacher's relatives. The first Seinenkai president, Mr. Katsumi Hokama, and the wives of Uehara Sensei and Miyashiro Sensei, kindly consented to the reestablishment of the Seinenkai.

Miyashiro, Azama, Higashionna & Uehara Honolulu, 1933 Karate Thoughts Blog

Mizuho Mutsu circa 1930

In the early days, Karate was not separated into styles and dan ranking did not even exisit. The sayings were "Character first" and "There is no first attack in Karate." A student was very fortunate to find a Sensei who was willing to accept him. Usually, a person the Sensei respected would have to vouch for the student. Once training began, it was grueling and lasted many years. If the student eventually satisfied his Sensei, he might be permitted to teach... but not for money. In Hawaii, most of the early Sensei taught for free or a nominal amount to pay for the temple or church where classes were conducted. Karate Sensei, like their counterparts in Judo, Kendo and other traditional arts, were respected members of the community. And they worked hard in their personal lives to deserve this respect. Quiet, dignified, strict, but kindhearted, these are the traits of the Sensei we remember... and should emulate.

Hawaii's Importance

Karate originated in Okinawa, with heavy influences from China (see Okinawa Prefecture's Karate and Kobudo website). The original characters for Karate meant "China Hand" and were pronouced "To-Te" or "Tu-Di". The first Okinawan immigrants to the United States arrived in Hawaii in 1900. This was even before Karate had been introduced to the Okinawan school system. The immigration would continue until by the mid-1920's, there were over 20,000 Okinawans living in Hawaii.

Okinawans naturally brought their martial arts with them. Karate and kobudo experts and students worked on the sugar plantations and occassionally demonstated their arts at cultural events, such a Bon Dances and weddings. Other plantation workers, and even gangs which preyed upon elderly immigrants, soon discovered the Okinawans' "secret" art of self-defense. Early Hawaii immigrants (issei), such as Seio Morikone, Chinzen Kinjo, Seiichi Urasaki, Chonin Sanra Arakaki, Watoku Higa, Kizo Teruya, Seishin Uehara, Shuichi Agena, and Ansei Ueshiro, were students of Itosu, Motobu and Kyan, among others. Many where familiar with the Naihanchi kata, but not the Pinan kata as the Pinan had not yet been introduced by Itosu before they left their homeland. Some of the many senior Karate instructors who have visited Hawaii over the years include Kentsu Yabu (1927), Choki Motobu (1932), Mizuho Mutsu and Kamesuke Higashionna (1933), Chojun Miyagi (1934), Mas Oyama (1952), Hirokazu Kanazawa (1961), Tsuyoshi Chitose (1961), Kanki Izumigawa (1961), Akio Nozoe (1961), Shigenobu Nakano (1961), Hironori Otsuka (1962), Masataka Mori (1963), Gogen Yamaguchi (1966, 1969), Tetsuhiko Asai (1966), Shoshin Nagamine (1969, 1978, 1984, 1996), Seigi Nakamura (1978), Seikichi Odo (1982 - 2002), Chokei Kishaba (1985), Chosei Motobu (2001), Katsuhiko Shinzato (1985, 2003, 2005), Chosei Motobu (2001), Morio Higaonna (2004), and many others.

Kamesuke Higashionna from Karate Kenpo, 1933

Polynesian Boxing, circa 1795. A Boxing-Match in Hapaee, by John Webber

Other Martial Arts. Of course, Karate was not the first martial art to be practiced in Hawaii. Upon their arrival in Hawaii in 1885, a large group of Japanese contract workers gathered at Iolani Palace where they gave demonstrations of Kendo and Sumo! Ju Jitsu was taught in Hawaii before 1900. There was a strong Ju Jitsu group in Hilo, Hawaii. It was there that Henry Seishiro Okazaki (founder of Danzan-Ryu) learned Ju Jitsu and other arts, including Ryukyu Karate. He later taught on Maui and eventually settled on Oahu. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, came to Hawaii in 1913 and September, 1932. See the History of Judo in Hawaii at the Judo Black Belt Association of Hawaii website. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, came to Hawaii in February, 1961. Koichi Tohei (founder of the Ki Society), who had come to Hawaii to teach in the 1950s, accompanied Ueshiba Sensei. See Aikido in Hawaii at the Aikido Hawaii website. One of their students in Hawaii was Sadao Yoshioka. Combining elements of Karate and Ju Jitsu, Masayoshi James Mitose formulated Kempo Jiu-Jitsu, later popularized by instructors such as William K. S. Chow, as Kenpo Karate. And Hawaiian warriors had their own armed and unarmed martial arts for hundreds of years. The Hawaiian art of hand-to-hand combat was known as Lua and continues to be taught in the Hawaiian community. See LUA: A Fighting Chance, by Betty Fullard-Leo, at the Coffee Times website.

