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MERIT AWARDS
The Merit award for the diffusion of Traditional Okinawan Karate and Kobudo is a tribute to the efforts of masters who, collaborating with the Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai, contribute to the spread and preservation of traditional Okinawan martial arts in Italy. This award is issued only to masters who have distinguished themselves through commitment and dedication to the goal.
- #0001 issued to MAESHIRO MORINOBU SENSEI the 1st july 2019
- #0002 issued to AKAMINE HIROSHI SENSEI the 15th february 2020
28/05/2022 The 5th Okinawa Traditional Karate and Kobudo National Seminar
The 5th Okinawa Traditional Karate and Kobudo National Seminar was held on Sunday 28 May, organized by the Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai, in collaboration with the Karate Tradizionale di Okinawa CSEN, and with the patronage of the Municipality of Settimo Torinese. Also this year registrations were limited, to allow a quality experience for all participants, but compared to previous editions, given the growing interest and enthusiasm, it was decided to allow a greater number of people to participate. Sixty participants including karateka from all over Italy, and some Polish and German practitioners, were able to try the various styles, namely Shorin-ryu, Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu, Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu and Ryukyu Kobudo. The event took place in a spirit of sharing and friendship, and saw the alternation of the various teachers leading the group of participants. The OKK teachers present during this edition of the national seminar were Emanuel Giordano (Shorin-ryu), Santiago Sacaba (Shorin-ryu), Alberto Doni (Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu), Emanuele Mazzetti (Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu), Gaetano Palumbo (Uechi-ryu) and Stefano Sutti (Ryukyu Kobudo). To represent the Goju-ryu style, with a spirit of openness and collaboration, a master external to the organization was invited, Davide Incarbone, a student of Higaonna Morio sensei, who kindly accepted the invitation. The participants were all impressed by the friendly environment and the good organization, as well as by the support they received also in the various transfers (to hotels, stations, airport), by the quality of the event and by the availability of the various teachers. There was no shortage of moments dedicated to questions, and the family atmosphere allowed the various karatekas to make new friends, making the seminar even more enjoyable. The event then ended with the usual performance of the various teachers and with a little sadness for the end of such a beautiful day. Everyone went home tired but satisfied and smiling, and this is the most important thing of all! Working hard and in a transparent, without ulterior motives, and honest way always pays off in the long run, and this is the proof! Thanks to all the participants, to the teachers, to the students of the Italian Center for Traditional Shorin-ryu Karate (who lent a help in managing the event!), to the Municipality of Settimo Torinese, and to the CSEN.
What is the Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai?
Mensore! Welcome!
The Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai 沖 縄 空手 研究 会 is the Italian research, promotion and preservation group for Okinawan Karate and Kobudo.
The aims of the Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai (OKK) are the diffusion of martial arts of Okinawa in Italy, their preservation and the promotion of local and national events related to Okinawan culture, in particular the NATIONAL SEMINAR OF TRADITIONAL KARATE OF OKINAWA.
The OKK is independent from institutions, organizations and national / international associations.
The members of the OKK, and their schools / associations are independent from OKK, but must share the OKK's goals (diffusion
and preservation).
The OKK will promote these arts also through technical exchange and events also open to practitioners of other disciplines (example: Japanese Karate, martial arts in general, etc.).
History of the Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai:
Despite the OKK is "born" on Jan. 23, 2016, the idea of its creation was born early in March 2015, by Emanuel Giordano, who organized an exhibition of Okinawan Karate during the Festival of the East of Turin. The exhibition was attended by three Okinawan Karate schools located in Piedmont.
It was the first event of its kind, open to the public, made in Italy!
Afterwards Emanuel Giordano thought to expand the project, working with the staff of the Festival of the East, and making arrangements with the Okinawa Traditional Karate Liaison Bureau, creating an area dedicated to the island of Okinawa in the aforementioned event.
Within the area it would be a booth representative Okinawa, run by a small Okinawan delegation, including, among others, artists of the Ryu Kyu. All this would be "accompanied" by the performances of Okinawan Karate, by the Italian schools. The project, unfortunately, was canceled by Emanuel Giordano on July of the same year, because of the lack of promptness in responding, and in taking decisions (after 3 months of arrangements and planning), from the organizers of that festival.
It was thus coined the idea for a similar event (our annual seminar) with the help of a sports promotion institution.
Thanks to the agreements reached, the event is organized by the informal group "Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai", which has as its primary objective carrying out the event. But the annual national seminar is actually just one of the events organized by OKK ... In fact, since 2016, numerous events have been organized to promote and grow Okinawa Karate in Italy (for more info click here). The most important of these is certainly the annual seminar "THE SHURI-TE THE HAND OF SHURI", with Maeshiro Morinobu 9th dan hanshi, which is held annually in Turin.
In 2016 OKK received praise from Okinawan institutions, and in 2017 a collaboration was born between Okinawa Prefecture and OKK, a collaboration that continues today. This has made OKK the FIRST ITALIAN REALITY to collaborate officially with the Okinawa Prefecture!
Moreover, in June 2019, OKK inaugurates its European section, establishing strong and lasting relations with other teachers and schools present in Europe.
"Go ri go ho Kyo zon kyo ei "
Be reasonable and cohabit prospering together
Katsuya Miyahira sensei
Katsuya Miyahira sensei
Versione italiana del sito. Cliccate qui.
Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Handbook
What is the Uchinaaguchi? The Uchinaaguchi is the language of Okinawa, in use before it was replaced by the Japanese, and rarely used today, but closely related to martial arts of Okinawa.
Why write a manual for Uchinaaguchi terms? The answer can be found in this text taken from the introduction to the manual:
"By using the original language of Okinawa, karate and kobudo learners would likely gain some insight into the cultural context of Okinawan martial arts practices that would improve their understanding of Okinawan martial arts techniques."
Thanks to the efforts and work of Dr. Samantha Katherine May, and the Italian translation of Emanuel Giordano, we can provide free below the first draft of the manual. (click the link below)
English:
Italian: