 |
|
Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei |
Shimabuku Tatsuo
September 19, 1908-May 30, 1975
by Arcenio J. Advincula
Shimabuku Kana was born, September 19, 1908, the year
of the Monkey in Chan village, Okinawa.
This year 2004, Tatsuo would have been 96 years old. Throughout
his life he was known as Kana, Kana-hi, Shinkichi, Sun nu
su, Sunsu, and Tatsuo. He would go by the Okinawan family
name Shimabuku instead of the longer Shimabukuro.
During different periods of his lifetime, he was a farmer, tax
collector, bodyguard, horse and cart teamster, karate instructor
and sumuchi (fortune teller).
Prior to his death on May 30, 1975, Tatsuo was still doing fortune
telling. Sumuchi is from the Uchinaguchi
(Okinawan language) or dialect hogen but fortune tellers
are also called sanjinso in Japanese.
Sanzinso literally means “three phases of life” or “Three
social trends,” which are the past, the present and the future.
Long before Tatsuo studied karate, he was learning to be a
sumuchi from his uncle Ganeku Shinko who later would
teach the young Shimabuku Shaolin-zi (Shorinji)
style of karate that he learned in Fukushu (Foochow) China.
Shimabuku learned to be a sumuchi from his uncle on his
mother’s side who lived in Agena village which was near Chan
village. Ganeku was a school principle for a school at Isshikawa,
a town located in central Okinawa. Years earlier Ganeku had
traveled to China and learned to be a fortune teller.
In the main Okinawan Shuri and Naha dialect, a fortune
teller is called sumuchikuya
or sumuchi/shimuchi
for short.
‘Su” means book and ‘muchi’ means person
so sumuchi is a ‘Book person’ a term used in Okinawa
for a fortuneteller.
The reason these fortunetellers are called sumuchi is
because they use books such as the I
Ching,
Chinese Almanac, Chinese books on Astrology and
Feng shui.
http://www.free-definition.com/I-Ching.html
A sumuchi is well versed these ancient books and the
"I Ching" (The Book of Changes), a classic Chinese book
of divination, is used to consult to advise their clients in
the proper course of action to take in certain phases of their
lives. Okinawan Sumuchi are held in high esteem
and are respected for their knowledge of old customs,
history, traditions and events. This knowledge is passed from
Sumuchi to apprentice and Tatsuo learned from Ganeku.
Sumuchi are also called sanjinso or sanzinso
which literally means “Three phases of life” or “Three
social trends,” which are the past, the present and the future.
Sumuchikuya/ sumuchi/shimuchi and Sanjinso are
all in reference to fortunetelling. Another subject Sumuchi
perform is
Feng shui.
http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/001/004-e/index.html
Fungshi (literally "wind" and "water") in Okinawan
hogen and Feng Shui in Chinese is the ancient art
of placement which addresses environmental energy imbalances
of yin and yang. Fungshi which originated
in China aims to promote balance and harmony between
one’s living and one’s working environments. It can be described
as the study of the relationship between humanity and earth
and Fungshi is still deeply rooted in Okinawan life.
The ancient Shuri Castle layout was based on
Fungshi
.
http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/001/004-e/002_01.html
While in China Ganeku also learned Shaolin-zi (Shorinji)
kenpo from two Chinese by the name of Kushi and
Mushi (Japanese Koshi and Moshi).
Tatsuo was an erudite who could read, understand and interpret
the ancient writings found in the ancient books of China such
as the "I Ching",
and Chinese almanac, Chinese calendar and astrology
yet he was a humble, non-pretentious man who liked to joke.
Few know that he was doing comedy stints when he was working
in the Philippine Islands with a Okinawan work crew prior to
WW ll.
Shinsho, he second son, says, "My father was natural.
Look at all the pictures of him standing and you will see that
he is relaxed and natural. Watch him doing kata and you will
see my father doing it in a natural way."
Kaneshi Eiko, with reverence, in an interview said, "When
I close my eyes I can see Shimabuku's body doing kata. I'm proud
of Shimabuku." Eiko further states that during the January 15,
1956 meeting that Tatsuo called to change from the twist punch
to the vertical punch, Kaneshi explains, "The bushi used the
natural way and the natural way is to use a straight punch without
a twist. So we all decided to use the vertical punch."
This weekend we will honor our founder who gave us Isshin-ryu
karate.
Here are some thoughts about our founder.
Kaneshiro Kenji talking about chinkuchi: “Shimabuku was
unexcelled. I still don’t know how Shimabuku could obtain it.”
