THE MASTERS
Grand Master
CHOSIN CHIBANA, Hanshi, 10th Dan (1885-1969) was the originator of Okinawan shorin-ryu, loosely
translated as "small forest style" or "pine forest style." He was also the
first President of the original
Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate-do
Association. Born in Shuri City, Okinawa, he began training in 1900 at the
age of 15 with Yasutsune "Anko" Itosu. Itosu is considered
to be the Father of Okinawan Karate and is the first person
responsible for publicly teaching the art. Among Chibana's many awards was the Kunyonto
(4th) Order of the Sacred Treasure
presented by the Emperor of Japan,
Hirohito, for his devotion to the study and practice of
Okinawan karate-do. He
taught almost until the time
he died of cancer at the advanced age of 83. The most senior student of
Grand Master Chibana is Katsuya
Miyahira.
Grand Master
KATSUYA MIYAHIRA,
Hanshi, 10th Dan (the highest rank and, until 2001 the only 10th Dan in
the world in Shido-kan Shorin-ryu), started his training at
age 15 under Chibana Hanshi. Miyahira Hanshi is the President of
the Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate-do Association. He resides and teaches in
Naha City, Okinawa, where he has about 200 students of first Dan rank or above,
and has branch dojos in many locations around the world. Among his major
contributions has been the introduction of obligatory analytical exercises
(bunkai) for each of the kata, and the deepening of the philosophical study of
Karate-do. Sensei Miyahira passed away in November 2010.
As with all other Shido-kan Shorin-ryu dojos in the Western Hemisphere,
Shido-kan Karate of Mahwah is under the direction of world-renowned Head
Master
SEIKICHI IHA,
Hanshi, 10th Dan. He is Miyahira Hanshi's most
senior student, and is the director of both the United States Shorin-ryu
Karate-Do Association and the North American Beikoku Shido-kan Association.
Iha is the highest ranking Okinawan master residing in the U.S.
Born and raised in Okinawa, Iha
Hanshi began karate training under his uncle but in
1950 he was accepted as a formal student of Shinpan Gusukuma who had been a
student of the famous Anko Itosu. For four years he trained with
Gusukuma who was a well respected
authority of Shuri-te. After Gusukuma's death in 1954, Iha was
introduced to Katsuya Miyahira, and was accepted as a student shortly
thereafter. After teaching in Okinawa and the Philippines for several
years, Iha relocated in 1967 to Los Angeles, California where he taught until
1975. He moved in 1975 to Lansing, Michigan where he has
resided and taught ever since.
Iha Hanshi focuses on spreading and cultivating the knowledge of Shido-kan
Shorin-ryu as the ultimate art of self-defense, throughout the United States and
the world. A primary goal is to harmoniously work with all styles of
Okinawan karate to provide the general public with a solid understanding and appreciation
of this important cultural art.
He was promoted to 10th Dan by his teacher, Grand Master Katsuya Miyahira on
March 25, 2001. His rank is certified by the Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate-do
Association.
Sensei Mitch Cooperman has been privileged to receive instruction from Miyahira Hanshi and from Iha
Hanchi in Lansing, Michigan and in New Jersey during many special seminars.
