Shukokai Lineage

Shukokai Karate

Shukokai Karate , " The Way for All" is a dynamic form of Okinawan Karate and can be considered a direct descendant of it's parent style , Shito-Ryu. Grand Master Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shito-Ryu) resided in Osaka until 1952, devoting his entire existence to promoting his Shito school of Karate. It was during this time that one of his students, Chojiro Tani was to further refine the style, into Shukokai Karate.

In 1948, Chojiro Tani organized the Shuko-kai, where he taught tani-ha shito-ryu. Ever innovative, the Shuko-kai, under the present leadership of Shigeru Kimura in the United States, appears somewhat different in technique from the other shito-ryu groups.

Technically, the karate of most shito-ryu factions looks pretty much the same. Not surprisingly, there are minor differences in the kata between the various groups, mostly due to the proclivities of their founders. Regardless, all shito-ryu looks a lot like shorin-ryu in application. A long, linear style, even its goju-ryu-type kata (those derived from Higashionna) are performed in a lighter, more angular and rangy fashion than they are in schools derived from naha-te alone. Shito-ryu is much like Shotokan in that it relies heavily on the reverse punch and front kick. The style also seems to place a strong emphasis on sparring. In so doing, Shito-ryu stresses speed, and fighting is generally initiated from a higher, more upright stance than Shotokan employs. On the other hand, because the style has so many kata, a great deal of time is spent perfecting any one of its 40 to 60 forms.

Mr. Chojiro Tani was born in Kobe, Japan in 1921 and began studying the art of Karate during Junior High School at the Gojo School of Karate. He entered Doshisha University in 1940 and furthered his studies of karate under the direction of Kenwa Mabuni. In 1948 he opened the Shukokai School of Karate in Kobe, Japan, where he taught Tani-ha Shito-Ryu. He also organized clubs in Kyoto University and Osaka College of Economics, Tottiro University and Kobe University Medical School.

Outside of Japan, Sensei Tani's style spread mainly in Europe (Kofukan International). Shigeru Kimura (8^th Dan), one of the students of Chojiro Tani then promulgated Shukokai to the United States, whilst Yoshinao Nambu continued to teach in Europe.