Alternately, you may note from the Japanese, 'Sho' often translates as ''first'' and Bu means ''martial'' or literally to ''block a spear'' and 'Ryu' typically represents "style", "path" or ''school'', so we typically prefer to loosely refer to ourselves as 'Shobu-Ryu' or "school of the first warrior".

Shōbū-Ryū ( 初 武 流 ) “first warrior style” is a style that strives to stay true to its historical Shuri-te roots (one of the three traditional core styles of old Okinawa, named after Shuri, the capital at the time), while attempting to teach and keep in the Japanese "Shitei-ai" tradition (roughly translated 'the student is family').

I received my shodan (first black belt) in 1986 and my subsequent dans (1990 and 1993) from the Central Valley Shobu-ryu school, that provided classes initially at the Lemoore Naval Air Station in California under sensei Enrique "Hank" Ybarra - 6th dan (1933-2005), who was rumored to have studied under Hohan Soken while in Argentina "Matsumura Shuri-te" (he hinted but never confirmed or denied) and later received his advancements while studying in Japan. My personal advancements were recorded in the 80’s and early 90’s while in good standing with the Armed Forces Karate Assoc. headquarted in California and the OSTSK Assoc. headquartered in Sasebo Japan.

* No standard classes are being offered at this time. Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions or wish to contract for appearances or personal tutelage.