Goals

The goals of the new Hawaii Karate Seinenkai are as follows: To encourage the practice of Karate by young people. To foster peace and health through Karate training and education. To encourage research and journalism about Karate. To preserve the legacy of and salute Hawaii's Karate pioneers. To establish the Hawaii Karate Museum. To maintain the connection of Karate to the community. To maintain the place of Karate as an important aspect of Okinawan culture.

Kuniyoshi & Miyashiro Kapiolani Park, late 1920's

What's New

Most Recent Karate Thoughts Blog Posts:

Added April 3, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Essence of Karate, Text Book No. 1. Okinawa Karate-Do Goju-Ryu Shorei-Kan. By Seikichi Toguchi. 1st English Edition - June 24, 1993. 111 pages. The Shorei-Kan Canada Karate Association. Donated by David A. Williams.
  
• Karate-Do Kyohan II, by Seikichi Toguchi. August 15, 1999. 140 pages. Donated by David A. Williams.
  
• Karate Goju Ryu Meibukan, by Lex Opdam. 2007. 311 pages. Donated by Sensei Lex Opdam.

Added March 30, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List.

• English translation of Karate-Do Kyohan entitled Karate-Do Kyohan: Master Text for the Way of the Empty-Hand, by Gichin Funakoshi. Translated by Harumi Suzuki-Johnston. Published in 2005. 262 pages. Neptune Publications.

  Donated by Paul L. Argentieri - Neptune Publications.

  Available for purchase at the website of Neptune Publications.

Added March 28, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List.

This donation arrived at my office today, and I was literally dumbfounded. I could not believe the generosity of Mr. Williams in donating one of the earliest English descriptions of Karate in Okinawa! I asked his permission to share the article with world.

The Phoenix, A Monthly Magazine for India, Burma, Siam, China, Japan & Eastern Asia Vol. III, No. 35 May 1873 Contains the article, Notes on Loochoo, by E. W. Satow, Esq. donated by David A. Williams The article (page 176 of the magazine) contains the following statement: "As regards more manly accomplishments, they are expert archers on horseback and good marksmen with the matchlock. Their skill in boxing is such that a well-trained fighter can smash a large earthen water-jar, or kill a man with a single blow of his fist."	cover	Page 174	Page 175
	Page 176	Page 177

Added February 3, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Kenka Karate (Fighting Karate), by Masatatsu Oyama. First printed Showa 47 (November 25, 1972). Reprinted Showa 49 (February 26, 1974). 272 pages. Japanese language. Donated by Professor Kimo Ferreira.
  
• Basic Karate Katas, by Hirokasu Kanazawa. 1988 edition. 84 pages. Donated by Troy Taira.
  
• Nunchaku, by Hirokazu Kanazawa. First published September 1982. Fifth impression September 1983. 149 pages. Donated by Troy Taira.

Added February 25, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Nunchaku: Karate's Deadliest Fighting Sticks, by Andrew S. Linick Ph.D. 1974. 113 pages.
  
• Karatedo History and Philosophy, by Takao Nakaya. 2007. 214 pages. Donated by Sensei Takao Nakaya.
  

Announcement: Chinese Martial Arts Lecture -- February 28th

• I received the following announcement from my friend and senior, Stanley Henning, an expert on Chinese martial arts. I have been to his home, and he has as much or more material on Chinese martial arts as the Hawaii Karate Museum does on Karate... really.

