Shimabuku Sensei's Rank
by: A.J. Advincula
From: rlilricky@... Date: Fri May 4, 2001 3:43 am Subject: Shimabukus rank
My question is directed to Advincula sensei. Len posted a question I thought was a good one. Where did Shimabuku sensei receive his rank from ? Was he given rank under any of his teachers and if so what grade ? Domo arigato.
– Richie Roberto.
This is a valid and great question.
When I first started with Tatsuo he was wearing a Red and White obi. I asked what rank he was and he said all Okinawa maybe 7 or 8 dan. In 1960, Steve Armstrong and Harold Mitchum bought a Red Belt and gave it to Tatsuo Shimabuku saying he was a Judan.
But Tatsuo Shimabuku was latter recognized as a Judan by the "All Okinawa Karate Kobudo Rengokai" of which he was a member . Some of the members of the "All Okinawa Karate Kobudo Rengokai" were Shinken Taira, Seitoku Higa, Seikichi Uehara, and Eiko Kaneshi. As all should know, Shinken Taira taught Tatsuo kobudo from 1958-1960 in the Agena dojo. Eiko Kaneshi a Shinto Priest, was a student of Tatsuo's and is the one who had the "Isshin-ryu No Megami" painted by his brother.
The President of this organization rotated and Seitoku Higa, Seikichi Uehara, and Eiko Kaneshi were all at one time the organizations President.
This information was from an interview with Eiko Kaneshi in December 24, 1984.