Takayoshi Nagamine

Takayoshi Nagamine (長嶺 高兆, Nagamine Takayoshi, August 12, 1945 – April 25, 2012) was a prominent Okinawan karate master and also at times a Naha City Councilman and a Criminal Investigator for the United States Marine Corps.^[2]

Takayoshi was born in Naha, Okinawa as the son of Shoshin Nagamine, the founder of Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do. He commenced training in Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do under his father's tutelage at the age of seven years.^[3]

Takayoshi was the second generation headmaster and successor (Sōke) to the World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-do Association (WMKA) and the Matsubayashi-ryu system as founded by his father, Shoshin Nagamine.^[4] He was also the Chief Instructor of the Kodokan Nagamine Karate Dojo located in Kumoji, Naha, Okinawa, Japan from 1997 to 2012.

At the direction of his father, and in order to help the development of Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do world-wide, Takayoshi went to the United States at the age of 20, in the late 1960s, and opened a dojo in Cincinnati, Ohio. Some of Takayoshi Nagamine's original students to achieve black belt in the United States included Jim Driggs, Rick Kemper, Al Rozier, Bill George, Dave Williams and Steve Rafferty. Takayoshi also taught clinics and seminars in the Ohio region and around the United States until he returned to Okinawa in 1979.^[2]

Takayoshi returned to Okinawa in order to assist his father, Shoshin Nagamine with the running of the World Honbu Dojo and the World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-do Association (WMKA).^[2] In 1991, Shoshin Nagamine retired from running the Matsubayashi-ryu organisation and in a speech passed the leadership on to his son, Takayoshi.

In 1992 Takayoshi called together senior instructors in Okinawa and the United States and formed what is now known as the World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-do Association (WMKA). In 1997 after his father's death, Takayoshi took the position as the second Sōke (head) of the Matsubayashi-ryu Karate-do system. Soke Nagamine moved from Long Island, NY in 2004 leaving Sensei Racanelli to handel the WMKA Administration. In October 2008, Takayoshi was promoted to the rank of Hanshisei 10th Dan in Matsubayashi-ryu. Takayoshi has helped with the development, establishment and teaching at dojos throughout the world including, but not limited to Australia, United States, Germany, Norway, Ireland and Canada.

Students from around the world have attended seminars with Takayoshi Nagamine. Affiliates have attended clinics in Australia, Canada, United States, and Europe.

At the time of Takayoshi Nagamine's death, there are still people who honor and continue to train and follow the ideals of Matsubayashi Ryu, who are not members of the WMKA. Soke Nagamine accepts all who follow in the TRUE traditional training of his father Nagamine Shoshin OSensei as part of the Matsubayashi Ryu Karatedo Family.

Okinawa and Japan

• Yoshitaka Taira Hanshi (President WMKA - WMKA)
• Toshimitsu Arakaki Hanshi (Vice President - WMKA)
• Kiyoshi Shinjo, Hanshi (Director - WMKA)
• Hirosi Yamazato, Kyoshi
• Masato Nagamine, Godan (no family relation)

United States

• WMKA USA Yudansha (see WMKA website World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-do Association (WMKA))
• Walter Rowden Kyoshi (Deceased - WMKA)
• Dave Williams, Kyoshi (Deceased - WMKA)
• Nick Racanelli, Hanshi (Deceased - WMKA)
• James Hobbs II, Renshi (Deceased - WMKA)

Australia

• John Carlyle, Renshi (WMKA)
• Reece Cummings,(WMKA)

Norway

• Ole-Bjørn Tuftedal, Renshi (WMKA/EMKA)

Spain

• Ricardo Camani, Kyoshi (WMKA/EMKA)

Ireland

• Anthony Whelan, (WMKA/EMKA)
• Martin O'Malley, (WMKA/EMKA)
• Michael O'Neill, (WMKA/EMKA)

Argentina

• Shigehide Akamine, Hanshi (WMKA)

Canada

• Frank Baehr Kyoshi (WMKA)
• Ward Jardine, Renshi (WMKA)

Matsubayashi Ryu Instructors in other Recognized Organizations in the USA.

Hanshi Frank Grant WSKF (Ohio)- Original Student of James Wax & Nagamine Shoshin OSensei; Hanshi James Driggs WSKF (Ohio)- Original Student of James Wax and Nagamine,Takayoshi Sensei; Hanshi Eihachi Ota SKKA (Calif) - Student of Shima Sensei & Nagamine Shoshin OSensei; Kyoshi Don Caponigro (Ohio) - Student of Nagamine Takayoshi Sensei; Kyoshi Bill George MatsubayashiRyu & SanDan Kodokan Judo (Indiana) Original Student and Black Belt of Nagamine Takayoshi Sensei; Kyoshi Richard Lohering (Fla) - Student of Sensei Sam Palmer; Kyoshi Ed Erler (New Mexico) - Student of Sam Palmer;

References