Ansei Ueshiro
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| Ansei Ueshiro | |
 Master Ueshiro demonstrating Kata Chinto |
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| Born | April 20, 1933 Kin, Okinawa, Japan |
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| Died | May 11, 2002 (aged 69) Oceanside, New York, United States |
| Martial art practiced | Matsubayashi-ryu |
| Teacher(s) | Anho Ueshiro, Entasu Isaenta, Toguchi Seitoku, Shōshin Nagamine |
| Notable students | James Wax, Robert Yarnell, Robert Scaglione |
Ansei Ueshiro, born in Kin, Okinawa, on April 20, 1933, was a direct descendant of the Okinawan "Bushi" or warrior class, and nephew of legendary Okinawan karateka Ankichi Arakaki. His first karate teacher was his father, Anho Ueshiro, along with Entasu Isaenta and Toguchi Seitoku. From these three instructors, Master Ueshiro gained much of his karate knowledge, forming the foundation of his skills.
When Okinawa began rebuilding after World War II, Ansei Ueshiro enrolled in the newly-formed dojo of Grand Master Shōshin Nagamine, founder of a branch of Shōrin-ryū called Matsubayashi-ryu. There he quickly established a reputation for marathon training sessions, strength, determination and speed. At the age of 27 he was promoted to the rank of Sensei (3rd degree blackbelt) and eventually became Chief Instructor in the main Shōrin-ryū dojo in Naha City, Okinawa. Ueshiro was very proficient with his favorite weapon, the bō. He was world renowned for his bōjutsu skill and for four years 1958-1962 he was world champion, and later retired uncontested from competition.
In 1960 Master Ueshiro was selected by Sensei Nagamine and Okinawa's other distinguished karate masters to bring karate to the United States of America. In 1962 a visa was granted by the U.S. government to Ueshiro expressly for this purpose. The visa was obtained in part from the efforts of James Wax and his other students here in America. James Wax, a U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa, had been a student of Ueshiro's and was the first American to earn the rank of black belt in Shōrin-ryū.
On September 15, l962, Ansei Ueshiro set foot on the mainland of the U.S. for the first time. In the first years after coming to the U.S., Ueshiro was faced with many difficulties. Leaving his family and friends behind, the language barrier, earning a living in a foreign land, and finding a home were just a few of the obstacles he faced. Through it all he endured and by the late 1970s he had helped to launch many dojo on the Eastern Coast and in the Midwest. Since traditional karate schools were not a prosperous endeavor, and to avoid the over-commercialization of the Shōrin-ryū system, Ueshiro became a successful entrepreneur in the import/export sector. Through this he was able to focus on the propagation of his art while supporting his family at the same time.
In the early 1990s Master Ueshiro received his U.S. citizenship, of which he was very proud. On May 7, 2002, Ueshiro suffered a stroke and passed away in a hospital in Oceanside, New York. He was later buried in Locust Valley, NY.
Presently there is a network of over 100 Shōrin-ryū Karate dojo in the U.S. which directly trace their roots and heritage to Master Ueshiro or his students.
