Kanga Sakugawa ( 1733-1815)Tode meaning  China hand  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.

Sokon Matumura ( 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.

Yasutsune Itosu ( 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.

Chosin Chibana ( 1887 – 1969 )

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 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.

Shugoro Nakazato (1921-2016)

Sensei Shugoro Nakazato earned his 9th Dan almost 20 years after he started training in karate, this rank was presented to him by Sensei Choshin Chibanana.  In 1969, Sensei Nakazato became the president of the “Okinawan Shorin-Ryu ShorinKan Karate-do Kyokai”  and was then promoted to 10th Dan in 1980. 

Sensei headed the Okinawan karate delegation and was asked to give a special performance at the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. In May 1999, he led an Okinawan seminar delegation of High ranking Okinawan Karate-ka to the United States promoting The 1st Okinawa Traditional Karatedo & Kobudo World Tournament. Durring the 1996 Olympics in Georgia Sensei Nakazato demonstrated and introducted the Kata now known as Gorin.

Sensei Shuguro Nakazato received the title of “Intagible Cultural Asset”, or Kenmukei Bunkazi, in August 2000.  Then he received the “Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Rays”, Asahi Soukou Sho, from the Japanese Prime Ministers under the direction of the Emperor of Japan.

In August 2016 Sensei Shugoro Nakazato passed, and left the Shorin-ryu Shorinkan in the capable hands of his son, Sensei Minuro Nakazato