Dear Dojo Owners and fellow Martial Artists,
Have you ever considered, or are you currently, teaching your students true authentic Okinawan Karate? If so, we would like to invite you to learn more about the International Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito Karate Federation (ISMSKF), where our sole purpose is to preserve Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu, one of the earliest styles of karate, kobudo, and tuite techniques and kata, all from traditional Okinawan sources.
In the ISMSKF we practice and teach authentic Matsumura Seito karate with direct unbroken lineage from Bushi Matsumura, Master Hohan Soken, and ultimately to Master Fusei Kise, who was the first non-Matsumura relative to receive the Menkyo Kaiden (Certificate of Full Proficiency). Between them, our Executive Directors Shihan Greg Lazarus (9th Dan/Hanshi) and Shihan Jay Gravelle (8th Dan / Hanshi) have a full century of traditional Okinawan Karate training directly under Grandmaster Kise. Both spent decades learning from Hanshi Kise, and making yearly training trips to Okinawa, as well as bringing Hanshi Kise to the US to train their students. In addition, several of our senior Black Belts have 30-40 years or more training with us, and many have also travelled to Okinawa to receive training. There are ISMSKF dojos throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Argentina.
As a Federation, we are less interested in profit and control, preferring to truly focus on the growth and maintenance of true traditional Okinawan Karate and the benefit of our member dojos and students. The Federation has made a conscious effort to keep fees for testing and membership reasonable and are typically lower than most other groups. And 50% of all testing fees are kept in their Home Dojo to help offset operating costs, host seminars and tournaments, and pay for travel to our yearly Gasshuku (seminar), which rotates among our dojos, so everyone has a chance to host in their own dojo.
At our Gasshuku, we also hold our annual Board of Directors meeting to review the past year and help set goals and standards for our Federation. All practitioners holding rank of 6th Dan and above, with the authorization of their Sensei and the Executive Directors, are eligible to be voting members of the Board of Directors. This helps keep our guidelines and policies fair and equitable, instead of being the typical 100% top-down structure in traditional systems.
If any of this sounds like a path you feel would benefit you and your students, we would love to have you join us in preserving this very special art that we all enjoy. We invite you to reach out to us for further information, or to ask any questions you may have.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Email: [email protected]
In Karate Do,
Shihan Greg Lazarus, Kudan Shihan Jay Gravelle, Hachidan
ISMSKF Executive Director ISMSKF Executive Director
