AIKI TE RYU KARATE KAI HONBU DOJ

AIKI TE RYU KARATE KAI HONBU DOJO

MEET THE MASTERS / PIONEERS OF MARTIAL ARTS
Although there are many famous masters of the martial arts out there today, we have included some of the more important pioneers on this page. Through Franz Kyoshi's studies into Karate history he has been fortunate enough to meet many students of these masters, as well as some of the masters in person and to ask questions to help my knowledge grow for the benefit of Aiki Te Ryu Karate. The seminars and tournaments he has attended have helped him learn from the best and on this page we pay tribute these masters for without them there would be no Karate today. We sincerely hope you enjoy this page.
	SHURI-TE RYU KARATE DO Founder: Sokon Matsumura Sensei Matsumura Sensei was a bodyguard to the King of Okinawa and was based out of the Shuri province, hence the name Shuri Te. In 1830 he traveled to China to further advanced his knowledge of the systems there thus returning to Okinawa to develop a strong system of Karate that is still practiced today. Today it is know as Shuri Ryu Karate do.
	Naha-Te Lineage Seisho Arakaki Sensei Little is know about Arakaki Sensei's training other than he lived in China and studied Shoalin Monk Fist Boxing under Wai XinXian. He is considered a famous Naha Te martial artist. There is little know about his life as a Sensei or his training history in the arts that he helped to promote.
	TOMARI-TE LINEAGE Choki Motobu Sensei Although noted as a violent street fighter with no formal education in the martial arts, it has been proven that Motobu Sensei was trained by many of the now famous teachers of the Okinawa arts. He trained many of the founders of modern day Karate systems including Wado Ryu, Isshin Ryu, Shorin Ryu. His son still teaches the original system he taught today.
	Naha-Te Founder Higaonna Kanryo Sensei Kanryo Sensei was the teacher of Chojun Miyagi who founded the system of Goju Ryu Karate. He was a student of several Chinese systems including Kempo. He became so well known in the province of Naha that Naha-Te was identified with his system of martial art. Naha-Te is identified by both Hard and Soft techniques.
	GOJU RYU KARATE DO Founder: Chojun Miyagi Sensei After sending an envoy to Japan to represent his system of martial art Miyagi Sensei was said to have called what he taught as GO-JU, or Hard Soft system. Goju Ryu Karate is one of the world's most studied arts of Karate. Miyagi Sensei is considered by many to be one of the strongest fathers of modern Karate as we practice it today.
	Shuri-Te Lineage Chotoku Kyan Sensei There is much known about Kyan Sensei. It has been proven that he was not a very moral man and in all his life he never lost a fight. As a child he was sickly with asthma and his father enrolled in him the most grueling training possible. Because of this he developed a mean temper and even though his health improved from the training he went on to become legend.
	SHOTOKAN KARATE - Shuri-Te Lineage Founder: Gichin Funakoshi Sensei Shotokan Karate is recognized as the first Japanese system. Funakoshi Sensei traveled to Japan to establish Karate as part of the primary and secondary education system. He was the primary founder of the Japanese Karate Association and was its first director. Shotokan Karate is one of the best known Karate systems in the world today.
	SHITO RYU KARATE DO Founder: Kenwa Mabuni Sensei Shito Ryu Karate was founded by Mabuni Sensei who trained in Shuri Te under Anko Itosu and Naha Te under Kanryo Higaonna. He also used the Kata from the White Crane system of Chinese Gung Fu.
	WADO RYU KARATE DO Founder: Hironori Ohtsuka Sensei Wado Ryu was founded in 1934 by Ohtsuka Sensei after studying Jujitsu and Shotokan Karate. Wado Ryu means "Way of Peace" and is a more softer / natural means of Karate Do.
	SHITO RYU Lineage Fumio Demura Sensei Demura Sensei is one of the first Japanese pioneers to establish his abilities in our country. He is a widely noted author, famous competitor and was even the stunt man for Pat Morita in the Karate Kid movies! Demura Sensei has become one of the most famous of all modern Sensei among traditional martial artists both young and old. He is dynamic and very mild mannered not to mention an incredible teacher.
	International Shorin Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation Founder: George Alexander Hanshi Hanshi began his training in 1964 as a US Marine stationed in Asia. In 1998 he was voted as one of the top 100 Pioneers in Martial Arts of all time. He founded Yamazato International, a publication firm dedicated to producing the highest quality videos and books on martial arts available today. Hanshi currently resides in Tennessee where he has his dojo.
	CHUN KUK DO - Tang Soo Do Lineage Founder: Chuck Norris Yes, that's right even Chuck Norris has founded his own system of martial arts. Even though he is a Korean stylist, the art he studied more closely resembles true Karate than Tae Kwon Do. Chuck Norris is famous for movies and much more but one thing remains true...he is a really great guy and very good person.
	GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS Dr. Dan Netherland, 10th Degree You may have never heard of Dr. Netherland but you should have. This is a man on a mission. With the assistance of his son and their NXB breaking team. As a child he was inflicted with Polio and in 1954 he dedicated his life to martial arts and he is now one of the most successful record holders ever in martial arts through the Guinness Book of World Records!
	AMERICAN KENPO Founder: Edmund Parker, 10th Degree Ed Parker is one of the most famous karate masters to emerge in the last 50 years. His system of Kenpo has become on of the first American systems ever to be born. Trained by Raymond Chow in Chinese Kempo, Parker founded a modern approach to self defense that has sparked many a change in traditional training methods. He was a movie star and fight choreographer as well.
	AMERICAN KENPO Lineage Jeff Speakman, 5th Degree Speakman sensei earned his first black belt in Goju Ryu while a student under Lou Angel. He then sold his car to afford to travel to California to train under Ed Parker. Speakman sensei was one of the last proteges to be given this distinct honor. He is most noted for his movie "The Perfect Weapon" in which he showcased real Kenpo on the big screen in the first ever Kenpo martial arts film.
	Shuri Ryu Lineage Master Ed Bethea, 9th Degree Many of you never met Master Bethea but let me tell you that he was and still is one of the people that I molded my karate life around. As a martial artist he is a mutliple world karate champion and has one of the best attitudes in a sensei! Master Bethea is considered by many to be a true karate master. His dojo has been in located in Kokomo, Indiana since March of 1973 at Carver Community Center.
	Professional Karate Commission (PKC) Founder: Glenn Keeney, 9th Degree Master Keeney has been one of the most successful promoters in the Midwest region for many years. He founded the PKC in 1986. His PKC has been instrumental in helping to unify rules for Kickboxing and Point Karate in the US. To demonstrate how much he loved karate training he would hitchhike from Anderson, Indiana to Cincinnati, Ohio to train on weekends! Something few would do today.
	SUPERFOOT SYSTEM Founder: Bill Wallace, 9th Degree Bill "Superfoot" Wallace is one of the most famous fighters in modern martial arts. Although he is advanced in years, had both hips replaced and several knee surgeries he can still do the complete splits and kick like no other martial artist can. Superfoot was undefeated as World Kickboxing Champion in 1970's and is still one of the world's most sought after seminar speakers today.
	MORE TO COME....