世 界 剛 柔 流 琉 翔 会

A Letter from Senaha Shigetoshi Sensei

11 March 1999

Message to all members of the Ryushoukai

I hope you are all well.  I hope that all North American members of the Ryushoukai will read this letter and consider the contents.  The other day, when I spoke to Meitoku Yagi-Sensei, I was able to clarify my feelings, and today, the Ryushoukai is initiated.  It is time that the spirit and technique of Okinawan karate would be propagated.  Also, it is time the younger generation should inherit this spirit and technique.  The present state of karate is that kata are carried out step by step, and the techniques hidden within are not known.  Instead, all that is cared about is a "pretty" kata, speed, and competitive vigour.  I hope that all North American members of the Ryushoukai will study karate further, will work hard, and will devote themselves. 

No matter what the organization, it begins to drift away from its original spirit with the passage of time. When this original spirit is forgotten, then the founder is deified and granted authority, and through this the organization is maintained.  To escape such a situation is not pride, but rather a means to educate those students who are pursuing knowledge.  I will not forget our original spirit, and I hope that, from now on, together we will be unified in striving as a group.

Whatever difficult hardships we may face, we will overcome them with our unity, and I believe we are looking forward to a shining future.

p.s. a place to stay for Ryushoukai students has been set up.

Senaha Shigetoshi

Translation by Neil Cruikshank