Grandmaster Eizo Shimabukuro, worldwide leader of Shorin-ryu karate, was born in the town of Gushikawa, Okinawa on April 19, 1925. In his youth, he became a student of karate legend Chotoku Kyan and later studied with such masters as Chojun Miyagi, founder of Goju-ryu Karate-do and the famous Choki Motobu. Later, he also studied with such martial art luminaries Chosin Chibana, Zenryo Shimabukuro (no relation) and the great weapons expert, Shinken Taira.

Grandmaster Shimabukuro opened his first dojo as a young man in 1948, and was among the first to teach the US Servicemen on the occupied island. Grandmaster Shimabukuro experimented with protective equipment and kumite methods, but at the same time insisted that proper adherence to form and proper technique was the key to understanding martial art.

In 1960, Grandmaster Shimabukuro was awarded the rank of Hanshi, Tenth Degree Black Belt, by Kanken Toyama in Japan. He is the youngest person to have received such recognition.

The Grandmaster has personally instructed more than 35,000 students during his career. He has affiliated dojo throughout the and in countries around the world, including Phillipines, India, Mexico and Brazil. His organization is known as Okinawan Shorin-ryu Karate-do International Association ("OSKIA").

Grandmaster Shimabukuro currently resides in Ginoza, Okinawa, and teaches daily in a large traditional dojo. His actions were in large part responsible for the popularization of karate in the modern era, and martial artists of many disciplines recognize a debt of gratitude for his historic efforts.

Contact information for Osensei is provided in our "Special Training" section.