History

In retrospect, the following text about a seminar between two Shorin-ryu dojos describes the inspiration for shorinryu.org.

The Shorin-ryu Karate family tree is old, grows deep roots and has many branches.

It is just natural that different sprouts develop in different ways. Leaves and branches may look different, but the tree remains the same, it won’t change into a different tree. Similarly, the Shorin-ryu tree’s branches develop different rules, conducts, formalities, attitudes, and sometimes even changes of techniques. A tree is supposed to do this in order to live and thrive. It does so, in order to adapt to nature and the given conditions.

Change is life. Stagnation means death.

We have recently participated in a two day seminar, and we were welcomed to experience how another dojo lives their traditional Shorin-ryu Karate. We saw how similar our common Kata are and Sensei pointed to the fact that we are doing the same techniques and therefore there are basically no different styles. Sensei introduced us to their specific partner excercises and we’ve done bunkai.

The Shorin-ryu tree’s branches develop different interpretations and aproaches for analysis, which in turn lead to the same basis. That makes Karate a profound and deep treasure for every practitioner.

We perceived that we are branches of the same tree, and we have the possibility to grow together.

Two important expressions of our styles are meeting here:

go ri go ho kyu son kyu ei

and

moritake

The first is the guiding principle of our branche’s sensei, Miyahira Katsuya, 10 Dan. It contains “grow together and bloom together”.

Moritake is one possible reading of the Shubukan Kanji and means “to protect the spirit of martial arts”.

We are excited that we have found out about how closely aligned we are on so many aspects, that we have the possibility to protect our roots and that we can grow together.

Arigato gozaimashita!