  I have spoken to Stan many times about the connection between Chinese martial arts and Karate. To learn about early Karate, we need to examine Chinese martial arts. Stan practices the art of Hsing-i.

  I plan to attend Stan's talk and am looking forward to it. Here is the announcement:

  HSPLS - OAHU TEEN PROGRAMS

  Stanley Henning, an independent scholar, has studied the history of martial arts for many years, both in the United States and in China. Henning will discuss Chinese martial arts, a major element of Chinese traditional physical culture over the centuries, to present day. Chinese martial arts have served as a source for the modern martial sports of Japanese Judo and Karate, and Korean Taekwondo. This one-hour program is suitable for ages 16 to adults.

  CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS

  AIEA PUBLIC LIBRARY
  99-143 Moanalua Road
  Aiea, HI 96701-4009

  Thursday, February 28, 7:00 p.m.
  Ph. 808-483-7333

  Please let your friends and fellow martial artists know. I hope to see you there!

  Respectfully,

  Charles C. Goodin

  
  

Added February 3, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• about... Okinawa, by Lucy C. Bond. Eestimated 1950 (no date shown). 97 pages. Contains a three page description of Karate (can be viewed at the book listing).
  
• Shorinji Kenpo Ogi, by Doshin So. July 25, 1978. 290 pages. Japanese language.
  
• Natsuhashiki Okinawa. Remembrances of Okinawa. By Katsuo Notamura. November 23, 2000. 160 pages. Japanese language. Contains two photographs of Kentsu Yabu and one of his students practicing. Donated by Professor Kimo Ferreira

Added February 2, 2008 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Ryukyu To Satsuma. Ryukyu And Satsuma. By Kendo Yokoyama, and others. January 7, 1915. Japanese language. This rare book has a fifteen (15) page section which discusses Karate.
  
• Ryukyu No Karate Monogatari. Ryukyu Karate Stories. By Bunichi Ishikawa. Showa 47 (December 15, 1972). 256 pages. Japanese language.
  
• The Shotokan Dawn Supplement, by Dr. Clive Layton. 2007. 171 pages. Donated by Dr. Clive Layton.
  
• Shotokan Horizon. A Technical Account of the First Karate Training in Great Britain (1956 - 1958). By Dr. Clive Layton. 2007. 87 pages. Donated by Dr. Clive Layton.

Added November 11, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Karate Kata Of The Okinawan Shorin School, by Donald S. Bitanga. 1980. 188 pages.

Added October 28, 2007 to the Articles Section:

• "Chinese Martial Arts Confront the 21st Century," by Stanley E. Henning. 2007.

Added October 27, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Magazine List:

• The Male Point of View, November 1956. Contains the article: "Karate - Killer Sport." 66 pages.

Added October 16, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Bruce Lee's Modern Gung Fu - Karate, by James Y. Lee. Reprinted in the Philipines by Latino H. Gonzales. 1963. 237 pages. This edition has additional photos and materials, including photos of William K. S. Chow, Gogen Yamaguchi, and Katsuya Miyahira. Donated by Halford E. Jones.
  
• Okinwan-English Wordbook, by Mitsugu Sakihara. 2006. 309 pages. Has definitions of several Karate words and terms such as karati, pin'an, naihanchi, passai, kuusankuu, and tii. Donated by Joyce Shimabukuro.
  
• Shotokan: Uberlieferte Texte Historische Untersuchungen, by Henning Wittwer. 2007. 197. Donated by Henning Wittwer.

Added September 23, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Shotokan Karate Katas No. 1: Kanku-Dai, by Horokazu Kanazawa. Paul H. Crompton Ltd. 1969. 33 pages.
  
• Karate Budokan International. Official Training Manual of the Karate Association of Malaysia. Compiled by Chew Choo Soot. Published by Chew Choo Soot. 1970. 100 pages.
  
• Seito Karate-Do Nyumon. Traditional Introduction to Karate, by Takashi Miyagi. July 20, 1972. 188 pages. The author is the son of Chojun Miyagi, who visited Hawaii in 1934.
  
