757.287.1800

OBI - Okinawan Budo Institute
Okinawan Budo International

OBI - Okinawan Budo Institute Okinawan Budo InternationalOBI - Okinawan Budo Institute Okinawan Budo InternationalOBI - Okinawan Budo Institute Okinawan Budo International

OBI - Okinawan Budo Institute
Okinawan Budo International

OBI - Okinawan Budo Institute Okinawan Budo InternationalOBI - Okinawan Budo Institute Okinawan Budo InternationalOBI - Okinawan Budo Institute Okinawan Budo International

757.287.1800

OBI - Okinawa Budo Institute, established by Sensei Noel Smith in 1968, is one of the oldest USA Shorin Ryu Shorinkan schools

Traditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to be

Traditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to beTraditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to beTraditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to be
OBI AFFILIATIONS

OBI - Okinawa Budo Institute, established by Sensei Noel Smith in 1968, is one of the oldest USA Shorin Ryu Shorinkan schools

Traditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to be

Traditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to beTraditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to beTraditional Okinawa Karate: Kobayashi Shorin Ryu as it was intended to be
OBI AFFILIATIONS
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OBI Lineage of Shorin Ryu, the oldest Okinawan Karate system

Kange (Bushi) Sakugawa

Kange (Bushi) Sakugawa

Kange (Bushi) Sakugawa

(1733 - 1815; photo Creative Commons)


One of the most influential masters of Okinawa's indigenous martial art Te  ["hand"]. Te was practiced mainly in the Okinawan towns of Shuri, later called Shuri-Te [首里手], in Naha, later called Naha-Te [那覇手], in its port village Tomari, later called Tomari-Te [泊手], and in Itoman.  


 Click here to read about the three officially recognized Karate systems in Okinawa 

Sokon (Tode) Matsumura

Kange (Bushi) Sakugawa

Kange (Bushi) Sakugawa

(1800 - 1891; photo Creative Commons)


 Prominent student of Sensei Sakugawa's and supposed to be the creator of the Shuri-Te system, which is considered to be the most indigenous style of Okinawan Te, less influenced by Chinese martial arts. 


 Click here to read about the three officially recognized Karate systems in Okinawa 

Yasutsune (Anko) Itosu

Kange (Bushi) Sakugawa

Yasutsune (Anko) Itosu

(1831-1915; photo source below)

Image shared by Sensei Steven Franz


 Influential student of Sensei Matsumura's, considered by many as  the "father of modern karate", because he introduced the art to the  Okinawan public, after it initially was practiced in complete privacy,  even secretly, as a fighting art for Okinawa's gentry. He developed  several new Kata and curricula to teach Karate at Okinawan schools. 


The re-examination of previous findings, done since the creation of the Karate Kaikan in Okinawa, reveals new facts; e.g. that the popular photo of Anko Itosu, published 2006 in "Okinawa Times" actually shows the fencing instructor  Miyake Sango. We heartily thank Sensei Franz for pointing us here into the right direction. The above image he shared was drawn by the artist Lara Chamberlain, based on a photo of Sensei Itosu the Okinawan research group found and published.

Chosin Chibana

Shugoro Nakazato

Yasutsune (Anko) Itosu

 (1885 – 1969; Photo Wikimedia Commons)

 

 One of Sensei Itosu's legendary students, who established the famous phrase "one strike, total destruction". In the early 1930s he organized Shorin Ryu as a tradition within the array of karate systems practiced in the Shuri area ("Shuri-Te"). Different forms of Shorin Ryu are distinguished by the use of different kanji, which all mean "Shorin", but are pronounced differently in Japanese, and the according karate systems use slightly different curricula. The kanji Sensei Chibana chose for "Shorin" (which is the pronunciation he always used) is pronounced "Kobayashi" in Japanese.


We are deeply grateful to Sensei Jason ("Jase") Scott for helping us to avoid the popular misconception of Sensei Chibana "re-naming  Shuri-Te into Shorin Ryu": the term "Shuri-Te" was not replaced and is still in use today in Okinawa to name the family of styles that came from the Shuri area (e.g. Sukunai Hayashi Ryu, Kobayashi Ryu, Matsubayashi Ryu, Shobayashi Ryu, Seibukan, and  others).


 Click here to read about the three officially recognized Karate systems in Okinawa 

Shugoro Nakazato

Shugoro Nakazato

Shugoro Nakazato

 (1920 – 2016; Photo Okinawan Times)


Most prominent student of Sensei Chibana's and custodian of Kobayashi Ryu. He created the Shorin Ryu Shorinkan organization and successfully spread it worldwide. 

