Kuniba Kai , Shogo Kuniba and the Japan Karate Federation

Shōgō Kuniba (国場 将豪 Kuniba Shōgō) February 5, 1935 - July 14, 1992) was a Japanese teacher of karate.[1][2] His adoptive father (biological uncle) was Kōsei Kokuba, who began training him at five years old. Kuniba was taught by many masters of the day including: Kenwa Mabuni - Shitō-ryū Karate Kōsei Kokuba - Motobu-ha Karate-dō Itoh Asakichi - Judo Ishii Gogetsu - Mugai-ryū Iaido Shōshin Nagamine - Shōrin-ryū Karate Kenko Nakaima - Kobudō Kosha Shojin - Bō and nunchaku Junko Yamaguchi - Tonfa Shioda Gozo - Aikido Ryusei Tomoyori - Kenyu-ryū Karate When he was 24 years old, Shōgō Kuniba became the youngest karate system head (Sōke) in Japan, taking over the style his adoptive father (Kōsei Kokuba) had inherited from Motobu Chōki. He thus became the Sandai Soke of Ryukyu Karate Motobu-ha (Choki Motobu was Shodai Soke; Kosei Kokuba was Nidai Soke). Kuniba was known for integrating the power of karate with the sensitivity of aikido and other traditional martial arts, in a style he called "Motobu-ha Shito-ryu." This style is structured to adopt concepts and techniques from other styles to form a modern system replete with traditional values, but with an open-minded philosophy. Shogo Kuniba was the Shodai Soke of Motobu-ha Shito-ryu Karate-do. It is sometimes referred to as Kuniba-ha Karate-do. A book titled A Primer of Kuniba-ha Karate-do: The Style of Shogo Kuniba was written and published in 1985 by James Herndon; it was republished in 2009. Kuniba applied his knowledge of aikido, jujutsu, judo and other arts to the bunkai of karate kata. This made for very creative variations on techniques, which became his hallmark. He created a new style, Kuniba-ryū Goshindō (aka Goshin Budō Jujutsu), which literally means Kuniba's style of self defense. In Japan, Shōgō Kuniba was treated as a Meijin (brilliant man). When Kuniba died on July 14, 1992, the organizations he had led split over leadership disagreements. Kunio Tatsuno became Sōke of Motobu-Ha Karate-dō and Kaicho of Seishinkai. In the U.S., Kuniba named William H. Price as second Sōke of both Kuniba-ryu Karate-Do and Kuniba-ryū Goshindō on March 16, 1992. Several American karateka under Kuniba followed his named U.S. successor. Chikubu-Kai was created on September 8, 1995, to continue his teachings. However, upon the death of Kunio Tatsuno, Kuniba-Kai was established in Japan by the Kuniba family in 1999. Many Shihan loyal to Kuniba have affiliated with Kuniba-Kai, headed by Kozo Kuniba and Kosuke Kuniba. The style is called Kuniba-ryu Karate-Do in the U.S. and Motobu-Ha Shitō-ryū in Japan. Today, the Seishinkai (the Karate organization originally started by Kosei Kokuba) still exists to promote Shitō-ryū (however, the term "Motobu-Ha" is no longer claimed). A new International Seishinkai Karate-dō Union (ISKU) was formed by Kunio Tatsuno in 1999; in 2007, Sadatomu Harada formed the Seishinkai International Shitoryu Karate-dō Union (SISKU). Neither ISKU nor SISKU claim Motobu-Ha. Kuniba-Kai has exclusive rights to that style per the Japan Karate Federation (JKF). A famous quote, by Shōgō Kuniba, states, "Seven Times Down, Eight Times Up!".

The importance of Judo for a traditional Karateka!

