About Utah Seidokan Karate
Our Mission
"Empowering out students to make a difference through classical martial arts training!"
Utah Seidokan Karate is committed to empowering our students with the skills and confidence they need to reach their full potential, both in and out of the dojo.
"Making a Difference" means protecting and defending not only one's self, but being helpful to others, as well.
The Instructor
Schumacher sensei has been studying, training, and teaching martial arts for nearly 50 years.
Currently an 8th degree black belt in Okinawan Seidokan Karate and Kobudo, he has studied and attained black belt ranking in Shaolin Kempo (4th), Shotokan (1st), Shorin Ryu (5th), Tae Kwon Do (2nd), and Japanese JiuJutsu (honorary).
He opened the Kinkoshinkai dojo to teach Okinawan Seidokan karate in order to teach in the tradition of Okinawa (the birthplace of karate) to a small, select group of students.
Seidokan History
Many karate styles and sub-styles on Okinawa are actually composites of older styles. Among these is Seidokan karate kobudo, whose founder is Toma Shian. The style came into existence in 1968 when Toma called his dojo “Seidokan,” meaning the “place of the correct or proper way.” Though the dojo and naming were new, the style is actually formed as a combination of the two oldest systems of Okinawan Ti/Te.
In 1974, the Zen Okinawa Seidokan Karate Kobudo Renmei was formed to better serve its growing number of dedicated practitioners throughout the world.
Our Founder, Toma Shian
In founding his dojo and new organization, Toma sensei combined the two oldest martial traditions of Okinawa. Unique, yet not new, uniting the Motobu Udunti from Uehara, and the Shorin Ryu of Kyan Chotoku through Shimabukuro Zenryo, the truest blend of the oldest Okinawan styles resulted.
"Toma Shian was born on the island of Okinawa on November 23, 1930. He first studied karate at the age of 16 in Osaka, on the island of Honshu (the main island of Japan), where he lived for some time during World War II. Upon his return to Okinawa, he began to study from policeman Shinjato Sokichi. Shinjato had studied under Miyagi Chojun (1888-1953), the founder of Goju-ryu, and Shimabukuro Tatsuo (1908-1975), prior to Shimabukuro’s founding of Isshin-ryu in 1956.[2]From Shinjato. Toma has related on numerous occasions, that, in the early years, there was not the wide differentiation of styles that we know today. Karate was simply karate.
Toma Shian was a junior member of the Okinawa branch of the All-Japan Karate Federation in the 1950’s. The All-Japan Karate Federation split into a number of factions in 1962. Sparring methodology was one of the most contentious issues leading to the split. The most widely accepted method of sparring in the main islands of Japan was, and still is, the sport-oriented “controlled contact” variety. Most All-Japan Karate Federation members felt that this “controlled contact” sparring should be taught, practiced, and officially sanctioned. By utilizing this sparring method, it was hoped to create a popular sport like judo. This was counter to the traditional full-contact method used by many on Okinawa, with its main aim being combative effectiveness. Their method employed body armor similar to that used in kendo. It was quite brutal and knockouts were not uncommon.
Since one of the All-Japan Karate Federation’s main goals was to integrate the karate of Okinawa, now part of Japan, with the sport karate of the main islands, conflict naturally arose. Many, like Toma Shian, had been brought up in the “hard” way and felt it was the true Okinawan way. When the split occurred, the Okinawa Kenpo Renmei was formed, made up of similarly traditional hard and tough individuals, led by Nakamura Shuguru and Shimabukuro Zenryo. Other prominent members included Odo Seikichi, Kuda Yuichi, and Oyata Seiyu (Ryukyu Kenpo).
Among the various groups then on Okinawa, two in particular recognized the contributions of prominent teachers by awarding them master rank. Formed in 1961, the Okinawa Kobudo Kyokai awarded master rank to Toma Shian, Toma Seiki, Soken Hohan (Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu), Shimabukuro Tatsuo, Nakamura Shigeru, Nakazato Joen, Taira Shinken (kobudo), Matayoshi Shinpo (kobudo), Uehara Seikichi (Motobu-ryu), Miyazato Eiko (Goju-ryu/Koho-ryu), Higa Seiko (Goju-ryu), Kina Shosei (Ufuchiku Den Kobujutsu), Nakaima Kenko (Ryuei-ryu), and others. Around 1967, the Okinawa Karate Kobudo Renmei presented master grades to Toma Shian, Soken Hohan, Shimabukuro Tatsuo, Maeshiro Shuzen (Shorin-ryu), Kojo Kafa (Kojo-ryu), Kanashima Shinsuke, Matayoshi Shinpo, Nakaima Kenko, and others. It should be noted that Toma Shian was among those receiving master ranking from both groups. A few years later, Toma Shian was awarded master rank by the Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo League, whose president was Nakaima Kenko. In the early 1970’s, Toma Shian belonged to the Chubu Shorin-ryu Karate-do Rengokai.
From Uehara, Toma Shian learned the throwing, joint-locking, and quick-draw sword techniques (iai waza) that he often teaches in his classes today. With the inclusion of these techniques, Seidokan became a more complete fighting art consisting of punching, striking, kicking, throwing, joint locking, and a variety of weapons. It is this unique composite system, along with his willingness to teach all comers that has lead to the growth of Seidokan karate and kobudo. The respect he garners on Okinawa was made apparent when he became a founding member of the Zen Ryukyu Butokukai and the Okinawa City Karate League. "
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(From articles by Roy Hobbs, Stephen Chan, and Michael Jones)