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kelcca
16th March 2003, 01:09
Why is Chito Ryu not very well known?? There is hardly any Chito Ryu web-pages/books/videos compared to other styles. I also have found it hard to find sites or info about Chito Ryu in Asia? Thanks, Frank Furlong/Canada

Steven Malanosk
16th March 2003, 01:17
Actually, Chitose's leneage is well known.

Just not as mass produced in it's spreading, as some other major Japanese KaraTe styles.

Key players in the west, are William Dometrich, and his daughter.

Try a search with his name.

GojuMaster
17th March 2003, 15:06
Mr. Malanoski,

Just for clarification, William Dometrich's daughter, Devorah, is a student of Onaga Sensei of the Shinjinbukan. I don't believe she claims to study or teach the art of her father, Chito-ryu.

Best Regards,

Russ Smith
http://www.Goju-Ryu.info/
http://www.OKDR.org/

Steven Malanosk
17th March 2003, 15:52
Oh???????

So much for the legacy.

But I am sure, a good KaraTeKa none the less.

Wonder why?

H. Upton
29th March 2003, 02:43
Actually, Devorah (Dometrich sensei's "adopted" daughter) holds dan rank in Chito-Ryu. However, her prefered system in Ryukyu Kobudo.

Other high ranking people of import in Chito Ryu are Shane Higashi, Mas Tsuroka and Jim Davenport.

Thanks,

Howard

TommyK
29th March 2003, 04:31
Greetings,

To set the record straight, may I offer the following:

In his 2001 autobiography William Dometrich shares many triumphs, mistakes and family tradegies with the reader.

One of the things he is very proud of is his adopted daughter, retired police Officer Devorah (Debbie)Herbst. While he acknowledges her ties to Kobudo, he does mention she:

"..was ranked Shichi-dan by her kobudo sensei, Eisuke Akamine, head sensei of the Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko-kai. She had also achived Go-dan in Chito-ryu karate and San-dan in Iaido". (page 475)

He also mentions on page 388, above a photo of his adopted daughter demonstrating a bo kata:

"By now, it was very obvious that her first love was Ryukyu kobudo".

He also mentions that his youngest daughter, Sherry Lynn, had achieved a Yon-dan in karate. (page 475)

Regards,
TommyK

Gene Williams
29th March 2003, 12:56
Didn't Yamamato study Chito-ryu before he started Yoshukai? Gene

H. Upton
29th March 2003, 13:54
Hi Gene,

Yes, Yamamoto Kaicho was Dr. Chitose's number one student until his break away in 1971.

Yamamoto was an awesome fighter (probably still is), and built a fairly large following in the United States, particularly in the South East.

thanks,

-howard

Gene Williams
29th March 2003, 16:38
Do you remember Mike Foster? He taught Yoshukai over at Ridgewood Mall in Daytona Beach, Fla. back in the sixties and seventies. I used to train in his dojo when I vacationed there some. I think he was in SEKA for a while. Anyway, he was a great guy and a helluva fighter in tournaments back when. He was testy sometimes, and would either leave the tournament in disgust or stay and dominate. He had quite a stable of good students, and I thought I remembered seeing a picture of Chitose on his wall beside Yamamato. Gene

H. Upton
29th March 2003, 17:05
Yes, Foster Sensei was quite a fighter in his time. And what a huge, imposing individual. He lived and trained with Yamamoto in Kita Kyushu for approximately ten years. In reality, he is probably responsible for spreading Yoshukai in the United States than any other practitioner to date.

My understanding is that he is now retired from active teaching and has turned the reigns over to one of his top deshi.

thanks again,

-howard:)

Gene Williams
29th March 2003, 18:15
This is bringing back memories...Foster Sensei had a student named Mike Matthews who was a nidan when I was a shodan back in the early seventies. He would train with me when I visited the dojo, and we kept up a correspondence for a short time. We would take turns doing a kata, then compare notes. I remember that Yoshukai does Rohai, I think, and they also do it with sai...am I correct? I bought a pair of tonfa from Mike Foster and I still use them, as beat up as they are. I have re-pegged the handles twice, but I love them too much to quit using them. Foster came in one day and asked if either of us wanted to spar. We asked for time to stretch. He sat reading a magazine while we took fifteen minutes to warm up. After we finished, he stood up, shook himself kind of like a dog, and kicked both our tails for about thirty minutes, then sat back down to his magazine. I really liked him...never hear anything about him. Retirement must be good. Thanks, Gene

Gene Williams
29th March 2003, 23:01
Thanks Kenneth. That is great, had no idea Yoshukai was that big in Canada. I don't hear much about it in Fla. anymore, but must still be around. It is apparently to be found in Alabama. Thanks. Gene

H. Upton
29th March 2003, 23:32
Foster Sensei has a large following in Canada, Germany and the United States. Yoshukai International (his organization) still has a very large following in Florida, but his group has disolved somewhat in Georgia and Alabama.

Unfortunately, Yoshukai has gone through several splits over the past few years, but many of the old teachers are still actively guiding new students.

thanks,

-howard

Steven Malanosk
30th March 2003, 14:39
Here is a write up on a tournament in Florida that my teacher and I traveled to, "Many years before I moved here."

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/blackbelt/1970/may70/kar.html

Scroll down and you will see a pic of my teacher performing Katsu on Mike Foster's downed opponent. :p

Gene Williams
30th March 2003, 20:49
Thanks, Steven. That's a piece of real nostalgia. I am glad, though, that many of us have moved on from the carnival atmosphere of tournaments. They were fun, though.:)

RevMike
10th December 2003, 05:39
Hello,
and nice to meet you. I was wondering the same thing.
I'm a brown belt in Chito-Ryu. I have been lax in my training as of late (university) and now that I'm out in the 'working world' there is no Chito Ryu dojo near me... so I think I'm going to try JuJitsu.
Anyway, here are some links you may find useful:
http://www.chitoryu.ca/ Canadian Chito Ryu Association
http://www.ontario.chitoryu.ca/Higashi/index.html Higashi Kyoshi Honbu...go to Higashi Clinics!
http://www.chitoryu.ca/icrf/index.phtml International Chito Ryu Karate Federation
http://www.chitoryu.norcom.net.au/2004SokeCup/index.php Soke Cup '04
http://www.chitoryu.norcom.net.au/index.php Chito Ryu in Australia
Take Care
Mike Henderson