News Post: March 1, 2013
WMKA Website Dojo Owner Listing and Licence Renewal
Dear all WMKA and EMKA members,
I hope all of you are having success and happiness in your daily lives as well as in your karate life wherever you live.
It is close to one year since the passing away of Soke Takayoshi Nagamine on April 25, 2012. It caused great shock and sorrow for all members around the world. Especially, here at Okinawa Headquarters all was completely halted for more than four months. We resumed our office work at the end of August and it is getting better because of your support and cooperation. We have to mourn for Soke Takayoshi Nagamine for many more years. We also have to resume the continuation and preservation of his legacy and the WMKA & EMKA established by both Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine and spread by Soke Takayoshi Nagamine around the world.
Although it is a hard decision, we have to renew the WMKA website Dojo Owner List based on the procedure of the Dojo Owner Agreement. We want to complete the renewal of the WMKA website Dojo Owner list by April 25th, 2013, the one year anniversary of Soke’s passing away last year.
I need your full cooperation based on the status as below;
1. Dojo Owners who have already renewed or still have effective Dojo Owner Licenses: Please mail or email your Dojo information to WMKA website administrator Mr. Fred Schlesinger sensei@shinbukanrr.com in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with your photograph by March 31, 2013. Even if you don’t need to change the existing contents of your Dojo information, I still want you to mail or email him “ Please keep the existing contents of my Dojo information as it is” with your photograph attached if you don’t have it now. We want your photograph which helps us a lot to know you better.
2. Dojo Owners who haven’t renewed your Dojo Owner Licenses: Unfortunately, we still have some Dojo Owners who haven’t renewed their Dojo Owner License. We sincerely wish that you remain and work for the future of the WMKA & EMKA together. We will be waiting for your Dojo Owner License renewal request soon.
We send everyone all around the world our best regards from Okinawa.
Sincerely Yours,
President Yoshitaka Taira
World Matsubayashi-Ryu karate-Do Association
News Post November 30, 2012
Message from President Yoshitaka Taira
November 23, 2012
Dear all WMKA and EMKA members:
Honoring Soke Takayoshi Nagamine and his Legacy
Most of you have already enjoyed and been impressed by the Magazine article of Soke Takayoshi Nagamine on Official Karate Website. The magazine article is a successful co-product of all WMKA & EMKA members around the world. As you can see, the magazine article was coedited by both Mr. Des Chaskelson and Mr. Reece Cummings together with many Dojo Owners and members who contributed their tribute quotes to Soke. I want to express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart to everyone who worked on the magazine article.
The magazine article was first proposed by Mr. Des Chaskelson. He wrote to us that one of the US karate magazines, Official Karate, was interested in an article about traditional karate rather than sports martial arts and wants to publish a tribute article about Soke on their fall edition. He emphasized it is a perfect fit with Soke and what Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do is.
In his letter, he asked us two questions and we answered as below:
1. Permission from Okinawa headquarters and quotes from Okinawa about the article.
2. Permission to invite many Dojo Owners in WMKA and EMKA to work on the article.
Of course, we agreed on both of them and only one quote from Okinawa, my statement to WMKA and EMKA in the article. We discussed and decided we should focus on Soke’s activities in overseas where he dedicated so much of his Karate life.
We are very glad and proud to see the Magazine article about Soke in the worldwide Official Karate. We are not the only ones to know Soke’s virtue and value as a great Karate Master. The article shows Worldwide Karate society recognized him as one of the most prominent Karate Master in the world.
A man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows. Soke was a great pioneer and his open minded character perfectly fitted to the overseas society. He planted many Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do seeds around the world starting from Cincinnati Ohio USA in 1960’s. And as of 2012, there are many trees, some big and some are still growing, throughout the world. Each tree will become a grove to forest and then to mountains in the future.
I pray for you the best in your everyday and Karate life where you live.
Sincerely Yours
President Yoshitaka Taira
World Matsubayashi-Ryu karate-Do Association
News Post Novmeber 18, 2012
Official Karate Magazine Fall Issue
Article about Soke Takayoshi Nagamine
Magazine with photos at: http://issuu.com/officialkaratemag/docs/ok.fall.2012b
Full article with quotes from WMKA members at: http://www.officialkaratemag.com/386-2
News Post October 4, 2012
WALTER ROWDEN
Walter E. Rowden, 8th Dan Kyoshi, age 76, of Belleville died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012. Visitation 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Funeral service 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial at Smithton City Cemetery, Smithton. George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville.
Published in Belleville News-Democrat on October 4, 2012
NEWS POST, JULY 12, 2012
July 11, 2012
To all World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association Dojo Owners: Announcement from Okinawa Headquarters (2)
Please enter the secure page and click on the link to the new "Dojo Owner's News Page" for a very important announcement
Announcement of New Executive Members of Okinawa Headquarters
(As authorized by Sensei Fred Christian, 8th Dan, Kyoshi)
To all World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association Members
Announcement of New Executive Members of Okinawa Headquarters
Dear all WMKA members,
I am sure all members are healthy and pursuing karate practice in your own countries.
We all remember as if it was just yesterday that the 2nd Soke Takayoshi Nagamone’s Unbelievable Passing Away on April 25,2012. He was about to leave for Norway and Germany on May 7th, Canada and USA in July and Ireland in August. Soke Nagamine enthusiastically talked and was actively working for World Karate-do Seminar in Okinawa starting from November 3, 2013. We are still shocked and hardly believe of Soke’s sudden passing away.
