Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryū

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Shōrin-ryū

Also known as	Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryū
Country of origin	Okinawa, Japan
Founder	Eizo Shimabukuro
Current head	Eizo Shimabukuro
Arts taught	Karate
Ancestor schools	Shorin-ryū

Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryu (小林流) (Shōrin-ryū, 小林流)^?) is a style of Okinawan Shorin-ryu karate founded by Eizo Shimabukuro.

[edit] History

Although Chinese martial arts began spreading to Okinawa in the 14th century, it was not prominent until the 18th century, when Kusanku, a Chinese military official, visited Okinawa and gave a demonstration. In subsequent visits, he started teaching "chuan fa" (meaning "fist way") to Okinawans.

Kanga Sakukawa blended Kusanku's chuan fa with indigenous Okinawan martial arts to form the first martial art style called karate. His student Sokon Matsumura blended Sakukawa's style with Shaolin kung fu to form Shorin-ryu karate.

Matsumura was Anko Itosu's primary instructor, and both Matsumura and Itosu instructed Chotoku Kyan and Choki Motobu. Several of Kyan's students would go on to lead their own branches of karate. These are: Chosin Chibana (Kobayashi-ryu), Shoshin Nagamine (Matsubayashi-ryu), Tatsuo Shimabukuro (Isshin-ryu), and Eizo Shimabukuro.

Eizo Shimabukuro studied under Chojun Miyagi before taking up Shorin-Ryu under Chotoku Kyan. Although Kyan then became his primary instructor, Shimabukuro also studied under Choki Motobu and weapons under Taira Shinken. When Kyan died in 1945, Shimabukuro was left in charge of the Shobayashi-ryu system. In 1959 at the Kodokan in Japan, Kanken Tōyama promoted Eizo Shimabukuro to 10th Dan. At the age of 34, Shimabukuro was the youngest person ever to receive such an honor.

Shimabukuro was also the instructor of Matt Larsen (who later founded the US Army Combatives School) and American kickboxer Joe Lewis.

Shimabukuro currently lives in Okinawa and actively teaches classes on the island. He also tours around the United States upon request, visiting dojos within his organization and performing demonstrations on proper form and technique.