Shopping        Want to Advertise here? Home | Mail | Invite | Browse | Blogs | Articles | Forums | Classifieds | Videos | Signup   Ask The Professor     Subject : Living Masters Question : Most of us have heard of the legendary founder of modern Karate Gichin Funakoshi. But, I'm curious to know who are some of the living masters in Okinawa today? Reply : As you probaly know Okinawa was made up of farmers and simple people ,those who rose to status of Sensei or Master was considered very ,very special. When the Samurai came ,nobody really wanted to be called A MASTER ,THEY WERE THE FIRST TO BE BEHEADED OR KILLED!! So though the years there were no REAL MASTERS until Well silence was the era. But then one day!! MASTERS ,MASTERS, EVERYWHERE,GREAT GRAND MASTERS,SURPREME GRANDMASTERS,UNIVERSAL GRANDMASTERS,NINJA GRANDMASTERS and then the DVD'S came ego's and $$$$$,and of course the internent and then it got crazy . People in thier twenties were going around and saying they were 4th and 5th Degree Black Belts and they had the fake certificates they had bought on line to prove it ,RIGHT! In Okinawa to be Shihan or Master Instructor takes years and years of training and then some . My personal encounter with todays warrior or Okinawan master has been with a few . A couple of are Sensei Kishi ,Sensei Higonona, and Sensei Motobu, mine you they are many more, but I have seen and worked with these true Okinawa Karate Masters. When you work with a true sensei and master,your true sense of Bushshido comes out and you know you are learning real karate not a water down ego of teaching. Seek out and read all you can and only believe half of what you read that was my first lesson. For more real Okinawan history please read Hanshi Sid Campbell's article in the Sport Museum click on HOUSE OF OKINAWA, tell a friend about our site !! Thanks for your question. WWW.THESPORTMARTIALARTSMUSEUM.COM The Professor Posted By : Fedrick Posted Date : November 19, 2007 Response by : Professor Gary Lee Replied Date : December 08, 2007               Disclaimer  |  Terms of Service  |  Privacy Notice  |  Contact Us  |  Copyright © 2010 www.martialcafe.com. All rights reserved Best Viewed in 1024x768