FORTY YEARS ago a young Okinawan man arrived on the shores of Alaska-then a territory of the United States of America. The following day, on September 15, l962, Ansei Ueshiro set foot on the mainland of the USA for the first time. He was one of the first Oriental martial artists to bring karate to this country, and he went on to become one of the most influential karatemen in the world today.

At the request of his sensei, Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine, the founder of Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu, the landmark decision to leave Okinawa was made and agreed upon by Master Ueshiro and his teachers and students. By special visa of the United States government, Master Ueshiro made the voyage in order to bring the art of Shorin-Ryu to America.

The special visa was obtained through the efforts of James Wax and his students here in the United States. On Okinawa, James Wax was the first American to earn a black belt in Shorin-Rvu under the tutelage of Master Ueshiro. On Sensei Wax's return to the U.S. from military service on Okinawa as a U.S. Marine, he opened a dojo in Dayton, Ohio.

James Wax, Robert Yarnall and many of the original American students in the U.S. helped Hanshi Ueshiro establish himself in America. Nevertheless, there were many hardships and difficulties which he had to overcome. But Master Ueshiro was not unaccustomed to hardship. While he was a child, he suffered through the agonies of World War II on his homeland, Okinawa, one of the most violent battlefields of the war. He then endured the aftermath of the war, the rebuilding of Okinawa.

Master Ueshiro, who was physicallv disabled during the war, overrcame this disability by becoming more proficient with his maimed hands than any other karate practitioner of his time. At first, after the injury, some people suggested he wear gloves to hide the disfigurement and scars. He refused and developed tremendous skill, dexterity and strength in his hands and body. He also became world renowned for his bojutsu.

Having overcome so much, he still sacrificed many things in relocating to the U.S. in order to propagate his martial art. The first few years were the most difficult, as he had left his family behind and had to wait several years to be reunited with them. The language barrier, earning a living in a foreign land, and finding a home were just a few of the obstacles he faced in his effort to bring Shorin-Ryu Karate to America. Indeed, since traditional karate is not a lucrative financial enterprise, Master Ueshiro, in order to support his family, became a successful entrepreneur in the import/export field. He recently became a U.S. citizen and we are all honored by this.

Master Ueshiro's fortitude, strength of character, and karate training enabled him to survive and to succeed. Hanshi Ueshiro taught karate, opened many dojo in the East and Midwest, and successfully built the organization to what it is today. Presently there is a network of over 100 Shorin-Ryu Karate dojo in the U.S. which directly trace their roots and heritage to Hanshi Ueshiro or his students.

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OKINAWAN SHORIN-RYU KARATE KATA LIST

GREEN-BELT
1. SEISAN
2. NAIHANCHIN SHODAN
3. NAIHANCHIN NIDAN
4. NAIHANCHIN SANDAN
5. ANANKU
6. WANSHU
7. PINAN SHODAN

BROWN-BELT
08. PINAN NIDAN
09. PINAN SANDAN
10. PINAN YONDAN
11. PINAN GODAN
12. GOJOSHIHO
13. CHINTO

BLACK-BELT
14. PASAI SHO
15. PASAI DAI
16. KUSANKU SHO
17. KUSANKU DAI
18. SEIYUCHIN
19. SANCHIN

KOBUJITSU
20. TOYEI NO SAI*
21. TOWATA NO SAI
22. TOKUMINI NO KUN
23. SAKAGAWA NO KUN
24. PINAN NO NUNCHAKU
25. TOYEI NO KAMA

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