Shugoro Nakazato was born in Naha city, Okinawa, on August 14, 1919. In 1935, at the age of 16, while attending normal school in Osaka, Japan, he began his lifelong karate study under the direction of Ishu Seiichi. Nakazato studied under Sensei Ishu for six years. During World War II, he was in the Japanese cavalry. Following the surrender of Japan, Nakazato returned to his home in Okinawa to find his family a casualty of the war. In June 1946, he began his study of karate under Chosin Chibana, who was the Menkyo inheritor of Anko Itotsu. In 1948, Chibana’s Shuri Dojo closed, but Nakazato continued his study with Master Chibana, being personally tutored for over a year in Chibana’s own home. In 1951, Nakazato was instrumental in helping Chibana open his new Dai Ichi Dojo in Naha city at Matsuo. Chibana continued his personal teaching of Nakazato at the Dai Ichi Dojo until January 10, 1954, when Nakazato received his Shihan Menkyojo and became Master Chibana’s Shihan Dai (Main Assistant). After working as the Shihan Dai in the Matsuo Dojo under Chibana’s direction for one and a half years, Nakazato was commissioned by Chibana to found the Shorin-Ryu Shorin Kan Nakazato Dojo in Naha city at Aza. Nakazato was appointed as one of the directors of the Okinawan Karate Federation when it was formed in 1956, associating the four major (shiryuha) systems of karate in Okinawa (Goju-Ryu, Ueichi-Ryu, Shorin-Ryu (Ko(, and Shorin-Ryu (Matsu(). During this time, Nakazato devoted all of his time and energy to teaching and perfecting Shorin-Ryu karate. In 1960, the Okinawan Karate Federation promoted him to Eighth Degree Black Belt and titled him “Kyoshi.” Seven years later, Nakazato continued his progress in karate when Master Chibana and the Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate Do Kyokai promoted him to Ninth Degree Black Belt and bestowed the title “Hanshi” on him.

Nakazato began his study of weapons almost from the beginning of his training in 1935. He was trained in the sai, bo, nunchaku, tonfa, and nicho kama, but specialized in bojutsu for four years. Throughout his career, he has given of his knowledge willingly. He has demonstrated his technique of karate all over the world and has made many trips to America in the furtherance of Karate Do. When Master Chibana passed away in February, 1969, Shugoro Nakazato inherited the leadership of Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate Do, thus becoming a Tenth Degree Black Belt. NAKAZATO, Shugoro “Hanshi JuDan” (1921-Present)

Hanshi JuDan NAKAZATO has spent most of his life in the martial arts and in 1967, after nearly twenty years of training, was awarded 9t hDan by his eminent instructor CHIBANA Choshin. Upon CHIBANA Sensei’s death in 1969, NAKAZATO Sensei became the president of the Okinawan Shorin-Ryu *ShorinKan Karate-do Kyokai and was promoted to 10thDan in 1980. NAKAZATO Sensei is one of the most influential living karate Grand Masters in Okinawa and travels many times a year to promote the traditional Okinawan Shorin-Ryu * ShorinKan Karate (Kobayashi-ryu) system. Hanshi JuDan headed the Okinawan karate delegation and was asked to give a special performance at the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. Most recently in May 1999, he led an Okinawan seminar delegation of Grand Masters to the United States promoting The 1st Okinawa Traditional Karatedo & Kobudo World Tournament. In addition, Hanshi JuDan NAKAZATO is credited for the introduction of the Gorin kata. Hanshi JuDan Nakazato’s current recognized Kyoshi are Doug Perry, Noel Smith, Eddie Bethea, Pat Haley, Ray Keller, Chris Estes, Kevin Roberts, and Sean Riley, to name a few.

Nakazato’s kobudo lineage is also very prestigious. Starting in 1935 under Tonaki Seiro, a student of Chinen Sanda, Nakazato studied tonfa, sai, nichokama, bo and nunchaku. After World War II, he received training under the great bojitsu master, Chinen Masami. Some of the bojitsu kata taught in the shorinkan are Shushi no Kun, Sakugawa no Kun, Sakugawa no Kun Dai Ni, and it is said that Tokumine no Kun was once also practiced. The last bo kata, Kubo No Kun, is shared with Ryuei-Ryu and Okinawan Kempo schools, possibly having been passed down from the Bushi Kuniyoshi Shinkichi, who spent his later years teaching villagers in Northern Okinawa his kobudo characteristics and interpretations.

The Sai kata, Nakaima no Sai Dai Ichi, Nakaima no Sai Dai Ni and Nakazato no Sai(sai dai san) are similar to Kuniyoshi style and are almost identical to those practiced in Ryuei-Ryu/Nakaima-Ryu). Sai Dai Ichi also contains many of the same movements and patterns in Towada no Sai as well as Kuniyoshi No Sai found in Okinawan Kempo groups, with slight differences within the form.

The kama kata are difficult to place as they resemble no familiar pattern or techniques from the codified kama forms.(Kanegawa, Tozan, Kuniyoshi) however Kama Dai ichi is referred to Nakaima no kama. It is likely that Nakazato created these after the influences of his instructors as well as the Nunchaku dai ichi, Shorinkan no Eku, and Shorinkan no Tonfa forms that bear his name or the kaiha’s. . This is very common in Kobudo considering that for a very long time, there were no systemized kata. For instance, Taira Shiken was one of the first instructors actually to systemize or form curriculum for nunchaku-jitsu.”

GRANDMASTER SHUGORO NAKAZATO

From Shorinryu Shorinkan.com