This Might Be The Beginning Of The End!!

I've just finished talking with Kaicho Forsythe, and what he informed me of this morning is, to me, both shocking and very upsetting.

The Shindokan Hombu is relocating to, of all places, Nanjo Okinawa. As of January 3, 2011, the only home that the Hombu has ever known is CLOSING!! Yes, closing; it's not even going to remain as a USA Branch of the Shindokan Hombu of Nanjo, Okinawa.

What in the world is going on?

November 17, 2010, the Shindokan Hombu was in session at the request of our new San Dai-Soke, Iwao Takahashi, the eldest son of our late Dai-Soke, Yoshinobu Takahashi, brought a petition [to move the Shindokan Hombu from it's current USA location to Okinawa] for a vote to the following Teams and their departments:

1) Executive Team, [Kaicho, Kancho, and the Board of Regents], and it's three departments--->

A) General Affairs Department

B) Instructors Department

C) Administration Department

2) Legal Team

After several closed, as well as open door meetings, and on December 7, 2010, the vote was unanimous in the favor of our new San Dai-Soke. I was not part of the vote, as I'm now only the Kaiso (Senior Advisor), and the Kaiso has no voting options, just an advisory role. My advise wasn't counseled until the after vote was passed. That's fine, as that is their right because our By-Laws are structured concerning the Kaiso in such a way that my advise is at the discretion of the San Dai-Soke, as well as the Executive Team. However, I've always been very outspoken, and possibly because of this, only now, they're seeking my advise.

I've given my advise, however, the move out of the USA is a go!

Reason(s) as to why our San Dai-Soke has decided this is quite understandable to some degree. Seeing that our San Dai-Soke is the eldest son of our late Dai-Soke, after all, he's now our leader, so, he felt that the Shindokan Hombu, and more importantly, Shindokan itself must return to where it was founded by our Soke, Fuyuhiko Saitou; Okinawa. But why Nanjo?

Our late Dai-Soke was born in the tiny village of Tamagusuku of the Shimajiri District. In the neighboring village of Ozato is also where our Dai-Soke first meet our Soke when he was about 8 years old, and thereafter, started a life-long relationship between these two that well surpassed teacher and student. Okinawa is the birthplace of Shindokan Karate-do Saitou-ryu. Therefore, "Shindokan is going home" per our San Dai-Soke.

Moving the Hombu so drastically across the world is going to be quite an insurmountable task across the board. Not only are they literally ripping the Hombu away from the USA to Okinawa, but they're going to be ripping away from the students that daily attend the Hombu for classes. This isn't to mention the fact that our annual testing cycles at the Hombu will be in Okinawa. Well, who can afford to travel to Okinawa? Not many!

The Hombu isn't just a dojo, but its an entity, to say the least. How big is the obscure Shindokan Hombu? Here's a KF post I wrote, entitled "A Glimpse Into A Hombu"...

http://www.karateforums.com/a-glimpse-into-a-hombu-vt36501.html?highlight=

By this, you can possibly see what's involved in moving across the ocean. Not only are Shindokan students going to be greatly affected by this decision, but also are those who've depended on the Hombu for employment. Their decision, imho, also concerns more than what's on the surface. Yes, employment has been offered to everyone who wants to move to Okinawa, and the Hombu has agreed to pay for all that's required to relocate those employees. For those who choose to not relocate to Okinawa, well, a handsome severance package is being offered, however, that severance package depends on how many years one has been employed with the Hombu. I've no desire to live and work abroad. Study abroad, yes, but that was then, and this is now.

My path is clear, even more clearer than it's ever been before, as to what I must do as Kaiso...and that is this. Convince the Hombu to establish a USA Branch Office!!

If I fail at convincing the Hombu about a USA Branch Office, then I would've failed the entire Shindokan student body, and in that, I feel that I've already failed every student by my retiring. Because if I was still there, I'm pretty sure that I would've been able to squash this petition during the voting procedures.

If I fail, then this will be, imho, the beginning of the end of Shindokan. It seems that way, it feels that way, and it tastes that way. Did the passing of our Soke and our Dai-Soke already doom Shindokan, as well as its Hombu? I'm trying to make sense of this, but I can't become a proponent of what the Hombu and it's hierarchy is...no...HAS done!!