• World Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Federation: Progress Across The United States, by James and Brenda Driggs. 1988. W.S.K.F. 108 pages.

Added September 19, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• You Don't Have To Dress To Kill -- Early Female Shotoka Karateka of the British Isles (1957-1966), by Clive Layton and Dinushni Muthucumarana. 2007. 85 pages. Donated by Dinushni Muthucumarana

Added September 8, 2007 to the Articles Section:

• Practice Kata Correctly, by Kenwa Mabuni. Translation by Mark Tankosich.

  This article was recently translated by Mark Tankosich, who practices both Karate and Jodo. I am a big fan of Mark's translations and articles, and am very grateful to him for allowing me to post the article at our website. Please read the article carefully. It helps us to understand the importance of kata and how to properly practice them based on the advice of one of the leading experts of the era. Mabuni Sensei's words are just a true today as they were in the 1930s. As he says (with respect to kata): "Breadth, no matter how great, means little without depth."

  Thank you very much to Mark Tankosich for the excellent translation of such an important article.

Added July 15, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• The Secret Teachings of Self-Defense: Jujutsu... of the Yamato School, by Jushinsai Sato (known as Kinbei [Kiyoaki] Sato). Translated by Tasuke Hagio. 1952. 170 pages

  The final chapter of this book is entitled "Kempo of Yamato School (another name Karate), Form of Toranomidara." The illustrations in this chapter appear to be based upon Kenwa Mabuni's Seipai No Kenkyu Goshinjutsu Hiden (October 25, 1934).

Added May 20, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List and to the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai Salutes Patrick McCarthy. A generous donation of a 14 part DVD series by Sensei Patrick McCarthy.

Secrets of Okinawan Karate & Kobudo (DVDs #1 - #14) by Patrick McCarthy International Ryukyu Karate Research Society (koryu-uchinadi.com) Published by Rising Sun Productions Inc. (risingsunproductions.net) Donated by Sensei Patrick McCarthy	Yakusoku Kumite Drills #1	Arakaki Seisan #2	Yamane Ryu Bojutsu #3
	Kenpo Jutsu #4	Kata Bunkai Part I #5	Kata Bunkai Part II #6
	Kata Bunkai Part III #7	Kata Bunkai Part IV #8	Koryu Uchinadi Nyumon #9
	Source of Karate #10	Kansetsu Tuite Waza #11	Shime/Tuite Waza #12
	Nage Waza #13	Ne Waza #14

Added March 17, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Karate Hayawakari (A Quick Guide to Karate), by Keishichi Ishiguro. Originally published August 10, 1956 (Showa 31). Reprinted July 10, 1967 (Showa 42). 125 pages. Japanese language.
  
• Karate-Do No Tanoshimi (Enjoying Karate-Do), by Takashi Miyagi. Originally published October 1, 1963 (Showa 38). Reprinted November 1, 1969 (Showa 44). 216 pages. Japanese language. The author is the son of Chojun Miyagi, who visited Hawaii in 1934.
  
• The Techniques of Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate, by Latino H. Gonzalez. Originally published 1966. Third printing 1973. Allied Printing & Binding Co., Ltd. 160 pages. Donated by Halford E. Jones.
  
• Weapons Kumite: Fighting with Tradtiional Weapons, by Takayuki Kubota. Unique Publications Inc. 1986. 224 pages.
  
• The Teachings of Karatedo, by Heiko Bittmann. 2005. Translated from an abridged version of the German original (1999). 217 pages. Donated by Sensei Heiko Bittmann. Available for purchase at www.bittmann-verlag.com.
  
• The Story of Emmigration from Haebaru County, Okinawa Prefecture. 2006. 405 pages. Donated by Kisei Teruya (son of Kizo Teruya). Includes a description of Kame Kaneshiro (later known as Ritaro Kaneshiro), one of the original 26 Okinawan immigrants to Hawaii in 1900. Kaneshiro was from Tsukazan and studied Karate under Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura.

Added March 15, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Timeline of Karate History: Pre-History to 2000, by Tetsuhiro Hokama. Translated by Charles (Joe) Swift. March 7, 2007. 171 pages. Donated by Sensei Charles Joseph Swift.

