SHUGORO NAKAZATO
Grand Master - 10th Dan
Okinawa Shorin-Ryu
Karate
SHUGORO NAKAZATO was born in Nahn-city
Okinawa on August 14, 1919. While attending
normal school in Osaka Japan in 1935, he began his study of Karate
at the age of 16 under the instruction of Ishu Selichl. Nakazato
studied under Sensei Ishu for 6 years. During the war, he was
in the Japanese Calvary.
After the war was over, Nakazato returned to
his home in Okinawa to find his family a casualty of war. In June
of 1946, he began his study of Karate under Choshin Chibana, who
was the Menkyo inheritor of Anko Itotsu. In 1948 Chibana's Shuri
dojo closed but Nakazato continued his study with Master Chibana.
For one year Chibana gave Nakazato personal tutoring at Chibana's
home.
In 1951 Nakazato was instrumental in helping Chibana open his
new DAI ICHI DOJO in Naha City at Matsuo. Chibana continued his
personal tutoring of Nakazato at the Dai Ichi Dojo until January
10, 1954 when Nakazato received his Shihan Menkyojo at which ti
me he became Master Chibana's Shihan Dai (assistant). After work
as the Shihan Dai in the Dai Ichi Dojo under Chibana for one and
half years, Nakazato was commissioned by Chibana to find 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 with the four major
(shiryuha) systems of Karate in Okinawa Goju-Ryu; Uechi-Ryu, Shorin-Ryu,
Matsubayshi-Ryu. All during this time Nakazato devote d all of
his time and energy to teaching and perfecting Shorin-Ryu Karate-do.
In 1960 the Okinawan Karate Federation promoted him to Eight-Degree
Black Belt and Kyoshi. Seven years later Nakazato continued his
climb to the top of the Shorin-Ryu hierarch y when Master Chibana
and the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate-do Kyokai promoted him to Hanshi
and 9th Degree Black Belt.
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 he specialized in Bojutsu for 4 years.
Throughout his career he has given of his knowledge very wi llingly.
He has demonstrated his technique of Karate all over the world,
in Europe, India, Africa, mainland Japan, and he has made at least
8 trips to America. He has appeared on television many times and
is often a guest on the "Tokyo TV Afternoon Show." When
Master Chibana passed away, Shugoro Nakazato inherited the Leadership
of Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate-do, thus becoming a (10) TENTH DEGREE
BLACK BELT.