Your thoughts/advise...etc will be greatly appreciated and respected!!

I don't think it is doomed. Maybe the US presence would be, but the style might live on. They would definitely have quite a lot of competition in Okinawa. Tsuyoshi Uechi has been petitioning to have Isshinryu Karate included in Okinawa's traditional styles. Goju-ryu still has Morio Higaonna as their leader. Still, I don't see why they wouldn't include a US branch in their plans. Are there any other schools in the US? Or was the Hombu the only one? What are they going to do about their already existing student base?

The issue I see here, with a US branch, is they may ask you to head it. It might be easier for them to stomach if you offered. I don't know, from previous threads, if this is something you would be willing to do. There are a lot of issues with becoming a branch. Who makes the decisions, how do you run the business model, etc. That can all be worked out. All of the Kyokushin organizations have branches in other countries, Shotokan has successfully done it. There are examples around.

I'm trying to follow this with past posts included. Did you not refuse a position that would have given you a say so or more about things like this?

I truly hope things work out for you. Lending guidance will help those left behind and perhaps maybe begin a new school to honor the legacy that was once started.

I'm trying to follow this with past posts included. Did you not refuse a position that would have given you a say so or more about things like this?

Hind sight and all that! Yes...I retired from the Hombu this year. I was the Kaicho (President) and Chief Instructor of the Hombu. Before that, I was a member of the Board of Regents for over 21 years. Now, I'm Kaiso, and in this role, I've no voting obligations and/or power.

I had refused, just very recently, an offer to resume my prior responsibilities as the Chief Instructor of the Hombu.

I don't think it is doomed. Maybe the US presence would be, but the style might live on. They would definitely have quite a lot of competition in Okinawa. Tsuyoshi Uechi has been petitioning to have Isshinryu Karate included in Okinawa's traditional styles. Goju-ryu still has Morio Higaonna as their leader. Still, I don't see why they wouldn't include a US branch in their plans. Are there any other schools in the US? Or was the Hombu the only one? What are they going to do about their already existing student base?

The issue I see here, with a US branch, is they may ask you to head it. It might be easier for them to stomach if you offered. I don't know, from previous threads, if this is something you would be willing to do. There are a lot of issues with becoming a branch. Who makes the decisions, how do you run the business model, etc. That can all be worked out. All of the Kyokushin organizations have branches in other countries, Shotokan has successfully done it. There are examples around.

Yes, there are other Shindokan dojo's in the US. Although, the Hombu, for a very long time, was the only Shindokan dojo.

I can only assume that the current student body of the Hombu will be referred to neighboring Shindokan dojo's. I'm not for sure what's going to be done in that regard. I'm not in the room!

You bring up some valid points in your first paragraph. Here's the thing. I, nor anybody else for that matter, that I'm aware of, knows what our Dai-Soke said, if anything concerning the future of the Hombu, to his eldest son, now our San Dai-Soke, in private before he passed away.

If need be, then my retirement was short lived. I've already offered my services to them in any capacity that they feel might be necessary for the betterment of the Hombu, and its students.

Time is running out fast!

An update!

I don't know if this is of no surprise or not, but NOT one employee of the Shindokan Hombu will be relocating to Okinawa, no matter how generous their package was.

You can take the Hombu out of the USA, but it appears that you can't take the employees to Okinawa. The Hombu will have to restructure it's rank and file as well as it's hierarchy from those available in Okinawa.

Now! Those of the hierarchy that are going is few, at best. Here's the list of those positions that ARE going to relocate to Okinawa:

San Dai-Soke

Board Of Regents ~ Secretary

Board Of Regents ~ Director PR Department

Board Of Regents ~ Qualifications Department

Board Of Regents ~ Assistant Director Human Resources Department

Board Of Regents ~ Assistant Director Planning Department

That's 6 out of 15 important positions to refill. These individuals have spoken out about their excitement to the new opportunities that await them in Okinawa, and their equally excited about the challenges that will occur for them while establishing the Hombu in Okinawa.

