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Shito-Ryu is one of the largest styles of Japanese karate today and is represented by many schools worldwide. The history of Shito-ryu starts with Kenwa Mabuni, an Okinawan master in martial arts who moved from the island of Okinawa to the mainland Japan in the 1920s. Mabuni is renowned as a karate genius who knew more kata (forms) than any person in his time. He studied under the leading karate masters in Okinawa, including Yasutsune Itosu ( a leader of the Shurite system of karate from the city of Shuri), Kanryo Higashionna (a leader of the Nahate system from Naha), Seisho Arakai (another renowned Nahate practitioner), a Chinese White Crane master known as Gokenki, and several others. Mabuni was a close associate of his contemporaries Chojun Miyagi (founder of the Goju-ryu style) and Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan), among other individuals well known for founding popular styles of karate. Owing to its founder, Shito-ryu is the most diverse and complete of the major karate styles today, with over 60 kata originating from Shurite, Nahate, Tomarite, and Shaolin White Crane systems. Our particular branch of Shito-ryu karate, Hayashi-ha was established by Teruo Hayashi of Osaka, Japan. Hayashi, born in 1924, throughout his adult life, displayed a fervor for learning karate perhaps matched only by one of his teachers, Kenwa Mabuni.
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Karate-Do translates as “the way of the empty hand,” an unarmed, defensive art with a history that spans many centuries, originating in the Shaolin fighting arts of China and later developing in the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa). The Karate we teach at Sanchin Karate Dojo is a traditional Japanese/Okinawan style called Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu.
–Teruo Hayashi
Japanese karate master |
 SHIHAN (MASTER INSTRUCTOR )
Luis Gonzalez was born in October 1949 and began his martial arts at the age of 17 in San Antonio, Texas in 1967. He studied Korean Tae Kwon Do for two years before getting drafted by the U.S. Army during the Viet Nam war era. After basic training, he was assigned to Ft. Belvoir, Virginia where he was a dental specialist. While there he continued with his martial arts training in another Korean style- Tang Soo Do Mu Duk Kwan.
While at Ft. Belvoir an opportunity arose for him to meet Bruce Lee in person. Jhoon Rhee, the father of American Tae Kwon Do, opened a new school in nearby Maryland and had Bruce Lee as a special guest for the grand opening. Luis Gonzalez met, shook hands, and chatted with Bruce Lee at this function in April 1970.
Six weeks later a military mandate came down sending 500 troops from Ft. Belvoir to the far east. All but two went to Viet Nam: one went to South Korea and one to Japan- that was Luis Gonzalez going to Japan. As soon as he got to Camp Zama, Japan in the Summer of 1970, he resumed his martial arts training again only this time in a Japanese Style, Hayashi-ha Shito-Ryu Karatedo, headed by Grandmaster Teruo Hayashi, 9th Degree in karate, 10th degree in Okinawan weaponry, of Osaka, Japan. In 1986, Grandmaster Hayashi bestowed the special Japanese martial arts title of “Shihan” to Mr. Gonzalez. A shihan is a “master instructor” at the senior master level.
Luis Gonzalez: Shihan (Master Instructor), Trained in Japan
Seventh Degree Black Belt, Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Japanese Karate
Third Degree Black Belt, Hayashi-Ha Kenshin-Ryu Okinawan Kobudo (Weapons)
Former UTSA Adjunct Professor, Kinesiology & Health (Karate, Kobudo, & Kinesiology Lecture Courses)
Master of Arts in Education (Kinesiology & Health) UTSA
Former Northwest Vista College Adjunct Professor, Kinesiology & Health (Karate & Kobudo Courses)
Bachelor of Arts (Physical Education) UT Austin
Currently Sanchin Karate Schools Owner & Head Instructor
Current contact info:
Luis Gonzalez
Sanchin Karate School
12355 Potranco Rd., #104
San Antonio, Texas 78253
Ph: 210-679-5301
Email: budohealth@sbcglobal.net
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