SAKUGAWA, Kanga (1733-1815)

"Tode" meaning "karate," was a nickname given to him by his eminent instructor TAKAHARA. Known as the "father of Okinawan karate," SAKUGAWA traveled to China to study the fighting arts. During this time he is attributed for combining the Chinese art of ch-uan fa and the Okinawan art of tode ("Chinese hand or empty hand"), forming Okinawa-te ("Okinawa hand") which would become the foundation for Shuri-te. He passed down Kusanku, which is said to be one of Okinawa's oldest katas. Furthermore, he developed a bo kata, Sakugawa no Kon.

MATSUMURA, Sokon (1796-1893)

"Bushi" ("Warrior") it is acknowledged, began his training at an early age under the tutelage of SAKUGAWA, "Tode" and made several trips to China to further study the fighting arts. He is credited, by several sources, for making the most singular contribution, katas, to the development of Okinawan karate. The Shuri-te system of katas that are still practiced today in the Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu system are Naihanchi I-III, Passai Dai, Chinto & Gojushiho.

ITOSU, Yasutsune (1830-1915)

"Anko" ("Iron Horse") trained under MATSUMURA, Sokon and is credited for introducing the Pinans ("Peaceful Mind") I-V Katas to the Okinawan public schools in 1901. He is also credited for Kusanku Sho and Passai Sho. Some of the most important modern day instructors that trained directly under him were: CHIBANA, Chosin, FUNAKOSHI, Gichin, KYAN, Chotoku, MABUNI, Kenwa to name just a few.

CHIBANA, Chosin "Hanshi no Sogo" (1887-1969)

was one of Itosu's top students. CHIBANA Sensei was the first to differentiate his system of karate from others by naming it Kobayashi-ryu ("young forest" style), in 1930, instead of Shuri-te or by his own name (e.g. Chibana-te) as had been done in the past within the Shorin-ryu systems. This decision was brought on by the growth and development of te, not only on Okinawa, but also with the foresight of international introduction. CHIBANA Sensei was one of the founding committee members of karate masters in 1936 that agreed karate should be translated as "empty hand." 

In addition, he was awarded the Fourth Order of Merit from the Emperor of Japan, in 1969, for his life long contributions to the martial arts. It is attributed by some sources that he passed down the Kusanku Dai and Gojushiho katas. CHIBANA Sensei's most influential student of the modern day is Hanshi JuDan NAKAZATO, Shugoro, to whom CHIBANA Sensei presented his personal black belt, which was a great honor and tribute to NAKAZATO Sensei's devotion and martial arts skills.

NAKAZATO, Shugoro "Hanshi 10th dan" (1920 - 2016)

Hanshi JuDan NAKAZATO has spent most of his life in the martial arts and in 1967, after nearly twenty years of training, was awarded 9thDan by his eminent instructor CHIBANA Choshin. Upon CHIBANA Sensei's death in 1969, NAKAZATO Sensei became the president of the Okinawan Shorin-Ryu * ShorinKan Karate-do Kyokai and was promoted to 10thDan in 1980. NAKAZATO Sensei is one of the most influential living karate Grand Masters in Okinawa and travels many times a year to promote the traditional Okinawan Shorin-Ryu * ShorinKan Karate (Kobayashi-ryu) system. 

Hanshi JunDan headed the Okinawan karate delegation and was asked to give a special performance at the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. Most recently in May 1999, he led an Okinawan seminar delegation of Grand Masters to the United States promoting The 1st Okinawa Traditional Karatedo & Kobudo World Tournament. In addition, Hanshi JuDan NAKAZATO is credited for the introduction of the Gorin kata. 

In August 2000, the Okinawan Prefecture Board of Education bestowed upon Hanshi NAKAZATO the title of "Kenmukei Bunkazi" - Intangible Cultural Asset. In addition, on November 4, 2007, the Japanese Prime Minister under the hand of the Emperor of Japan awarded Nakazato Sensei the "Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Rays" - Asahi Soukou sho.  

NAKAZATO, Minoru “Hanshi 10th dan”

Hanshi Ju Dan Minoru Nakazato, 10th Dan Black Belt is the chairman of the Okinawa Karate-Do Shorin-Ryu Shorin Kan Association and also the Instructor in the International Okinawa Kobudo Federation.

He is the son of our founder Hanshi Judan Shugoro Nakazato, a living legend in the field of martial arts.

NOUJAIM, Nabil "Kyoshi-8th Dan" (1950 - Present)

Kyoshi Nabil Noujaim, 8th Dan-Karate, 6th Dan-Kobudo, is one of Hanshi Judan Nakazato Sensei's senior students in the Americas and California. Kyoshi Noujaim has been a student of Shorin-Ryu ShorinKan Karate since 1972 and is the head instructor of Noujaim's Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate in El Centro, CA., U.S.A. His senior ranking students have Shibo dojos in Indiana, New York, Kansas, Bermuda, Chile, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Mexico and various California cities including El Centro, Brawley, Berkeley, Temecula, Vista, Paso Robles, San Miguel, Atascadero and Centennial Park. 

Kyoshi Noujaim also travels extensively promoting ShorinKan Karate & Kobudo nationally and internationally including seminars in Israel, Chile, Argentina, Jordan and Mexico. His travels also take him to Naha City, Okinawa, Japan where he trains under Shugoro Nakazato Sensei, Hanshi 10th Dan Shorin-Ryu ShorinKan Karate & Kobudo. In 2008, Kyoshi Noujaim was elected to the Masters Hall of Fame. 

In addition, his annual November Camp, Noujaim's Cal South International Martial Arts Camp draws from all the martial arts disciplines. The 2003 CAMP was honored to have Nakazato Sensei as the Guest of Honor along with his son,  Minoru Nakazato sama and several ranking kyoshis from Okinawa.

ROGERS, David “Kyoshi” 7th dan

Kyoshi David Rogers began his Karate journey in the 1980s under Kyoshi Nabil Noujaim in El Centro California. in 2012, Kyoshi Rogers received his 7th dan in Okinawa directly from Shugoro Nakazato Sensei, the founder of Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan. Kyoshi Rogers and his wife, Michele Rogers, Renshi 6th dan, owned and operated Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan Karate in Paso Robles California from 1999 until 2024. They trained hundreds of students over 25 years with many going on to operate their own dojos.