Volume 1, Issue 6 December 2006 Okinawa Budo Kai O K I N AWA B U D O N E W S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: T H E P A S S I N G O F S ENSEI S T E V E A RMSTRONG - Sensei Steve Armstrong 1 A M E R I C A N I SSHINRYU P I O N E E R 1931-2006 Dojo News 1 On November 15, 2006 where I started learning Sensei Steve Armstrong, Karate and what it is all 2 Sensei Roy Osborne an American Isshinryu about. My other instructors pioneer passed away. were good, but I wasn’t a 2 Let Us Not Forget good student. Karate was Sensei Armstrong was only a method of fighting RyuKyu Kobudo 3 born in Guymon, Oklahoma for me until I met Master on September 22, 1931. Shimabuku.” Okinawa Karate 3 & 4 He grew up in Texas where he studied Karate and In 1960 he was part of Okinawa Culture 2 boxing. He entered the forming the American U. S. Marine Corp. Okinawan Karate Special points of interest: spending time on the Association and served as Japan mainland where he one of it’s officers on furthered his knowledge of Okinawa. • Black Belt Karate Karate. After serving in promotions Saturday, Korea, he was stationed in In 1961 he returned to the December 16, 2006 Washington D.C. attached U.S. and established an Begins 11:00 am to the Presidential Honor Isshinryu dojo in Tacoma, Guard. Sensei Armstrong Washington. • Promotion & Christmas left the Marine Corp to Party, Saturday attend college then December 16, 2006 re-enlisted in 1959. It was 7p till ? at this time he met and trained with Isshinryu’s • Sensei Roy Osborne founder, Master Tatsuo Nitan Bo Seminar Shimabuku in the Agena January 2007 Isshinryu Dojo. Discussing his training on Okinawa • Black Belt Kobudo with Master Shimabuku, promotions Sensei Armstrong is March 2007 quoted as saying, “This is • Okinawa trip April 2007 D O J O N E W S - B L A C K B E L T P ROMOTION *CHANGE* The Black Belt Karate family gatherings that Hope to see you there ! promotions, promotion occur as we get closer to party and Christmas party Christmas. Hopefully, this scheduled for Saturday new date will allow more December 23rd has been people to attend the changed to a week earlier festivities as well as on Saturday December 16, putting abit more pressure 2006. This was done to on the Black Belt accommodate the many candidates ;-) Okinawa Budo News Page 2 S ENSEI R O Y O S B O R N E - M O D E R N D A Y W A R R I O R Sensei Roy Osborne III started occasionally in Matsumura Osborne continued these his martial arts career studying Shorinryu under Soken Hohan relationships with his teachers Judo in 1952 while his father Sensei, a direct descendant of through adulthood and his own was stationed in Kyushu, famed martial artist, Sokon service in the U.S. Army. Japan. Roy’s father was Army “Bushi” Matsumura. Roy also Sensei Osborne states: Special Forces and in 1955 was trained under Oyata Seiyu “The main difference I see in assigned to duty in Okinawa. Sensei in RyuKyu Kenpo. the old way and the new is Sensei Osborne’s teenage years According to Sensei Osborne, Shorinji used an offensive were spent “mixing it up” with the old training was grueling on defense (attacking an attack the Okinawan youth where he Okinawa. His Okinawan with a more violent attack) found out that his Judo didn’t teachers were “not fond” of while the new system of work too well against Karate’s Americans so, when techniques Matsumura Seito and Kenshin Sensei Osborne & Kise Sensei kicks and punches. In 1958 his were shown, they were applied Kan use rather a defensive father returned to the U.S. with little mercy. Sensei offense. Both systems are where Roy began his karate Osborne says that often, in the excellent and what Kise Sensei training under Sensei Henry dojos he trained, the Okinawan teaches today still surpasses Slymanski, an Army Ranger Sensei would ask the most all other systems still Master Sergeant and close Americans to leave so the taught openly on Okinawa and friend of his father’s. His Okinawans could be shown abroad. Kise Sensei will always family moved back to Okinawa “special technique”. Being a be the father of my Karate and in 1960, Sensei Osborne teenager, he would ways of Shorinji and nothing began his Okinawa Karate occasionally be allowed to stay can change the love and studies with Kise Fusei Sensei and watch the training. He respect I have for my Sensei- of Shorinjiryu. He trained in would later mimic what he had O’Sensei Fusie Kise.” Kise Sensei’s dojo through seen and would get correction 