History
Foundation of Shorinjiryu Karate-do Renshinkan
The late Soke Isamu Tamotsu founded the Shorinjiryu Karate-do Renshinkan.
In his childhood, he was introduced to coaching Karate by fisherman who lived near his house in Okinawa.
He visited to Taiwan when he was seventeen years old. He learned Kodokan-jujutsu from the late master Tadao Nakahara, and southern Chinese martial arts from the late master Chin who is expert of Chinese martial arts.
After the World War II, he decided to form human-beings through Bu-do because he grieve desolation of people’s mind. Therefore, he came back to Okinawa, and learned Okinawa-Karate from Zenryo Shimabkuro who was the disciple of the late Chutoku Kyan. Chutoku was famous master of Okinawa Karate.
Isamu mastered not only Karate-do but also Kodokan-jujutsu, Hoen-ryu Taijutsu, Kenso-ryu-jujutsu, Hakko-ryu-jujutsum, bo-jutsu (martial arts of using stick), Jo-jutsu (martial arts of using short staff), Sai-jutsu (martial arts of using a dagger-shaped truncheon), and so on. It took half of his life. He coordinated these martial arts and produce new techniques with quite strict practice. In 1955, he founded Shorinjiryu Karate-do Renshinkan at Kagoshima.
The history of Renshinkan was started from small Do-jo.
Founder Isamu Tamotsu 保 勇
Founder of Shorinjiryu Karate-do Federation Renshinkan
10th Dan Master
Shorinjiryu Morikado
Order of the Sacred Treasure, 4th Class (Gold Rays with Rosette)
The late Soke Isamu Tamotsu, founder of Renshinkan, was born at Amami in Kagoshima prefecture in 1919.
He conquered feudal Karate-do that clinging to supreme formism after the war and laid the foundation of undeveloped sparring.
Because of a code of respecting human life, he pursued safe and rationality of sparring consistently, established rule of using protective gear, and found the federation as genuine public Budo combined sport and Budo. It brought new concept to Karate world.
Furthermore, because he believed Karate-do is the most contractive Budo to cultivate the Gotoku (Integrity, Justice, Propriety, Knowledge, and Humanness), he devoted himself to formation of human-beings through Karate-do.
Around he found Renshinkan, he already had high hope of spread Karate-do throughout Japan for creation of genuine Karate-do and sound society. Although it was not easy, he developed Renshinkan to one of preeminent big fist organization in Karate world with what Wordsworth had said: plain living and high thinking. He is called great treasure in Karate world because of his preeminent skill and personality.
He founded All Japan Shorinjiryu Karate-do Federation, Kagoshima Karate-do Federation and West Japan Karate-do Federation and assumed chairperson of the federations.
In 1964, at Hioki in Kagoshima, he opened Kenshi-ga-oka (headquarter of Renshinkan) and built a monument called Kenshi-no-to.
In 1965, he was invited by China. It was first as martial artist after the war. Since that time, he attempted to strengthen interactions between Chinese and Japanese.
The history movie of Renshinkan. (only in Japanese)
二代目 保 巌 Iwao Tamotsu
十段範士 称号 少林寺 守正
故第二代目宗家保巌十段範士は開祖保勇十段範士の長男として昭和23年鹿児島県名瀬市にて誕生。平成12年5月少林寺流空手道錬心舘宗家を襲名。
師であり、父である開祖の薫陶の下、厳しい修行を重ね、型・組手の技術を極めます。
全国大会における特別演武少林寺流正流七法の最高峰「公相君（クーシャンクー）」の型は、壮絶豪快の中に華麗さを備えた完成された型と評され、また、組手技術は防ぐことのできない空手道の最終技術として空手界の畏怖の的となった「後ろ回し蹴り」「連続回し蹴り」「二段廻転蹴り」「足刀くの字飛び」「螺旋手刀打ち」「逆風足刀蹴り」等あらゆる技術に精通して、昭和42年、第一回全国選手権大会において圧倒的な強さで優勝を飾り、以来指導者として普及活動を開始。
昭和44年若干19歳でフィリピンに渡り、バギオ商工科大学で指導。昭和46年には台湾派遣団の団長として台北市に於いて指導、昭和56年にはドミニカ共和国を拠点に中米各国で指導、現在活動する米国、台湾、ドミニカ共和国、プエルトリコ、パナマなど海外支部の基礎を創りました。近年は欧州、インド、イラン、北米など各地で指導にあたり、深い精神性を有する代表的な日本武道として、年々、愛好者の数を増やし空手道の国際化に貢献され、また、国際交流や福祉活動も積極的に展開された。
「空手道の神髄は型にあり。」合理性に立脚した華麗でスピード感溢れる型の指導普及を通じて心技体に充実した健全な青少年の育成に大きく貢献しました。とりわけ、少年拳士達の可能性を引き出し、少年空手道を全国的に広めたことは顕著な功績でした。
平成28年11月29日享年69歳、惜しまれつつ逝去されました。挙聖と謳われた開祖保勇師の後継者として、少林寺流空手道の国際化と正流七法の型の正確な伝承に貢献された尊い生涯でありました。
宗家 保 巌 訓 三月の汗しか流さないものに 三年の汗の量は分からない 三年の汗は、三十年に遠く及ばない