Tatsuo Shimabuku was born September 19, in 1908 in Kyan Village, Okinawa, Japan.
As a young boy, he was picked on by his brother and decided he needed to learn how to protect himself. His father encouraged
him to learn karate. At the age of 12, he began training with his uncle, Kamasu Chanat and at the age of 15, he started
training with Motobu Choki – the great fighting master of that time. After that, Shimabuku began training in Shorin-Ryu
karate under Kyan Chotoku where he learned many of the katas practiced today in Isshin-Ryu.
Later still, Shimabuku trained under Miyagi Chojun – founder of Goju-Ryu karate. From Miyagi, he learned Sanchin and Seuinchin katas. From ShinkenTaira, Shimabuku learned the following weapons kata: Chatanyara No Sai, Urashi Bo, Shishi No Kun, and Hamahiga No Tuifa. Shimabuku later incorporated two additional katas into his repertoire: Sunsu and Kusanku Sai. Sunsu Kata was a combination of the other seven Isshinryu empty-hand katas as well as many of Master Shimabuku's favorite fighting techniques. Kusanku Sai was an adaptation of the empty-hand Kusanku Kata and Kyan No Sai (Short Sai).
Armed with the skill gained from working with these great masters, Shimabuku added some of his own innovations – like the vertical fist, the thumb on top position for the fist, forearm muscle blocking and other movements. During World War II, Master Shimabuku taught Karate to the Japanese Marines. His small business was destroyed during the war and afterwards, he worked for one of his students transporting bricks to the construction site of the new Kadena Airbase. Master Shimabuku's most pervasive Karate influence, Chotoku Kyan, died in 1945 as a result of starvation from the war. Master Shimabuku made a number of new, innovative changes to techniques, most notably the vertical punch and block which he later added to his new system of Karate.
Gaining a reputation as an excellent teacher and master, Tatsuo Shimabuku taught his style, now named Isshin-Ryu, to many Okinawan students as well as American servicemen stationed in Okinawa. Through these servicemen, Isshin-Ryu karate has become one of the most widely practiced karate styles in the United States.
Tatsuo Shimabuku died in 1975 and left a martial arts legacy of blending tradition with innovation, along with many great students continuing to spread Isshin-Ryu, including Grandmaster Angi Uezu and Master Joseph Jennings.
Angi Uezu was born January 3, 1935, in Chiyaranka City on the island of Saipan. His father was 6th generation Okinawan
of Sumarai lineage from Shuri. His ancestors served under the King of Okinawa in the city of Gushikawa. In the 1930’s
work on Okinawa was hard to find, so as a young man his father traveled to Saipan to find work in the sugar cane fields
to start a better life. While in Saipan his father married the mother of Angi Uezu who was the third of four brothers.
Angi’s first involvement with martial arts came in junior high school where the schools curriculum included Gojo-ryu.
In 1956, he married Yukiko Shimabuku third daughter of Master Tatsuo Shimabuku. In 1987 Master Uezu started the Okinawan
Isshin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Association (O.I.K.K.A.).
In April 1994 Master Angi Uezu had a stroke. After his recovery he resumed his seminar circuit and having people
come to Okinawa to train in 1996. His association was asked to perform at 1995 World Okinawan Karate Championships
in Okinawa. Master Uezu has since retired. Today he resides quietly in Gushikawa City with his wife Yukiko and his
son. Even though he’s retired he isn’t far away from the dojo. He still practices karate everyday in his dojo,
Joseph Jennings, Isshin ryu karate 9th dan, started his karate training in Buffalo, NY in the 1960's. He traveled
to Okinawa, Japan in the early 70's to train with the founder of Isshin ryu karate, Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku.
He earned his black belt from Grandmaster Shimabuku during his time there and developed a connection with Shimabuku's
son-in-law, Master Angi Uezu.
Mr. Jennings sponsored Master Uezu on many trips to the US in the following years, including multiple visits to his
Rochester, NY dojos. At one point, his dojos in Rochester were teaching over 750 students. Mr. Jennings was also a
prominent tournament competitor, coach to champions and brought a professional business approach to martial arts schools.
In the 1980's, Mr. Jennings relocated to southern California and created the first martial arts training video company,
Panther Productions. He filmed and marketed over 500 different videos by dozens of top martial arts masters and world
champions.
Currently Master Jennings is an advisor to the International Isshin ryu Karate Federation (IIKF) and teaches privately in
Southern California.