My question
is directed to Advincula sensei. Len posted a question I thought
was a good one. Where did Shimabuku sensei receive his rank
from ? Was he given rank under any of his teachers and if so
what grade ? Domo arigato.
Richie Roberto. <<
This is a valid and great question.
When I first started with Tatsuo he was wearing a Red and White
obi. I asked what rank he was and he said all Okinawa maybe
7 or 8 dan. In 1960, Steve Armstrong and Harold Mitchum bought
a Red Belt and gave it to Tatsuo Shimabuku saying he was a Judan.
But Tatsuo Shimabuku was latter recognized as a Judan by the
"All Okinawa Karate Kobudo Rengokai" of which he was a member
. Some of the members of the "All Okinawa Karate Kobudo Rengokai"
were Shinken Taira, Seitoku Higa, Seikichi Uehara, and Eiko
Kaneshi. As all should know, Shinken Taira taught Tatsuo kobudo
from 1958-1960 in the Agena dojo. Eiko Kaneshi a Shinto Priest,
was a student of Tatsuo's and is the one who had the "Isshin-ryu
No Megami" painted by his brother.
The President of this organization rotated and Seitoku Higa,
Seikichi Uehara, and Eiko Kaneshi were all at one time the organizations
President.
This information was from an interview with Eiko Kaneshi in
Dec 24,
1984.
Arcenio J. Advincula