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RobertW
20th February 2004, 09:39
Why is it, that after all these years I have seen very few serious Okinawan Shorin ryu masters profiled in the usual martial arts rags. Like Black belt (all shotokan all the time), or Martial arts Masters?
No,
Miyahira
Nakazato
Toma X 2
Shimabukuro etc. ????

Blackwood
20th February 2004, 13:24
I think it is attributable to several things. One is that they don't really look for the recognition. It is enough that they have the respect of their students. I have often looked for such things myself and they just aren't out there.

Miyahira is probably better known in SE Asia then in the states, where his senior student, Iha, runs the organization. I know there is a great deal of control over what is written and distributed about them. No flashy dojo, just a store front that has been refurbished by the students as they can afford to help.

It is also a firm belief that the way to learn is to train, reading articles and looking at pictures is for the historical perspective, not learning karate.

Miyahira (http://www.ihadojo.com/Origins/katsuya.htm)

Rob Alvelais
20th February 2004, 15:50
Shinyu Gushi and Shinpo Matayoshi were in Dragon Times (now classical fighting arts). Morio Higaonna is in there all of the time.

American Samurai has featured articles on Toshihiro Oshiro.

Eihachi Ohta (matsubayashi shorin ryu) was featured in the old "Karate Profiles: Made in the USA".

And don't forget Bugeisha. You can still find online articles. They covered Okinawa Martial Arts a good deal.

But you're correct. You don't get good coverage of traditional karate in BB.

Rob

Victor
20th February 2004, 18:28
Hi Robert,

The essential issue behind various magazine coverage of different artists is mostly financial.

For example take Black Belt, many of their articles are by those who are selling something (clinics, books, videos) often through the magazine too. If there is a potential for advertising dollars there would be an interest for an article.

Likewise most of the articles are based on contributing writers. And often they have an interest in sales. Not to pick one person out but Chris Thomas had a recent BB article on Isshinryu and pressure point striking, and the article mentioned an upcoming book (if I remember correctly).

Likewise BB exists for the general - non MA public, who buy most of the rack copies. They're into the 'latest' trend.

Other magazines follow similar suit, often. For example many of the articles in Dragon Times (now CFA) were tied to video tapes or books for sale.

This is only logical. Almost all of the companies behind the magazines exist to create cash flow. Even if the magazine is non-profit, if they have extensive adds for another of their corporate structure selling 'stuff' how realistic is it to expect otherwise.

Other magazines are house organs for specific groups (and focus on those groups). For example Bugeisha didn't make it, and it was very, very traditional. Bottom line not enough return for the work. Cash talks.

There are a few exceptions, but even so it still takes somebody to write the articles. All of the magazines have to fill copy. If you or anybody provides good articles and pictures on the Shorin instructors you are interested in, there's a good chance somebody will publish them.

TANSTAAFL {There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch),

Victor Smith
Bushi No Te Isshinryu

Timothy.G.B.
20th February 2004, 19:19
I share your lament! Too bad for those of us learning Shorin.


Tim Black :(

RobertW
24th February 2004, 22:30
I would like to see one of these mags just go to Okinawa and do interviews.
I wouyld like to see Onaga, Miyahira and Nakazato interviewed.

Timothy.G.B.
24th February 2004, 22:47
Hi Robert:

That would be great! I wonder who would have the courage to go to each of their dojos and ask for the interviews :eek:

Tim Black

Sochin
24th February 2004, 22:55
Robert,

how much would it cost? Maybe we need a fund raising tournament or something....hmmmm.

RobertW
24th February 2004, 23:35
I'd do it. We would need around 1400 for air fare and we would need around 100 for the stay. Kikukawa could set it up too.

RobertW
24th February 2004, 23:59
Sorry thats 1000 for the stay...

-R

Joseph Svinth
25th February 2004, 02:11
Have you checked the Japanese-language media? I don't read Japanese, but the clippings I've been sent suggest that most of these guys are pretty well documented in Japanese. Australian and British publications also need to be checked. For instance, the now-defunct "Fighting Arts International" used to cover the folks visiting Britain quite extensively. I would assume that the British Library has a fairly complete collection, and Dragon used to sell back issues.

In addition, there are websites that provide significant bibliographic guidance. See, for instance, http://seinenkai.com . There are also stylistic websites. See, for instance, http://www.ihadojo.com (Shorin Ryu) and http://www.matsubayashi-ryu.com (Shorin Ryu).

Textually, Mark Bishop's first book is also pretty good.

Shikiyanaka
9th March 2004, 14:31
the way to learn is to train, reading articles and looking at pictures is for the historical perspective, not learning karate.

While this seems to be true, IMHO it is not true when "reading articles and looking at pictures" is substituted by personal research...

Many people write about, lets say, the Ôshima Hiki and in it the mentioning of Kusanku. Does anyone has the text? I guess not... I only know one... and he is the brother of the man in my ear.

So, what would make worth someone conducting an interview with a karate master of Okinawa...

No wonder they tell everybody to just train....

Shikiyanaka
10th March 2004, 08:13
Also, there are maybe things in the karate world which the one or the other famous karate man would not like to share with anybody, or to openly adress them out of certain reasons.
Must be hard to keep quit sometimes...

Anyway, Miyazato Eiichi has been interviewed.

http://gojuryu.net/miyazatointerview.htm

differenet intro:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~emarsi/karate/miyazato-interview.htm

Shikiyanaka
10th March 2004, 13:24
Black Belt 1983:

http://www.quastl.de/BlackBeltMag.htm

Old Dragon
13th March 2004, 01:17
Hey guys, dont forget that many of these magazines (BB is one) are geared towards a cultural cross profile of the basic 15year old. This really is their target age group.

So this being said,as others have said, they are not necessarily in the business of reporting or representing martial arts in the dry and boring context of reality,

And that is how we got saddled with all these Mixed martial arts practioners hahahhaha

nuff said.


Mike O'leary.