Ankoh Itoso Kanryo Higaonn Chojun Miyagi Kenwa Mabuni Chojiro Tani Haruyoshi Yamada
1830-1916 1853-1915 1888-1953 1889-1952 1921-1998 Shito Ryu Shukokai Karate Do is one of the most dynamic and successful karate schools.Shukokais japanese roots centred on the universities of Osaka and Kyoto and their students established the school as a fast and powerful style. Yamada with Sensei Tani Kenwa Mabuni Haruyoshi Yamada Shukokai was the brainchild of Chojiro Tani Sensei.Sensei Tani studied Goju-Ryu for a decade until meeting with Kenwa Mabuni Sensei,the famous Shito-Ryu Master.Tani became a disciple of his fast and fluid style and he was finally allowed to open his own school in 1948.
Tani was fascinated with science of body mechanics and movement,and after much experimenting and comprehensive study he designed the Shito Ryus kicking and punching methods to maximise and benefit from polymetric(elastic property) contraction of the muscles.The hip movement was emphasised and shukokais famous double hip movement for executing strikes was developed,giving the style its explosive power.Impact pads were introduced to help the shukokai stylists enhance there power.Tani successfully fused the dynamics and speed of Shito Ryu with the power and strength of Goju- Ryu so none of the qualities or strengths of either style were lost. After the death of Tani Sensei in 1998 Yamada Sensei was elected to lead the organisation of Shukokai.He was born 1938 in Akita prefecture Japan.He began to studie martial arts in Judo before coming involved in Karate.In 1956 he became a disciple of Tani Sensei and was one of his top ranking pupils.He is one of the highest representatives of Japan Karate Federation and is engaged in the Japanese Olympic Committee.Yamada Sensei is living in Amagasaki near Osaka,where he is running a Bone setting clinic as well as his Dojo with approximately 10.000 students nation-wide.
