SHITO-RYU
Introduction
Shitō-ryū (糸東流) is
a form of karate that was founded in 1934 by Kenwa Mabuni (摩文仁
賢和, Mabuni
Kenwa). A synthesis of various different Okinawan schools of
martial arts, the Shitō-ryū is primarily practiced in Osaka. Due to both
controversies in Kenwa Mabuni's line of succession and Mabuni's extensive
efforts to popularize the martial art form in Japan, there exist many successor
karate schools that claim Shitō-ryū as an influence.
▪About Mabuni
Born in 1893, Kenwa Mabuni was the 17th generation famous samurai
named Onigusuki. Mabuni was keenly aware of the accomplishments of his brave
ancestors and wanting to overcome poor health, he began intensive training at
the age of 13.
Kenwa Mabuni initially practiced under the
shuri-te master, Ankoh Itosu,
and then went on to study under the naha-te master, Kanryo Higashionna
(Higaonna). Although he remained true to the
teachings of these two great masters, Mabuni sought instruction from a number
of other teachers, including Tawada Shimboku, Sueyoshi Jino and Wu Xiangui (a
Chinese whitecrane kungfu master known as Go-Kenki in japanese). He also
studied techniques of the bo, sai, tonfa, kama and nunchaku from Seishō Arakaki
(Master Aragaki).
Ankoh Itosu and Kanryo Higashionna may be the most
influential names of modern karate-do as the Shotokan founder, Gichin Funakoshi
was a student of Ankoh Itosu (Teacher of Shuri-te) and the Goju-ryu founder,
Chojun Miagi was a student of kanryo Higashionna (Teacher of Naha-te).
▪Origin of the Style
Name
Again lacking formal names, besides referring
to style by area, people sometimes referred to the various schools of Karate by
putting the names of Grand Masters and the Katas (forms) together thus creating
a label for the particular school or kata.
Mr. Mabuni founded his new style of Karate by
blending together the names of his two great primary teachers to honour them
and he blended those Japanese characters that represent their names. The first
character representing Itosu is pronounced SHI (SHE) and the first character
representing Higaonna is pronounced TO (TOE).
The combination of the two names forms the
karate style now known throughout the world as SHI-TO-RYU (RYU means style).
The same idea of combining Japanese characters is true of the term “Karate-do”
itself. “Karate-do” is: kara = “empty” – te = “hand” – do = “way” (he empty
hand way).
▪Shito-Ryu
While both Itosu and Higaonna taught a "hard-soft"
style of Okinawan "Te", their methods and emphases were quite
distinct: the Itosu syllabus included straight and powerful techniques as
exemplified in the Naihanchi and Bassai kata; the Higaonna
syllabus stressed circular motion and shorter fighting methods as seen in the
kata Seipai and Kururunfa. Shito-Ryu focuses on both hard and
soft techniques to this day.
Then Mabuni opened a number of Shitō-ryū dojo in
the Osaka area & instructed this system of karate, Shito-Ryu, to Okinawa’s
police, constabulary and self-defence forces and also made frequent visits to
Japan prior to 1920 to instruct the art. In 1929, Kenwa Mabuni made a permanent
move to Osaka to teach at universities and police departments.
To this day, the largest contingent of Shitō-ryū
practitioners in Japan is centered in the Osaka area.
He died in May 1957 at the age of 64, but his system remains
one of the four major styles in Japan. Followers of Shito-ryu Karate will
instantly recognise the name of the founder of the style, Kenwa Mabuni
(1893-1957).
Grand Master Mabuni was one of the original
few Okinawan masters to introduce the art of karate to mainland Japan in the
early 1920s. Initially karate techniques were thought to be too dangerous to
practice as a sport. While the earliest inter-collegiate duals allowed basics,
kata demonstrations and one and three-step sparring, karate tournaments did not
appear in Japan until the middle of the 1950’s. By limiting the techniques
allowed and by introducing a scoring system, large tournaments became a
possibility and sport karate was introduced in Japan and subsequently
throughout the world. The rules of international karate competition, which
continue to evolve today, are formulated for use in the most prestigious
tournaments in the world by the World Karate Federation (WKF). Today Shito-ryu
is one of the four major Japanese styles of karate in the world (along with
Shotokan, Goju-ryu and Wado-ryu).
Shito-Ryu combines aspects of both hard and
soft, internal and external martial arts, such as physical strength and
powerful stances as seen in Shuri-te styles such as Shorin-ryu and Shotokan, as
well as circular movements and breathing power of Naha-te styles such as Uechi-ryu
and Goju-ryu.
Shito-ryu is broad yet distinct from other styles. It
emphasizes on shorter stances, speed and kihon (basics). Today, Shito-Ryu has
spread worldwide. Under competition conditions,the Kumite (Free – Sparring
competition) is semi-contact. In the area of Kata (A form of self-practice in
predetermined steps of karate movement), Shito–ryu has the most number kata
that a karate-ka can choose from to perform during competition. This is due to
the fact that Shito-ryu style is effectively a combination of 2 major streams
of okinawan styles, Shorei and Shorin. Shito-Ryu is famous for practicing a
huge number of kata.