Sensei Nakazato was elected to demonstrate Karate at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. For this event he created the Kata Gorin ["five rings"] and integrated elements from all Okinawan karate styles. In 2000 he was designated as an "Intangible Cultural Asset Holder" by the Okinawa Prefectural Government


You can download a table containing all Okinawan Intangible Cultural Asset Holders

Noel Smith

Shugoro Nakazato

Shugoro Nakazato

Today


 Sensei Smith is one of the so-called “Original Seven“ black belts, directly trained by Sensei Nakazato and sent to the USA to promote Shorin Ryu Shorinkan. He has devoted his life to maintaining, teaching, and promoting (Kobayashi) Shorin Ryu in its initial form and purpose as it was taught to him in Okinawa by Sensei Shugoro Nakazato. 

The mentioned famous "Original Seven" are, along with Noel Smith,  the Okinawans Tadashi Yamashita (initially born in Japan) and Jiro Shiroma, and the Americans Eddie Bethea, Sid Campbell, Frank Hargrove, Robert (‘Bob’) Herten. While Bob Herten (2020) and Sid Campbell (2008) passed away, the other five are still teaching in the USA. 


 Click here to read about the three officially recognized Karate systems in Okinawa 

What you learn ...

Generally Speaking ....

Generally Speaking ....

Generally Speaking ....

 Based on mechanics, physics, and the physiology of the human body, we study moves and concepts to transfer our body-weight-power as effectively as possible. We don't teach a recreational activity, we teach Kobayashi Ryu as it was intended to be, as a fighting art, and we support students to grow mentally, physically, and spiritually.

There is no easy way and there is no quick way to build up these kinds of true karate skills. You need persistence and dedication. Our training approach is a no-nonsense, traditional setting. If you look for thrills or entertainment, you'd perhaps find it boring ... 

But, though traditional, we do not believe in artificial drills and endless exercises:

Karate must make sense for self-defense and training must make sense to develop true self-protection skills.


Click here for Karate Affiliation


 Click here for OBI Curriculum 


 Click here for Terminology and Etiquette 


Kata & Bunkai

Generally Speaking ....

Generally Speaking ....

Centuries ago the most effective fighting moves were brought together into "Kata" [literally "form"], into a sequence of defensive and offensive moves against attacking opponents and using a variety of techniques. Therefore, the study of Kata is one pillar of training (the other two are Kumite and Kobudo).

However, practicing Kata without understanding the purpose and meaning of moves is just an athletic dance and senseless hitting of air. Kata moves are intended as fighting moves, so we learn their application and their intentions by understanding and practicing Bunkai ["form with partners"]. There are several "layers" of Bunkai in Kata, and while practicing, you deepen your understanding and your insight into the true purpose of Kata moves.


Click here for Karate Affiliation


 Click here for OBI Curriculum 

 

Click here for Terminology and Etiquette 

Kumite & Suikendo

Kumite & Suikendo

Kumite & Suikendo

KARATEKA NEVER START A FIGHT,

THEY ONLY END A FIGHT.

You learn how to defend yourself through Kumite [literally “meeting of the hands”]. This is the part of karate in which you train against an adversary, using the techniques learned from exercises and Kata. But we are not seeking to gain points with fencing, tagging moves; we test ourselves against an opponent by putting what we have learned to practical self-defense use. 

Students are carefully built up with sparring exercises limited to the use of specific attacking, defensive, and counter techniques and in an “offense-defense” setting before being allowed to fight in any freestyle form.

Advanced students practice free fighting, Suikendo drills and Suikendo kumite, which is the most advanced system of Okinawan combat karate today.


Click here to see Suikendo affiliation

Kobudo

Kumite & Suikendo

Kumite & Suikendo

 This is the art of using traditional everyday tools as weapons in Okinawan martial arts. These tools are understood as an extension of the hands, meaning that [empty hand] Karate and Kobudo are the upside and downside of the same coin. Hence, to understand Kobudo concepts, a student must have a solid foundation in empty hand Karate. 

  While training with weapons, students learn and reinforce key concepts and further their understanding of the entire art. Just like empty hand, Kobudo is learned through the practice of Kata, Bunkai, and Kumite drills.

The Kobudo tools we use at Okinawa Budo Institute are 

Bo (staff), Tonfa (handle to crank water or to turn millstones), Kama (sickle), Nunchaku (flail, perhaps part of a horse bridle), Sai (upper part of a fork), and Eku (oar).