Major Maekawa: “When I started karate from Tatsuo in
1951, he called it Sun nu su te or his karate. He was
a
sanjinso
or Sumuchi, gave instruction.
Tatsuo knew many arts. Did you know why Isshin-ryu punches vertically.
Its a natural punch, like a piston.”
Tokumura Kensho relates story of Tatsuo when he was in
the Philippines. “Tatsuo was by himself in a bunkhouse and someone
knocked at the door. Tatsuo thought something was wrong and
silently crept up behind the person who was armed with a knife
and chopped his arm knocking the knife out of his hand, disarming
him. Tatsuo said disarm him so he wouldn’t have to harm him.”
 |
|
Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei |
Tokumine Sheisho answers when asked “What do you remember
about Tatsuo?”: “I remember three things about Tatsuo. He could
drive a 16 penny nail through a 2x4 with the edge of his hand
by chopping it. I never saw him do it at Chan dojo. He didn't
do this until he moved to Agena. I also remember Tatsuo climbing
up a telephone pole near main street at the Agena dojo, going
up head first then coming down head first. I also remember him
chopping a beer bottle and breaking it. This is very dangerous
because you could cut the tendons of your hand.”
Ciso taking about his father: “My father always thought
of ways to make money. His favorite kobudo weapon was the
bo. One Okinawan custom at festivals, weddings, and almost
all occasions is to have someone perform using the bo.
This is for good luck. My father would perform and get paid
500 yen each time he perform. He loved the bo.
It was a way to bring home extra cash. He made money as a
Kyan Kucho (Chan Village headman or minor village chief),
sumuchi telling fortunes, feng shui , and setting
up bets on sure things, using the bo at festivals, farming
and teaching karate.”
Nakazato Joen, of Shorinji-ryu: “Tatsuo was a good person.
He was not stuck up as others. He always helped when asked.”
Arakaki Seiki (1923-1982) Matsumura Shorin-ryu. In a
interview in 1981 when he visited California. “I went to visit
Shimabuku Sensei and discuss his muscle blocking method. I stayed
half a day discussing his blocking method and agree with him.
He was a kind person.”
Uechi
Kanei (1911-1991) during a interview on Okinawa 1981.
“Shimabuku
Tatsuo was a great karate man. Very powerful!”
While most of his peers thought highly of him, he had one distractor,
Nagamine Shoshin. According to Ciso, when Tatsuo went before
other sensei to present his new style of karate, Isshin-ryu,
Nagamine didn’t want to recognize it. For years I had heard
stories that their may have been others, but years later found
most of his peers accepted it.
He was at one time a member of
The Okinawan Karate-Do Renmei (Okinawan Karate Federation)
which included during the early stages following members:
Shigeru Nakamura Okinawa Kenpo
Shinken Taira Ryukyu Kobudo
Shosei Kina Uhuchiku Kobudo
Seikichi Uehara Motobo-Ryu
Seitoku Higa Bugeikan
Masami Chinen Yamani-Ryu Bojutsu
Tatsuo Shimabuku Isshin-Ryu
Eizo Shimabuku Shorin-Ryu
Taro Shimabuku Shorin-Ryu
Joen Nagazato Shorinji-Ryu
Shugoro Nagazato Shorinji-Ryu
Chozo Nakaima Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu
Zenryo Shimabuku Shorinji-Ryu (Chuba Shorin-Ryu & Sukani Hayashi
Shorin-Ryu
Shosin Nagamine Photo
Later he became a member of the The Okinawan Karate Kobudo
Rengokai. Other members at different times were Hohan Soken,
Seikichi Uehara, Eiko Kaneshi, Shinken Taira, Shihan Toma,
and Seitoku Higa to name a few. So Tatsuo was recognized by
all the major okinawa sensei, in both karate and kobudo.
Let us honor Tatsuo and preserve his style as best we can.
1. Dojo kun
2. Kenpo Gokui
3. Upper and lower basics
4. Seisan
5. Seiunchin
6. Naihanchi
7. Wansu
8. Chinto
9. Kusanku
10. Sunsu
11. Sanchin
12. Kyan no sai
13. Kusanku sai
14. Chatan Yara no sai
15. Kusanku sai
16. Tokumine no kun
17. Urashi bo
18. Shishi no kun
19. Hamahiga no tuifa
20. Shimabuku Tatsuo no kumite
21. Bo/Sai kumite
22. Bo/Bo kumite
23. Bo/Tuifa kumite
On this September 19, 2004 on the 96th anniversary of his birth,
let us remember and honor our founder. Kanpai Sensei! I'll drink
to that!