Added January 27, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Grandmaster Raymond Tobosa's Systematic Approach to Effective Escrima, by Grandmaster Raymond Tobosa. 1991. 43 pages. Donated by Donald S. Mendoza.

  Grandmaster Tobosa was a well known Escrima instructor in Hawaii. He also studied Kenpo and Karate.
  

• The Medical Implications of Karate Blows, by Brian Adams. 1969. 128 pages

Added January 4, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Ladies Special Self-Defense. Karate & Judo Ladies Special, by S. J. Jorgensen. Original copyright 1930. Revised 1969 edition. (The term "Karate" was probably added to the 1969 edition.) 30 pages. Donated by Halford E. Jones.
  
• Yubiwaza (Finger Techniques), by Yoshie Imanami. National Clearance Bureau. 1961. 15 pages. Donated by Halford E. Jones.
  
• Honor Blackman's Book of Self-Defense, by Honor Blackman. Originally published 1965. 1967 edition. Penguin Books. 134 pages. Donated by Halford E. Jones.
  
• This Is Karate, by Masutatsu Oyama. Originally published 1965. 1967 edition. Japan Publications Trading Company. 367 pages. Donated by Sensei Bobby Lowe.
  
• The Kyokushin Way, by Masutatsu Oyama. 1979. Japan Publications, Inc. 112 pages. Donated by Sensei Bobby Lowe.
  
• Introduction to Nick Cerio's Kenpo, by Nick Cerio. Nick Cerio's Kenpo, Inc. 1991. 29 pages. Donated by Halford E. Jones.

Added January 2, 2007 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List (this book was on our Top 10 Want List):

• Karate-Do Ichiro (Karate-Do One Road), by Gichin Funakoshi. October 1, 1956. 212 pages. Japanese language. Acquired with a donation by Sensei Fumio Nagaishi.

Added December 21, 2006. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes:

• Kizo Teruya, 1896 - 1980.
  
• Alan Lee, 1949.

Added December 15, 2006 to the Articles Section:

• The Why of Bunkai: A Guide For Beginners, by Charles C. Goodin. Appeared in Classical Fighting Arts, Issue 8, 2006 (an edited version), and Patrick McCarthy's Uchinadi: An Informal Journal for the Progressive Traditionalist, 3rd Quarter 2005.

Added December 12, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• The Dojo Desk Reference: A Translation of Hyaku Jiten No Bugei, by Akatsuki Sakiyama. Translated by Don Oberloh. 2006. 536 pages. Donated by Sensei Don Oberloh. Oberloh Sensei taught Karate in Hawaii for many years. He currently resides on the mainland. Available for purchase at dojodeskreference.com.

Added December 10, 2006. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes:

• Marino Tiwanak, 1927 - 1998.

Added December 4, 2006. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes the founders of Kajukenbo:

• George Chang, 1925 - 2003.
  
• Peter Choo, 1926 - 1997.
  
• Adriano Emperado, 1926.
  
• Joe Holck, 1926.
  
• Frank Ordonez, 1926.
  

Added December 4, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Kajukenbo: The Original Mixed Martial Art, by John Bishop. 2006. 228 pages. Donated by Prof. John Bishop. Available at kajukenboinfo.com.

Added December 3, 2006. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes:

• Jiro Nakamura, 1917? - unknown.
  

Added December 2, 2006. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes:

• Arthur Keawe, 1902 - 1979.

Added December 2, 2006. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes:

• Kame (Ritaro) Kinjo, 1869 - 1933. One of the original 26 Okinawan immigrants to Hawaii, Kinjo learned Karate from Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura.

  
  

Added November 20, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Magazine Collection and Rare Book List:

• A Source Book in the Chinese Martial Arts. Volume 1. History, Philosophy, Systems and Styles, by James I. Wong. 1978. 1981 edition. 130 pages. Donated by Chaney Hardman.
  
• A Source Book in the Chinese Martial Arts. Volume 2. Medicine, Meditation and Military History, by James I. Wong. 1979. 1981 edition. 102 pages. Donated by Chaney Hardman.
  