   

Click here to see Kobudo affiliation  

Kyoshi Noel Smith & OBI Instructors

Noel Smith, Kyoshi, 8th Dan Shorin Ryu, Shorinkan (left)

Sensei Smith began his study of Okinawan Shorin Ryu karate with Sensei Nakazato Shugoro, 10th Dan Shorin Ryu, the founder of Shorinkan, in the mid 1960s while stationed in Okinawa during the Vietnam war. At that time he trained five to six hours per day, six days per week, during daytime and in the evenings. His daily sixty-to-ninety minute “lunch-time” trainings allowed many one-on-one sessions with the master, who then would share bunkai and deeper aspects of kata concepts. After living on the island, Sensei Smith visited the honbu dojo annually for training, what he and his OBI students still do today.


Sensei Smith  teaches Kobayashi Shorin Ryu karate as, in his words, “it was intended to be,” in a no-nonsense, traditional approach. With this combat version of karate he trained members of the Navy SEALs and of the Virginia Beach police SWAT team. On the other hand he developed successful sports applications based on traditional moves, and his dojo produced many champion karateka over the years. From 1973 to 1978, he served as head coach for the U.S. karate team, competing internationally, including in the world championships of 1975 in California and of 1977 in Tokyo. 


His dedication, contributions, and successes were recognized in 1976 with the “Distinguished Service Award—Man of the Year” and induction into the USA Karate Hall of Fame. His way of approaching the art sets an example of how to combine—not to be confused with “to integrate”—classic Okinawan karate with sports karate.  

Active, regularly teaching instructors

David Colaizzi, Kyoshi, 7th Dan Shorin Ryu, Shorinkan  (middle). He has worked with Sensei Smith for 30+ years
Glenn Graves, 3rd Dan Shorin Ryu, Shorinkan (right). He has worked with Sensei Smith for 16+ years.

 

Inactive, occasionally teaching instructors

Raymond (Gene) Adkins, Renshi, 6th Dan Shorin Ryu Shorinkan. 

Percy Santos, 5th Dan Shorin Ryu, Shorinkan

Every Week 4.5 hours Karate and 3 hours Kobudo are offered

Free 45 min. private training session Mon, Wed, or Fri

Use this opportunity to test out whether you like Okinawan Budo Institute's approach

6:30 pm

-

7:15 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Event Details

Free 45 min. private training session Mon, Wed, or Fri

Use this opportunity to test out whether you like Okinawan Budo Institute's approach

Whether you plan to transition from another martial art or from another karate system; whether you start from scratch, or whether you used t...

Event Details

6:30 pm

-

7:15 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

Karate - All Levels

6:30 pm

-

8:00 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Event Details

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

Karate - All Levels

Training group practices either together or is split for specific performances into skill levels

6:30 pm

-

8:00 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Wednesdays

Kobudo Training

8:00 pm

-

9:00 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Event Details

Wednesdays

Kobudo Training

We practice Kobudo for one hour after our Wednesday empty hand session

8:00 pm

-

9:00 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Saturdays

Kobudo Training

11:00 am

-

1:00 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Event Details

Saturdays

Kobudo Training

Bo, Tonfa, Kama, Nunchaku, Sai, and Eku Training 

11:00 am

-

1:00 pm

5465 C Virginia Beach Blvd.

Fees

Introductory private training session is free

Karate

$60-$120/month

The monthly fee is covering three training sessions each week, 4.5 hrs. (270 min.); amount depends on level.  Click here to contact  Kyoshi Noel Smith for details

Kobudo

$25-$50/month

The monthly fee covers two training sessions per week, 3 hrs. (180 min.); amount depends on level Click here to contact  Kyoshi Noel Smith for details 

Quarterly and Annual Memberships Are Available

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Contact Us

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If you have questions about the opportunities available to you in our program, and/or to schedule your free introductory private session, send us a message. We will get back to you asap.

OBI Okinawa Budo Institute

5465c Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462, United States

757.287.1800 okinawabudoinstitute@gmail.com

Hours

Monday - Friday: 5pm - 8pm

Saturday: 10am - 1pm

Sunday: Closed

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  • Home
  • OBI Affiliations
  • OBI Curriculum
  • Terminology & Etiquette
  • Karate Systems in Okinawa
  • News & Events
  • Downloads
  • Useful & Important Links
  • Historic Photos
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact Us

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