Shugoro Nakazato

Described as a "one punch artist" by some of his American students, Nakazato has developed his karate sparring into a fine fighting art. He has several large photographs of himself on his dojo wall, and has given many demonstrations on the Japanese mainland, as well as abroad. He has "many well-known students in the USA" including Tadashi Yamashita, "who taught nunchaku techniques to the late Bruce Lee".

He first started karate training in 1935 under Seiichi Iju (a former student of Shinpan Shiroma) at Minato ward, Sakai City, Osaka, staying with him until 1940. At the same time (i.e. 1936-1940), Nakazato trained in the kobudo weapons bo, sai, nunchaku, tonfa and nichokama, under Seiro Tonaki who was only a little older than himself and had at one time been a student of Sanda Chinen.

Next, Nakazato entered the Japanese army, where he taught bayonet and military discipline to new recruits on the mainland. At the war's end, he returned to Okinawa to become a student of Chosin Chibana, whom he considered to be the "most eminent karate master of that time".

In 1951 Nakazato opened a dojo in conjunction with Chibana which he called, fittingly enough, The Chibana Dai Ichi Dojo. Then in 1955, after receiving his shihan license from Chibana, Nakazato opened his present dojo at Aja, near Naha, calling it The Shorin-ryu Shorinkan, Nakazato Dojo. In the same year, Nakazato resumes bojutsu training, this time under Seiro Tonaki's teacher's son, Masami Chinen, with whom he stayed until 1958.

The government of Japan via the Prime Minister under the hand of the Emperor of Japan on November 4, 2007 awarded to Nakazato Sensei the "Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Rays" - Asahi Soukou sho.

From all the prefectures in Japan a total of 960 Asahi medals were awarded in various fields with Shugoro Nakazato Sensei being the ONLY martial artist to be presented with this prestigious award.