Seishinkai
Encyclopedia
Seishinkai is an international organization for the promotion and teaching of Shitō-ryū Karate
. It is now also considered a sub-style of Shitō-ryū. Seishinkai is also an international shotokan karate organization based in the UK.
Seishinkai started as a dojo
called Seishin-Kan, founded by Kokuba Kosei on June 6, 1943 in Osaka
, Japan. The name Seishi-Kan comes partly from the Kanji
for the temple located at the end of the street where Sensei Kokuba lived, Shotennoji. The character Sho can be pronounced sho or sei and means "pure." He believed that true Karate-dō comes from the heart so he called his dojo Seishin or "pure heart" dojo.
During World War II, many of the Okinawan Karateka who left their homeland came to Osaka
and visited the home of their old friend, Kokuba Sensei. In return for room and board these men often taught at the Seishin-Kan dojo and gave private lessons to Kokuba Sensei's young son, Kosho. The Seishin-Kan dojo became a well-known meeting place for budō
men in Osaka and many of the founders of Karate taught there.
Kokuba Kosei was a devoted student of Motobu Chōki
, and upon Motobu's death in 1947 he became the second Sōke
of Motobu's branch of karate, known as-ryū-kyu Motobu-ha Karate-dō, and Seishin-kan became the center of the new organisation, Seishin-kai, promoting this style.
In 1959, after the death of Kokuba Kosei, his only son Kuniba Shōgō
(Kosho) became the third Sōke of Motobu-ha Karate-do, and the 1st Sōke of Motobu-ha Shitō-ryū Karate-do, a new style that he created by blending Motobu's karate with Shitō-ryū, which he learned from Kenwa Mabuni
himself, and other styles that he was taught by the great masters who visited Seishin-kan. Since he was only 29 years old, Teruo Hayashi was appointed as technical advisor and president of Seishin-kai from 1959 until 1970.
In 1983 Sōke Kuniba left Japan and moved the center of operation for Motobu-ha Shitō-ryū Karate-do to Portsmouth VA
, and after his death in 1992, Kunio Tatsuno emerged as the Kaicho of Seishinkai. Kuniba's dojo in the U.S. separated from Seishinkai and became independent.
Kunio Tatsuno died suddenly in May, 1999, and Seishinkai soon dissolved as an organization in Japan. In the same year the sons of Shogo Kuniba, Kosuke Kuniba and Kozo Kuniba, formed Nihon Karate-do Kuniba-kai, which is currently recognized by Japan Karate-do Federation (JKF) as the home of Motobu-ha Shito-ryu.
The free-standing organization called International Seishinkai Karate Union (ISKU) was formed in 1999, now led by Sadatomo Harada, one of the students of Kenwa Mabuni
, who is recognized by ISKU as the fifth and current soke
of Seishinkai.
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. It is now also considered a sub-style of Shitō-ryū. Seishinkai is also an international shotokan karate organization based in the UK.
Seishinkai started as a dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
called Seishin-Kan, founded by Kokuba Kosei on June 6, 1943 in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan. The name Seishi-Kan comes partly from the Kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
for the temple located at the end of the street where Sensei Kokuba lived, Shotennoji. The character Sho can be pronounced sho or sei and means "pure." He believed that true Karate-dō comes from the heart so he called his dojo Seishin or "pure heart" dojo.
During World War II, many of the Okinawan Karateka who left their homeland came to Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and visited the home of their old friend, Kokuba Sensei. In return for room and board these men often taught at the Seishin-Kan dojo and gave private lessons to Kokuba Sensei's young son, Kosho. The Seishin-Kan dojo became a well-known meeting place for budō
Budo
is a Japanese term describing martial arts. In English, it is used almost exclusively in reference to Japanese martial arts.-Etymology:Budō is a compound of the root bu , meaning war or martial; and dō , meaning path or way. Specifically, dō is derived from the Buddhist Sanskrit mārga...
men in Osaka and many of the founders of Karate taught there.
Kokuba Kosei was a devoted student of Motobu Chōki
Motobu Choki
The Okinawan karateka , younger brother of karateka Motobu Chōyū, was born in Akahira Village in Shuri, Okinawa, then capital of the Ryūkyū Kingdom....
, and upon Motobu's death in 1947 he became the second Sōke
Soke (martial arts)
, pronounced , is a Japanese term that means "the head family [house]." In the realm of Japanese traditional arts, it is used synonymously with the term iemoto...
of Motobu's branch of karate, known as-ryū-kyu Motobu-ha Karate-dō, and Seishin-kan became the center of the new organisation, Seishin-kai, promoting this style.
In 1959, after the death of Kokuba Kosei, his only son Kuniba Shōgō
Shogo kuniba
aka Sōke Kuniba was a Japanese teacher of karate.His adoptive father was Kōsei Kokuba , who began training him at five years old...
(Kosho) became the third Sōke of Motobu-ha Karate-do, and the 1st Sōke of Motobu-ha Shitō-ryū Karate-do, a new style that he created by blending Motobu's karate with Shitō-ryū, which he learned from Kenwa Mabuni
Kenwa Mabuni
was one of the first karateka to teach karate on mainland Japan and is creditied as developing the style known as Shitō-ryū .-Achievements:# Funakoshi Gichin learned kata from Kenwa Mabuni: In order to expand his knowledge he sent his son Gigō to study kata in Mabuni's dōjō in Osaka.# Kenwa Mabuni,...
himself, and other styles that he was taught by the great masters who visited Seishin-kan. Since he was only 29 years old, Teruo Hayashi was appointed as technical advisor and president of Seishin-kai from 1959 until 1970.
In 1983 Sōke Kuniba left Japan and moved the center of operation for Motobu-ha Shitō-ryū Karate-do to Portsmouth VA
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, and after his death in 1992, Kunio Tatsuno emerged as the Kaicho of Seishinkai. Kuniba's dojo in the U.S. separated from Seishinkai and became independent.
Kunio Tatsuno died suddenly in May, 1999, and Seishinkai soon dissolved as an organization in Japan. In the same year the sons of Shogo Kuniba, Kosuke Kuniba and Kozo Kuniba, formed Nihon Karate-do Kuniba-kai, which is currently recognized by Japan Karate-do Federation (JKF) as the home of Motobu-ha Shito-ryu.
The free-standing organization called International Seishinkai Karate Union (ISKU) was formed in 1999, now led by Sadatomo Harada, one of the students of Kenwa Mabuni
Kenwa Mabuni
was one of the first karateka to teach karate on mainland Japan and is creditied as developing the style known as Shitō-ryū .-Achievements:# Funakoshi Gichin learned kata from Kenwa Mabuni: In order to expand his knowledge he sent his son Gigō to study kata in Mabuni's dōjō in Osaka.# Kenwa Mabuni,...
, who is recognized by ISKU as the fifth and current soke
Soke (martial arts)
, pronounced , is a Japanese term that means "the head family [house]." In the realm of Japanese traditional arts, it is used synonymously with the term iemoto...
of Seishinkai.