• Funakoshi, Father of Modern Karate, by Willy J. Ortiz. 2006. 220 pages. Donated by Sensei Willy J. Ortiz.

Added October 24, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• Karate No Kokoro To Jutsu (Karate Spirit and Art), by Katsumi Murakami. February 1, 1991.
  209 pages. Donated by John Oberle.

Added October 3, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• The Okinawas of the Loo Choo Islands, A Japanese Minority Group. Okinawan Studies. No. 3. R & A No. 1567. Office of Strategic Services, Research and Analysis Branch. Honolulu, Hawaii. June 1, 1944. Page 19 discusses Karate (click second image above).

Added September 27, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Rare Book List:

• What Is Self Defense? (Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu), by Professor James M. Mitose. Written in 1947. Published in 1953. 150+ pages. This may have been the first Karate book published in English, and was certainly the first Karate book ever published in Hawaii.

  We just acquired the "Two Man" cover (above, left and center). We believe this to be the first version, published in 1953. We already had the "Mon" cover, believed to have been published later that year. We are very happy to now have both versions of this important book!

Added September 18, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum Magazine Collection and Rare Book List:

• People Today Magazine. December 1953. Contains the article: Mayhem Made Easy: 4500-Year-Old Sport Trickier Than Judo: Karate Show Amazes U.S. Judo Experts. 64 pages
  
• Iron Man. Volume 18, Number 3, October-November 1958. Contains the article: Kenpo Karate: Developing The Body Into Weapons, by Ed Parker. Page 32.
  
• Karate-Do Kobujutsu, Embu Taikai. September 5, 1976. 82 pages. Donated by Sensei Fumio Nagaishi.
  
• Karate Kata Series 3: Gojushiho (Sho), by Hiroshi Shoji. December 10, 1976. Fukushodo Co., Ltd. 136 pages, plus foldout. Japanese and English.

Added September 16, 2006:

• Charles C. Goodin was interviewed by OkinawaBBtv.com about the Hawaii Karate Museum.
  See the Goodin interview.

Added August 18, 2006 to the Hawaii Karate Museum:

• The Halford E. Jones Filipino Martial Arts Collection.

Seinenkai Salutes

The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes the many Karateka who have come to Hawaii since the turn of the century (1900) to help establish and spread the art. Hawaii's own Karateka also deserve recognition for their contributions to the art, as do their students, families and supporters. We are what we are because of all of them! The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes (click here for Alphabetical Listing): Visitors to Hawaii Before WWII: (lists sorted by birthdate): Kentsu Yabu, 1863 - 1937. Choki Motobu, 1871 - 1944. Kenwa Kanna, 1877 - 1950. Chojun Miyagi, 1888 - 1953. Mizuho Mutsu, 1898 - 1970. Kamesuke Higashionna, 1904 - 1968?

An historic gathering of Okinawan Karate masters, 1937. Three of these masters came to Hawaii. Can you identify them?

Supporters

The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai has supporters in Hawaii and around the world. We use the term "supporters" rather than members, because because it better describes the role of those who "support" our goals. Our supporters are not only Karate instructors and students. Writers, translators, artists, designers, investors, contractors, actors, physicians, priests and parents... support can take many forms. The Seinenkai would like to thank the following for their invaluable guidance and assistance: Okinawan Culture Experts: June Arakawa Takenobu Higa Sensei Morio Higaonna Ryokichi Higashionna Prof. Mitsugu Sakihara (deceased) Prof. Katsuhiko Shinzato Japanese Translators: June Arakawa Kiko Asai Ferreira Tomoe Misumi Goodin Yukihiko Noda Mark J. Tankosich

Yabu's students Hawaii 1927

Hawaii Karate in the Media

History is only history when someone writes it down! Remarkably, very little was ever written in English about the early days of Karate in Hawaii. The groundbreaking work in documenting the subject was undertaken by Bruce A. Haines in his 1962 University of Hawaii master's thesis, Karate and Its Development in Hawaii to 1959. Haines later wrote Karate's History and Traditions (Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1968), a broader text which includes a chapter on Karate in the United States, including Hawaii. The general lack of literature, however, has led many people to incorrectly assume that Karate was not present in Hawaii until after World War Two (when returning GIs brought back the art with them). This is incorrect. Karate students and teachers were present in Hawaii from the earliest days of Okinawan immigration (1900). In fact, one of the original twenty-six immigrants was a Karate student (and his son would later sponsor the visit of Miyagi Sensei in 1934)!