Shito-Ryu is most often described as a
combination of Shotokan (a style of linear movements) and Goju-Ryu (a style of
more rounded movements). It is also generally known that Shito-Ryu teachers
utilize formal exercises (kata) from many Okinawan sources. Unfortunately, such
explanations fail to adequately describe just what Shito-Ryu really is, which
is much more.
After Mabuni's death, the style spreaded worldwide through
his ancestors & (direct/indirect) students.
SEISHINKAI
Seishinkai (聖心会)
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 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.
It is also spreading worldwide & promoting Shito-Ryu
style through the Masters who taught directly or indirectly from the successors
of Seishinkai Shito-Ryu karate.
SEISHINKAI SHITO-RYU KARATE-DO FEDERATION
▪About Premjit Sen
Mr. Premjit Sen was born on 11 September, 1973 in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. He started his career in the year 1982 & started his own Dojo in the year 1991 & since then there has been no looking back for him. He learned karate & other martial arts from various Indian & foreign masters. He showed dreams to all his students and he taught them how to chase their dreams. He hoisted his flag in each and every tournament such as Asian Championship, National Games, Commonwealth Games etc.
Mr. Sen also won Gold in the World Cup of Martial Art in 2003 & 2008 from Australia, participated in European Open Champion in 2006 from Germany and won a Gold medal in the technical training seminar in Japan 2003 & also he has been awarded Best Instructor from I.S.K.A Australia.
The people of India or abroad very soon started calling him the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Humble words, calm attitude, sharp vision, intellectual brain and polished moves, Mr. Premjit Sen is known for all of these. He is one force of nature God created to boost Karate and to make people aware of the extreme importance Karate.
AISSKF
In the year 2002, All India Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation was founded by Mr. Premjit Sen. At that time, the General Secretary of National Federation of Karate India (Affiliated member of WKF) inaugurated this organisation. AISSKF was affiliated to World Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Seishinkai International (Grandmaster Soke Sadatomo Harada, Japan) then.
As the karatekas of AISSKF started to shine in National & International level, Premjit Sen also started to shine as Coach, Referee & Judge in National & International level. The name of AISSKF spreaded all over India.
GSSKF
After spending decades travelling worldwide and gathering a vast experience, achieving success as a Player, a Coach & a Judge/Referee in National & International Level, Hanshi Premjit Sen incorporated his knowledge & founded Global Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation in 2017. With a vision to develop strong belief among students, with the aim to provide best karate and martial arts training to students all over the world, GSSKF was inaugurated & started it's journey in the presence of the President & General Secretary of National Karate Federation of India (Affiliated member of WKF), President of South Asian Karate Federation & Consulate General of Japan Embassy at that time.
Greetings & wishes from the karate organisations of various countries (like Australia, South Africa, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Japan & so on) came to Hanshi on this auspicious occasion of establishment of this organisation.
Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation also got the Trademark Register from Govt., which usually takes 1 year to get. After providing all the necessary documents, Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation was registered under the Society Registration Act having its national Head Quarter at the City of Joy (Kolkata) & from then on, no one but the members of the organisation can use this brand name or logo.
Seishinkai Shito-Ryu is one of the topmost leading karate organisation in India not only because the organisation is spreaded in more than 16 states in India & in country like Bangladesh & has more than 1000 instructors teaching over 1 lakh students but also the karatekas of this organisation are participating & winning medal in Official National Tournament from 2005 to till date consistently & also winning medals in South Asian, Asian, Commonwealth championships, even in World Championships (2 times till now).
Hanshi Premjit Sen is a renowned International Coach, Referee & Judge both in World (World Karate Federation WKF) & Continental Level (Asian Karate Federation AKF).
Seishinkai has also produced 5 Asian level AKF Judges.
There is no other organisation in India that has achieved like this. That's why - "We don't speak, our performance speaks" is the motto of Seishinkai Shito-Ryu.
Under Hanshi's guidance & leadership, Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Organisation is expanding day by day & the karatekas are creating new histories & landmarks in the field of Karate.
Hanshi Premjit Sen is 8th Dan Black Belt in Seishinkai Shito-Ryu (Japan), 7th Dan Black Belt in World Karate Federation (WKF), 6th Dan Black Belt in Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Sewakai (Singapore) & 5th Dan Black Belt in Universal Taekwondo Federation (Australia).
He is the Founder and Chief Technical Director of Global Seishinkai Shito Ryu Karate-do Federation, Coach, Referee & Judge of World Karate Federation & Asian Karate Federation, Technical Member of South Asian Karate Federation, Referee Commission Chairman & Governing Body Member of Karate India Organisation and President of Karate-Do Association of Bengal (Recognised by Bengal Olympic Association).
Hanshi Premjit Sen has visited the following countries for Karate Championships & Seminars - Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece Holland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Italy, Malaysia, Nepal, Spain, Switzerland, Singapore, Srilanka,Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, UAE, Oman, Uzbekistan etc.
His name would be mentioned in Golden words in the history of Karate and people would always look upon this most charismatic personality and always want to progress like him.
Currently AISSKF is affiliated to Global Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation & Karate India Organisation (the only National Federation of Karate India affiliated to Asian Karate Federation & World Karate Federation).
Souce : WEB
Karate ‘Dojo Kun’
