User:Mike Shihan/Kenzo Mabuni

Kenzo Mabuni Soke was born on 30 May 1927 at Akahira-Machi, Shuri city, in Okinawa and moved with his family to Osaka city two years later. He obtained permission from his father and joined his school as a 13-year-old and went on to practise Shito-Ryu karate-do for over 60 years. He even lived in the same house up until his death.

Kenzo Mabuni Soke obtained his Shodan (1st Dan) on 1 August 1943 and at the time of his death held the rank of Jyudan (10th Dan) and was a respected master not only in Japan but also throughout the world.

His organisation, Nihon Karate-Do Kai (formerly known as Dai-Nihon Karate-Do Kai) was founded by his father in 1939. His father left him the Shito-Ryu name, his complete syllabus and the dojo with the association name Nihon Karate-Do Kai, all of which remain intact today. Kenzo Mabuni Soke followed his father’s syllabus exactly the way it was written down in 1929, which is why people called it Seito Shito-Ryu or pure, true Shito-Ryu. It is interesting to note, however, that Kenzo Mabuni Soke himself did not use the term seito to describe his organisation; he simply called it Shito-Ryu. In Japan, his students and followers refer to the style as ‘traditional Shito-Ryu’. The term seito is frequently used outside of Japan to describe the style as being the original Shito-Ryu of Kenwa Mabuni.

Kenzo Mabuni Soke was the President of Shito-Ryu International Karate-Do Kai — the organisation that co-ordinates all of the member countries throughout the world. Today, there are official representatives appointed by Kenzo Mabuni in 12 countries outside of Japan.

Kenzo Mabuni Soke emphasised the training of karate based on his father’s principle, “Kata (form) is karate”. Kata is the essence of karate and in training, his policy is, 75 per cent kata training and 25 per cent kumite (free or organised sparring), besides doing the regular kihon (basics) and exercises. He trained under the watchful eye of his father and would practise hundreds of times — making sure that he started the kata facing north, south, east and west, rather than always in the same direction — for a period of three months or more, just to understand and perfect each single kata.

Soke Mabuni knew the importance of repetition and advised that, when practising kata, focus should be on correct basic techniques, breathing, posture, dachi (stance), bunkai (the meaning and application of the movements) and tenshin happo — the eight directions of movement. He also stressed the importance of chakugan (focus) and zanshin (awareness), and that kata should always start and end with rei (bowing).

Even at the age of 77, Kenzo Mabuni Soke still managed to travel to other countries to continue promoting his father’s system of karate. His last trip was in August 2004, when he spent seven days teaching in Malaysia. He taught his Shihans once every month at the honbu (headquarters) dojo and Ohama Gym to ensure that the high standards of training were maintained and that the original syllabus of his father was strictly adhered to. The honbu dojo is relatively small, so in some cases when there were larger numbers of Shihans, the training was held at Ohama Gym instead.

The Ohama Gym, in Sakai city, Osaka, also hosted the fifth International Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Cup in July last year, with over 200 people travelling from around the world to join the Japanese contingent. Unfortunately, this was the first time that Kenzo Mabuni Soke did not preside over the biennial event. The traditional welcome party was changed to a memorial service for Kenzo Mabuni Soke, who passed away at 2.45pm on Sunday 26 June 2005, less than two weeks before the event.

The above information was verified personally by Kenzo Mabuni Soke in October 2004 and was approved for an article by Mike Williams which was published in Bujustsi International Magazine in Australia and later in Blitz Australiasian Martial Arts Magazine which was published after Kenzo Mabuni Soke passed away.