Foreign direct students of Inoue Motokatsu

[thomas_james]

Dear all,

Does anyone know what direct foreign students Inoue Motokatsu (Ryukyu Kobujutsu) had and what they are doing today?

Thanks a lot,

Thomas James

[Sanseru]

Hello:

Inoue Motokatsu's books in English and Japanese give a list of his foreign students. For example, in Ancient Martial Arts of the Ryukyu Islands:

Tino Cebreano
Leif Hermansson
Ilpo Jalamo
Edward Jardine
Julian Mead
Paul Starling
John Sullivan
Rob Zwartjes


However these books are quite old now and these students may not be active anymore.

Regards,

[ScottUK]

http://www.rkagb.com/ - click on 'links'...

[thomas_james]

Inoue Motokatsu's books in English and Japanese give a list of his foreign students.

Thanks for the answer. Do you know where to get the books?

[Sanseru]

Hello:

I'm sure if you did a google search that the English language books would turn up. As for the Japanese language books, they may be still available through Shureido Japan.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Dear all,

Does anyone know what direct foreign students Inoue Motokatsu (Ryukyu Kobujutsu) had and what they are doing today?

Thanks a lot,

Thomas James

Dear Thomas,

I was a direct student of Inoue Motokatsu sensei.

How may I help?

[thomas_james]

Are the black Hakama just for blackbelts, or your all practicioners?

[thomas_james]

Does nobody know?

[ScottUK]

In the Birmingham group, only Snewin-sensei wore hakama.

Why'd you ask?

[thomas_james]

In the Birmingham group, only Snewin-sensei wore hakama.

Why'd you ask?

Because I saw only Kobujutsu-representatives with a Hakama so far and I just wanted to know.

[ScottUK]

I guess that was worth a thread...

[Patrick McCarthy]

Are the black Hakama just for blackbelts, or your all practicioners?

As a rule, the RKHSK [Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko kai] yudansha wear hakama for formal demonstrations. Motokatsu Sensei wore Hakama always, whether teaching or demonstrating.

While hakama are rarely worn in Okinawan kobudo, they are usually the domain of Japanese-based traditions; i.e. Aikido, Iai, and Koryu-groups, etc.

[thomas_james]

Tino Cebreano
Leif Hermansson
Ilpo Jalamo
Edward Jardine
Julian Mead
Paul Starling
John Sullivan
Rob Zwartjes


I could find Mr. Mead, Jardine, Jalamo and Hermansson through Google. Does anyone know if and where Mr. Starling, Sullivan, Zwartjes and Cebreano are teaching?

[thomas_james]

As a rule, the RKHSK [Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko kai] yudansha wear hakama for formal demonstrations. Motokatsu Sensei wore Hakama always, whether teaching or demonstrating.

While hakama are rarely worn in Okinawan kobudo, they are usually the domain of Japanese-based traditions; i.e. Aikido, Iai, and Koryu-groups, etc.

Thanks for your response. How was training with OSensei Inoue? Like things he put a lot of emphasis on or special training methods? Why didn't he become the 2. president of the RKHSK, as he was Taira Shinken's best student?

[Patrick McCarthy]

Thanks for your response. How was training with OSensei Inoue? Like things he put a lot of emphasis on or special training methods? Why didn't he become the 2. president of the RKHSK, as he was Taira Shinken's best student?

I enjoyed my studies with the master and, in particular, I liked the way he re-systematized his Taira-based learning. It made much more sense to me than what I experienced elsewhere from other students of Taira's.

TTBOMK, Inoue Motokatsu did become the 2nd president, following the passing of Mr. Taira. As I understand it there were political issues over the position [between he and Mr. Akamine Eisuke] which resulted in him changing the name to Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai.

FYI, Ilpo Jalamo is a colleague and friend of mine and represents the Inoue group in Finland. Mr. Hermansson is also a colleague and friend of mine and was close to the late Inoue Motokatsu but no longer has anything to do with the RKHSK under the direction of the later master's son, Kisho. Tino Ceberano is also a colleague and friend of mine and I know for certain that he has absolutely nothing to do with the RKHSK and does not practice or teach Inoue-based kobujutsu.

I don't actually know Mr. Sullivan but understand that he no longer has anything to do with the RKHSK. I do know Paul Starling, but don't believe that he is active in kobujutsu. Actually, having watched him practice in Japan I don't believe that he was ever was very committed to developing his kobujutsu skills anyway and would hardly think he was ever "qualified" to be in charge teaching the art of anything unless it was a political position.

I have met Eddie Jardine in Japan [and Sweden] and know that he is actively involved with the RKHSK and represents it in the RSA. I don't know Julian Mead --- only of him --- but do know that he is actively involved with the RKHSK and one of its representatives.

[thomas_james]

Dear Mr. McCarthy,

many thanks for your interesting answer.


TTBOMK, Inoue Motokatsu did become the 2nd president, following the passing of Mr. Taira. As I understand it there were political issues over the position [between he and Mr. Akamine Eisuke] which resulted in him changing the name to Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai.


Everybody says something different. I just knew that Akamine became second president after Taira's death and Inoue left the organisation later to build his own. I saw on the internet that you trained with Akamine Sensei as well. Was his Kobudo different?

