What Is Matsubayashi-Ryu?

Kodokan-Seiler Dojo is dedicated to the promotion of Matsubayashi-ryu karate as handed down by the late Soke Takayoshi Nagamine.   Matsubayashi-ryu karate is an Okinawan martial art with a long history and tradition. 

Kodokan-Seiler Dojo is dedicated to the promotion of Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu karate in Minnesota. The dojo is a member of World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu Karate-do Association (WMKA) and licensed by the organization’s President, Yokitasha Taira Sensei. All dojo instructors hold an active certification and Dan ranking issued in Okinawa.

Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu karate is an Okinawan martial art with a long history and tradition. It was founded by Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine and the lineage is currently headed by Sensei Yoshitaka Taira, 10th Dan. Practice in tradition is the foundation of this style of karate, rather than a display for tournament.

In contrast to the many, highly commercialized options available for martial arts instruction, we do not train for the purpose of sporting competition or as a casual hobby or pastime. Rather, we focus on instruction in the history and principles of Okinawan Karate-do, as a part of Okinawan culture, and the applicability of those principles in a life pursuing wellness and peace. This is done through instruction in the physical techniques of Matsubayashi-ryu as found in kata, bunkai (applications) and kumite (a type of sparring, but in the context of personal defense - NOT sport). In addition, we engage in physical conditioning using Okinawan Hojo Undo (traditional training tools and techniques) and modern methods (weights, high intensity intervals, cognitive/ neurological conditioning). The final component is mental training for personal wellness and training effectiveness. This includes Zazen meditation practice/ sitting and Zanshin as an element of kata practice and also practiced through specific kumite exercises. The results are improved health, fitness, mental wellness and skill in empty-hand martial arts..

Kata is the Center of Training in Traditional Okinawan Karate-do. Kata is a prearranged set of movements that embody a set of fundamental offensive and defensive techniques. Each kata focuses on a particular fighting style or strategy. This strategy is intertwined in the stances, direction changes, blocks, and strikes included in the kata.

Proficiency in Karate-do is developed by merging one’s natural instincts and physical attributes with physiologically efficient and effective technique. Kata is the means for developing efficient and effective technique by focusing on proper stance, balance, atemi (focus), and self-awareness in the context of self-defense applications.