Key positions not relocating:

Kaicho

Kancho

Kaiso

Board Of Regents ~ Assistant Directing Manager of Technical Departments & Qualifications Department

Board Of Regents ~ Qualifications Department

Board Of Regents ~ Director Accounting Department

Board Of Regents ~ Director Human Resources Department

Board Of Regents ~ Director General Planning Department

Legal Team

Sure, vacant positions can be fulfilled, but if the By-Laws are to mean anything and if the By-Laws are to be upheld, then this would take a unanimous votes for each vacant position and the like. Not that simple per our By-Laws!

What confuses me is that I was told that the vote to relocate the Hombu to Okinawa was unanimous, which meant to me that all of the Hombu hierarchy were relocating to Okinawa. But, to my amazement, that's not the case.

Reaction to this news by our San Dai-Soke wasn't all mute! The Hombu, per San Dai-Soke is still relocating to Okinawa. How? Should the By-Laws be thrown into the trash?

An excerpt of a letter to the Executive Team from our San Dai-Soke states the following...."These are the wishes of my father, your Dai-Soke, and if I'm the only one that relocates to Okinawa, than let it be so. I will fulfill my fathers wishes to the best of my abilities. I was hoping for everyone's support in this matter. However, it is not to be so."~San Dai-Soke

I know this might not mean anything, but, our San Dai-Soke was born in the USA, therefore, he's not Okinawa by birth. Yes, our Soke and Dai-Soke were Okinawans by birth, but that's where it ends. Many of us high ranks have trained in Okinawa at the Okinawan home of our Soke, but that doesn't mean we have a right to relocate ourselves to Okinawa.

If a USA Branch Office is ever needed, than, well, it's needed now!

This is definitely an interesting set of circumstances. I would have guessed that not all of the major players would have been able to move to Okinawa.

If part of it does go, that shouldn't make to big of a difference to the schools that remain. They should hopefully be allowed to carry on, and still continue. If the Hombu moves, it shouldn't make things to much different, should it?

They need someone to represent their interests though. They also need someone that is tied to the hombu. They have to make sure that the hombu rules aren't too ridiculous. If every single person testing for shodan and up needs to go to the hombu, not many students are going to test for shodan. The hombu will have to create rules governing the way grading is carried out in the US. The situation can get difficult if you don't have enough high ranking people.

Let's say you're testing for 2nd dan. They can put it in the bylaws that you must test at the hombu, OR if you can't you must receive permission to test with the US branch chief. You must have a panel of 5 people, the head has to be 5th dan or above. The remaining 4 judges must be 4th dan or above. That's a pretty normal setup.

If a good number of the highest ranking people are either moving, or aging, or both, you are going to have trouble carrying out gradings. If they can't work all of it out, they may end up with two Shindokan organizations.

Good points!

Only testing candidates for Godan and above are required to test at the Hombu. All other testing candidates aren't required to test at the Hombu.

However, if those candidates from Yondan to Jukyu want to test at the Hombu, then that's allowed with prior Hombu approval. Most, if not all candidates who want to test at the Hombu and not their dojo are always welcomed...and by that, I've never known the Hombu to refuse such requests.

I can tell you that there are the following petitions for Hombu testing in June/July 2011, and those ranks are:

2 Yondan's testing for Godan

1 Godan testing for Rokudan

1 Nanadan testing for Hachidan

That's 4 that will need to go to the Hombu!! Now there is a sub-article within Article #1 that states that the Hombu can send representatives to a hosting dojo and conduct Regional Testing Cycles, however, the following Ranks from the Hombu must be available:

A) Minimum rank for the Center Seat: 1 Hachidan with a Hanshi title.

B) Minimum rank for the Co-Center Seat: 1 Nanadan with a Kyoshi title OR 1 Hachidan with a Kyoshi title.

The Sensei of the Hosting Dojo will sit to the very first chair to the immediate left of the Center Seat. Remaining seats (4) are filled in at the discretion of the Hombu, and they must be active Godans.

Total Hombu presence: 6 plus the Sensei of the Hosting Dojo.

Either way, it was very doable when the Hombu was in the USA already. Now, well, without a USA Brance Office, that will not be as easily doable as before.