We discussed within all board member meeting what the best way to succeed and preserve the Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do for future generation. We unanimously decided to adapt Association President System instead of Soke System on General
Conference on June 9,2012. The new executive Members such as President ,Vice president ,Chairman of board…etc. will be listed on this letter.
I think it is our obligation to 1st Soke Shoshin Nagamine and 2nd Soke Takayoshi Nagamine to Discipline 18 Kata and 7 Yakusoku Kumite Correctly together with Spiritual Essence of Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do and pass down to younger generation. Under the present difficult situation, I ask you all World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do members to stand up together and cooperate to overcome many problems ahead and proceed to bright future of WMKA and EMKA.
The new executive members are as follow.
1. President : Yoshitaka Taira ( Hanshi 10th –Dan)
2. Vice President : Toshimitsu Arakaki (Hanshi 10th _ Dan)
3. Chairman of Board : Iwao Tome (Hanshi 9th _ Dan)
4. Overseas Manager : Riki Nomura ( 3rd –Dan)
5. Secretary : Masato Nagamine (5th –Dan)
6. Accountant : Mayumi Horikawa (5th –Dan)
Sincerely Yours
President Yoshitaka Taira
World Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do Association
Re m a r k s
1. Every members of WMKA can contact President Yoshitaka Taira directly.
But if it is in English, it is preferable to post or E-mail to P.O.C. Mr. Riki Nomura.
He will study them and report to the President.
2. We are still discussing what is the best way to cooperate with overseas members.
You can keep the agreement you have with Soke for now, but please hold any payment until we contact you later.
This will be the end of announcement. Thank you very much.
I wish you the best in your karate practice and in everyday life !
In memory of
Soke Takayoshi Nagamine
10th Dan Hanshisei
August 12, 1945-April 25, 2012
2011 SEMINARS WITH
SOKE TAKAYOSHI NAGAMINE
10TH DAN HANSHISEI
Saturday, October 8, 2011
July 8-9, 2011
MIDWEST (OHIO) SEMINAR (USA)
Saturday July 16, 2011
Click here for full page seminar recap by Sensei Scott Mastin
Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30, 2011
About 75 students of all ages, from all over Florida as well as Minnesota, New Jersey , Ohio, Texas , Puerto Rico and Panama, showed up for the four day event conducted by Soke Nagamine at the Cocoa Beach Health & Fitness location. The four day event consisted of several 3 hour classes, followed by a half day seminar on Saturday. Ten students were tested for varying levels of black belt on Thursday and Friday night. Soke paid special attention to warmups, basics and foundation drills (Junbi Undo, Kihon Undo & Kiso Tanren), as well as spending some time on kata bunkai.
New Article (Posted November 2010)
November 3-6, 2010 Naha,Okinawa
75th Anniversary Festival of Matsubayashi-Ryu
and the Original Honbu Dojo
13th Anniversary Tribute to
Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine's Passing
The ceremonial celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do and the 13th Memorial Karate-Do demonstration for the late Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine was a large and exciting event. The event was attended by dojo owners and students from all over the world. Attendees included participants from Spain, Norway, England, Ireland, Germany, Okinawa, Japan (mainland), New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Canada and the USA.
Many participants attended classes at the Honbu Dojo prior to the main events, and, at times, the Honbu was quite packed with students. On Wednesday afternoon, November 3, 2010, a Dan grading was given at the Honbu with a panel of high ranking judges from several countries. Many were promoted to ranks ranging from Shodan to Hachidan levels.
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| Honbu Traning |
Judges At Honbu Dojo: Dan Grading |
It is estimated that over two hundred Matsubayashi-Ryu practitioners attended the seminar hosted by Soke Nagamine at the government Budokan building. On Thursday, November 4th and Friday, November 5th, the seminar at the Budokan included Kata Ura Waza, Kata review, Yakusoku Kumite and various kata techniques requiring throws and mat work. Many of the senior sensei were involved in making corrections to the very large number of participants. Bento box lunches and beverages were provided to attendees.
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| Seminar Training At The Budokan | Soke Demonstrating Kata Ura Waza | Budokan Training |
The finale of the event occurred Saturday afternoon at the Pacific Hotel in Naha. Various guest dignitaries, as well as Soke Nagamine, Hanshi-Sei, and Yoshitaka Taira, Hanshi, spoke in honor of the late Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine and in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do. This was followed by a large demonstration of Matsubayashi-Ryu kata and weapons by dojos spanning the globe. After the demonstration, the seating was cleared and a grand dinner consisting of delicious dishes and beverages, including Awamori (Okinawan Sake), was served to cap the celebration.
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| Soke Addressing The Audience |
Dedication: Yoshitaka Taira Hanshi Speaking, Dojo Owners |
Dinner Entertainment |
The event provided a great opportunity for attendees to renew old friendships and meet other Matsubayashi-Ryu practioners from around the world. Attendees also had the opportunity to enjoy evening social events together, shop locally in Naha and visit various sites around the island.
United together under the great banner of World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association, training with each other and visiting old friends while forging bonds with new ones, the event was a great success and fun for all who attended.
Taira Sensei Demonstrating Kusanku