[Patrick McCarthy]

Dear Mr. McCarthy,

many thanks for your interesting answer.

Everybody says something different. I just knew that Akamine became second president after Taira's death and Inoue left the organisation later to build his own. I saw on the internet that you trained with Akamine Sensei as well. Was his Kobudo different?


Hi James,

For the record, I was not a lineage-based student of Eisuke sensei [I am a Yamane Ryu stylist], but did enjoy training at the old dojo with him on many occasions.

I thought he was a competent master, who produced many fine instructors and always had an open door policy. He was also a wonderful host everytime I visited and had a very friendly disposition.

[Shikiyanaka]

Hi everybody,

Mr. Rob Zwartjes lives in Holland and as far as I know he is still teaching.

[Shikiyanaka]

BTW, I think Taira was clever: He gave out a Hanshi certificate to Inoue Motokatsu; this is necessary within the Japanese tradition as everybody knows. This meant freedom for Inoue and it was the foundation of starting his own thing under his direction in 1982. As if Taira had known it...

Earlier, in 1976, BRD says "2. president of the organisation is Akamine Eisuke". It is said that it was Taira's wish that Akamine Eisuke became the 2. president of the organisation.

So everybody got their fair share, isn't it?

I think Taira was clever and fair. As there is no ONE way of Karate but many A way, there is no ONE person, but many A person who are right in their special way. Hard if there are two alphas... :)

[Shikiyanaka]

Although I do not know personally and never met any of these people, the answer to who was 2nd president of the RKHSK at the time after Taira Shinken's passing is given in the (wonderful) original Japanese "Ryûkyû Kobudô" 3 volume series published by Inoue Motokatsu in the 1970s.

In Ryûkyû Kobudô Chûkan*, published 1974, page 640 (and at different other places in the series), Inoue Motokatsu is given as

琉球古武道保存振興会 • 内地総本部長
Ryûkyû Kobudô Hozon Shinkôkai Naichi Sô-honbu-chô
Naichi denotes "within the borders of mainland Japan"
Sô-honbu-chô means "general manager; director-general"

He was the director of the Head-dôjô for Japanese mainland.

On page 644, is written a "congratulatory address" by Akamine Eisuke. The description says:
"琉球古武道保存振興会会長"
This means:
Ryûkyû Kobudô Hozon Shinkôkai Kaichô

Kaichô means:
"president (of a society); chairman"




*井上元勝: 琉球古武道中巻。東京、績文堂出版株式会社、昭和49年。Inoue Motokatsu: Ryūkyū Kobudô Chûkan. Tôkyô, Sekibundô Shuppan Kabushiki-gaisha, 1974.

[Blagmeister]

Are the black Hakama just for blackbelts, or your all practicioners?

It is usually the case that in RKHSK [Japanese stream as opposed to the Okinawan] that a dojo teacher will wear hakama if he chooses to do so.

On occasions when you get a gathering of teachers together, normally the hakama is the reserve of the most senior teacher although he may invite other to wear theirs too.

At least that is my understanding of matters

[Blagmeister]

I could find Mr. Mead, Jardine, Jalamo and Hermansson through Google. Does anyone know if and where Mr. Starling, Sullivan, Zwartjes and Cebreano are teaching?


Leif Hermansson is I believe no longer officially connected with RKHSK and his role of branch chief for Sweden was taken over by Matts Andersson a few years ago.
Eddie Jardine is still branch chief of RKHSK South Africa
Paul Starling and John Sullivan are no longer involved.
Tino Ceberano is still going in Australia and is still branch chief and his son is also a very capable martial artist.
And just for the record Shane Higashi is still branch chief for Canada.

HTH

P.S.

[Patrick McCarthy]

Leif Hermansson is I believe no longer officially connected with RKHSK and his role of branch chief for Sweden was taken over by Matts Andersson a few years ago.
Eddie Jardine is still branch chief of RKHSK South Africa
Paul Starling and John Sullivan are no longer involved.
Tino Ceberano is still going in Australia and is still branch chief and his son is also a very capable martial artist.
And just for the record Shane Higashi is still branch chief for Canada.

HTH

P.S.

FYI, Tino Cebrano is here in Oz but has nothing to do with the Inoue-based group...hasn't for years [nor is he connected with the Yamaguchi-family, either].

[Blagmeister]

FYI, Tino Cebrano is here in Oz but has nothing to do with the Inoue-based group...hasn't for years [nor is he connected with the Yamaguchi-family, either].

Dear Mr McCarthy

Thanks for updating me as to the current situation. I was merely going by the fact that Mr Ceberano had invited an old friend over to teach in Oz last year, who is still connected to the group concerned. I stand corrected.

Kind regards

PS

[Patrick McCarthy]

No worries mate

Happy to help.

[Maarten]

Last year, 2008, I met shihan Rob Zwartjes at the Inoue-seminar in The Netherlands and watched him practice the bo-kata Shirotaru no Kon (sho of dai, I don't remember). He said he wanted to have this kata checked by hanshi Inoue. At least he is still active, although he must be about seventy years, or older. I can't tell you if he is still teaching.

Maarten van Bloois