This year i decided to crosstrain in Judo; the decision was based on learning more about grappling but most importantly to experience what grappling arts such as Judo offered to the best Karate instructors of the past in Okinawa and Japan. if you read the history of Okinawa karate for instance we find out that many great masters practiced Okinawa Tegumi (grappling); masters such as Shoshin Nagamine and Eiichi Miyazato also practiced Judo; Japanese masters such as Masatoshi Nakayama,Keinosuke Enoeda, Takayuki Kubota, the best JKA instructors; Joko Ninomiya and Takashi Azuma all practiced Judo... the reason is that Judo well complement Karate because many throws and locks of Judo (which are similar to Okinawa tegumi) are included in the Karate Katas... Learning Judo helps the karateka to comprehend more the katas e also to develop a good defence for take down and great grip strength.. I got my first red belt this October and even if my shoulders are quite sore i think i will practised Judo from now on.... Oss!!

Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football (Out November 2010)

Not to be confused with the English football 'hooligan', the UltraS are the hardcore subculture of fans at the two main Rome football clubs - AS Roma and SS Lazio. With neo-fascist sympathies, these groups (the Boys at Roma and the Irriducibili at Lazio) are political and well-organised. Following years of ethnographic work and interviews with the leading figures within the organisations, Alberto Testa and Gary Armstrong have written a fascinating expose and examination of the UltraS. Football, Fascism and Fandom is a unique and terrifying study of a group that has not been examined in depth before now.

Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football (Out November 2010)

Okinawa training 2010 March

March 2010 saw a succesful international seminar of Karate and Kobudo held in Okinawa by Senseï Chinen. Sensei Chinen emphasised the importance of dojo kumité and the Shorin ryu basic katas: fukyu gata ichi and ni, naihanchi shodan, the 5 pinan, Itosu passai, Matsumura passai.

The entire training week was paced by combat work concentrating on developing timing and toughening up the body. The atmosphere was particularly intense and productive. It was an excellent preparation for the 2011 Karate World cup in Okinawa.

Many thanks to Senseï Chinen and to his assistant at Yomitan, Sensei Jungo Matsuda, who is in charge of the Oshukai Hombu Dojo in Yomitan (Okinawa-Japan).

Oshukai Seminar in India- January 2010

The 27th of January Sensei Martin Takatsy and Roland Gorbaty held a succesful karate and kobudo seminar in India.

UFC: Lyoto Machida Possesses a Secret MMA Weapon - Karate

Wouldn't it feel awesome if you had a secret weapon that almost no one else did? In the end, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida does. It's called karate.
Funny, huh? Years ago, hardcore fans would have laughed if you mentioned karate and MMA in the same breath. They would've said that karate had already been proven ineffective during the early UFC years when Royce Gracie and his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu reigned supreme. But as Lee Corso often says, "Not so fast, my friend."

The bottom line is that karate is enjoying an MMA resurgence these days. And as Lyoto Machida readies to put his UFC light heavyweight title on the line against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 104, it must feel good to know that he understands MMA's new secret weapon better than anyone else.

Calling him an aberration may not work anymore, either. Vitor Belfort, fresh off of a dominating victory over Rich "Ace" Franklin at UFC 103, is giving karate major credit for his recent resurgence. "My new weapon that I'm adding to my game is karate," Belfort told MMAJunkie.com. "It's just something that I want to use right now. I was taking my time. I was feeling the fight. As soon as I see something, I make sure I have the zip code, the address and the social security number. I don't like to throw things away."

Of course, this secret MMA weapon is continually becoming less and less secret, even if people are having loads of trouble figuring out how to counteract it. Machida's Shotokan experience is what separates him from the crowd; it's what makes him so dangerous. And that could be bad news for Rua as the two ready for UFC 104.

In fact, it may be bad news for everyone else in the division.

Instructors’ seminars in Marseille (France)- January 2009

The 10 and 11th of January 2009 Sensei Chinen led a course of Shorin ryu karate in Marseille.
Over 45 teachers attended ; the first part focus on the pedagogical view of teaching okinawan karate . Chinen Sensei then explained and demonstrated in detail Tsuki techniques. The course ended with the study of katas: Chinto, Kushansu Dai, Goju shiho.