order

Click above for this article

The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai will work to encourage Karate journalism, particularly articles and features in various media about the history of Karate in Hawaii. See:

• Hawaii Research Articles
  
• Articles Sorted by Sensei
  
• Articles by Seinenkai Researchers & Authors

Exhibits:

• From Bento to Mixed Plate: Americans of Japanese Ancestry in Multicultural Hawai`i, Japanese National Museum. Charles C. Goodin and two of his sons were included in a large photograph demonstrating Karate in this exhibition about Japanese immigration to Hawaii. After its debut at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. Hawaii, the exhibition traveled to various locations, including Los Angeles, Washington. D.C., and the Okinawa Prefectural Museum, Naha, Okinawa .

  In connection with fund raising efforts to send the exhibit to Okinawa, Goodin gave a lecture about the History of Karate in Hawaii. Members of the Hikari Dojo also gave a public demonstration at the Ward Warehouse, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The lecture and demonstration were in December 1999.

• Annual Okinawan Festival. In 2001 and 2003, the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai presented an exhibition of historic Karate photographs at the annual Okinawan Festival held in Kapiolani Park. The exhibit was in the Hui O Laulima cultural tent. We will try to participate in this event every other year.

In The Schools:

• A Teaching Unit on Okinawan Culture, Farrington Community School for Adults in cooperation with the Hawaii United Okinawa Association, February 2003. This resource booklet will be provided to the public schools in Hawaii. Goodin was a consultant on The Okinawan Martial Arts section, which included his articles The Roots of Okinawan Karate in Hawaii and Karate and Okinawan Sumo.

• Children's Okinawan Cultural Day Camp, Hawaii United Okinawa Association, 2002 and 2003. Goodin gave classes on Okinawan Karate to children participating in this program. In 2004, Goodin taught with Sensei Terry Higa. Dexter Chun assisted.

Videos:

• Hawaii Okinawa Today, Fall, 1999. This locally produced video featured Goodin's research on the history of Karate in Hawaii.

  

• Goodin was also a consultant on Matsubayashi-Ryu Shorin Ryu Karate, a video about the history of Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) Karate-Do, produced by Dragon Associates. Published in April 2000, it includes historic footage of Shoshin and Takayoshi Nagamine and their senior students from the 1960's and 1970's performing kata, bunkai, and weapon arts combined with a finely detailed illustrated history of Matsubayashi Ryu from its founding to the present. Running time 35mins. Stereo sound, restored footage and a large number of rare historic photographs.

Donations

The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai is a division of the Hikari Institute, a Hawaii non-profit corporation and federally tax exempt organization under IRC 501(c)(3). We depend upon public support to fund our research and education programs. You are welcome to review our tax exempt documentation. There are two ways to make donations to the Hikari Institute:

• Please click on the PayPal image to make a secure online
  credit card payment (by VISA or Master Card).
• Please click here for a Donation Form. You can print the
  form and send a donation to us by mail.

A donation of any size would be greatly appreciated and we will send you a receipt for your tax records.

You can also support us by purchasing books, videos or other items from our online bookstore.

Aloha!

Karate's roots in Hawaii should be preserved. By learning about our forefathers, we gain a better appreciation of this peaceful art and the rich Okinawan culture from which is arose. When we practice Karate, we can feel their eyes reaching across time to observe our technique and composure. If you believe this is worthwhile, please help us to accomplish our goals.

The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai can be contacted as follows:

Charles C. Goodin, President Hawaii Karate Seinenkai 98-211 Pali Momi Street, Suite 640 Aiea, Hawaii 96701 USA tel: (808) 488-5773 fax: (808) 488-5778 e-mail: goodin@hawaii.rr.com

All Pages Books Only

The spirit of Karate is the Aloha spirit
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