1967 where he also trained from the teacher. Sensei Sensei Osborne & Oyata Sensei L E T U S N O T F O R G E T … … … . Much of the Karate and also give thanks and take for granted would Kobudo we practice prayers for those be in severe jeopardy. today was brought to currently serving our “Semper Fi” the U.S. by American great country in these military service people. dangerous times. This holiday season Without their sacrafice, let’s not only thank practicing our martial them for bringing us art and enjoying the our martial arts, but many freedoms that we The Mythical Creation of the RyuKyus On the Chinen Peninsula of Hyakuna are where the She bore a son who would Southern Okinawa Island, a Ryukyuans supposedly first become the first sovereign, a stone incense burner sits in a cultivated rice. second son who would narrow opening overlooking The goddess Amamikyo came become the first aristocrat Kudaka Island. This is Seefa forth to the Yaharachikasa (Aji), a daughter who would Utaki , a place of area near Hyakuna and Seefa become the first Noro thanksgiving for the Utaki. Her husband, the god priestess, and a third boy, blessings brought by the Shinerikyo, accompanied who would become the land. According to legend, Amamikyo. They decended patriarch of the common folk. the divine ancestors of from heaven to an island modern Okinawans brought drifting on the waves, planted five fruits and grains to their a tree and claimed the land. prosperity through Kudaka Later, Amamikyo conceived Island. The two springs children through the wind. south of Seefa Utaki near Okinawa Budo News Page 3 Kakushi Buki - The Hidden Weapons of Okinawa Many of the larger fam tools and showing Carol that the spoon was ends are used for focused punches fishing implements of RyuKyu used for oiling the hair. She then and strikes while the sides of the Kobudo are well known. The Bo, placed the hairpin through her hair weapons work well on hard bone Sai, Tuifa, and Eku are common in and suddenly pulled it out targets. most Kobudo systems. But, there is aggressively with her thumb over a group of weapons called the spoon and the spike poised in a “Kakushi Buki” or hiden weapons striking fashion. She explained to that were utilized by even the Carol that while in the hair, the jifa common person in Okinawa. can be pulled out for self defense, “Kakushi Buki”. During one trip to Okinawa, Carol Womack purchased an oldstyle The jifa as an emergency weapon ladies hairpin called Kanzashi in has developed into Ryukyu Kobudo’s Tichu. The Nunchaku, a well known weapon of Ryukyu Kobudo is also minaturized in Okinawa for better concealment. The San Setsu or three sectional Nunchaku is easily hidden on the body and becomes a formidable weapon when needed. Aother “Kakushi Buki of Japanese or Jifa in Okinawa Okinawa is the Tijikun Bo. Hogen. The long metal hairpin “Tijikun” is Okinawa dialect for sported a sharpend point at one end fist. These small “Fist Bo’s” and a small spoon at the other. At originated as floats on fishing nets. the hotel, the mama san owner was Concealed in the hand, it’s tapered R Y U K Y U K O B U D O —T I N B E & R O C H I N The Tinbe-Rochin weapon commonly found in vine or be circular in order to avoid combination is one of the least cane, metal, or turtle shell. The excessive contact with the known Okinawan weapon shield size is generally about shield. The short spear is systems, however its use is 45 cm long and 38 cm wide. predominantly used in an more reminiscent of Zulu The length of the rochin (short upward stabbing motion, fighting and European sword spear) is usually equivalent to piercing armor under the rib and small shield fighting. the length of the forearm and cage, armpits, and throat Weapons of this nature can be can be found in many differing although dependent upon the found in most cultures designs varying from spears to type of Rochin used, slashing throughout the world. short swords and machete-style motions can also be employed. The tinbe (shield) can be made implements. http://en.wikipedia.org/ of various materials but is In use, the techniques tend to B USAGANASHI —D I E T Y O F T H E M A RT I A L A R T S Busaganashi is a Chinese brought it back to Okinawa. White Crane martial arts The scroll was eventually deity. It is most commonly destroyed during WW II. A associated with Okinawa student of Miyagi’s had a Gojuryu Karate and is used photo of Busaganashi and, in many Gojuryu dojo while visiting the logos.