NetNinja

Thank you for catching the typo. It should have read Nakazato. I have been training with sensei Yamashita privately a couple of times a month for the past several years. Although I don't know everything about him, he is a good friend and we regularly have many discussions about culture, martial arts and other personal interests. I just asked him about this very topic last Friday after training and he stated that sensei Nakazato and he "have the same heart" and he considers him a father figure. They have separate organizations for reasons I don't care to get into here and quite frankly, it's not my place to do so in the first place. Human nature dictates that there will always be rumors I suppose, but like everything else, it's always best to get it from the source whenever possible, before coming to any definitive conclusions. Peace

Sensei Yamashita refers to Shorin Ryu Karate as Yamashita-Koboyashi Shorin Ryu Karate. He does the same thing with Matayoshi Kobudo referring to it as Yamashita-Matayoshi Kobudo. However, the certificates he issues officially state "Shorin Ryu Karate" and "Matayoshi Kobudo". Therefore, he leaves his name out of it. According to him, he mainly views kata as a tool for strengthening the body and spirit. Some of the lower stances he utilizes are for emphasizing "KI" development and developing a strong "core". The actual application of technique is done through Suikendo training, which has more natural stances and promotes whole body movement. It is very combat oriented and relies on a strong Karate foundations as a pre-requisite. What I can definitively tell you is the Sensei Yamashita moves at light speed and hits like a ton of bricks. His Suikendo approach to engagement also allows him to always be in an advantageous position to his opponent. BTY.....Sensei Yamashita is still friends with Sensei Nagazato regardless of whatever rumors that may be circulating.