(last
updated January 22, 2002)
American
Kenpo Today
Since the passing of Ed Parker, many
followers of his system have gone on and created their own organizations
and modified his system somewhat.
I'm sure there are others
that I have missed.
Larry
Tatum
Many believe that Larry Tatum should have been
named successor to Ed Parker, but unfortunately none was named at
the time of Mr. Parker’s passing.
Larry Tatum began his Kenpo studies
directly under Ed Parker in 1966. He was there and helped Ed Parker
develop "American Kenpo." Ed Parker worked with and taught
Larry Tatum the new material exactly as he wanted it taught. Larry
Tatum also did most of the training of the other top students including
Jeff Speakman. Tatum would travel with Ed Parker around the world
and United States giving seminars. In addition to this Larry Tatum
ran Ed Parker's main studio in Santa Monica for years.
Recognized for his captivating seminars
and articulate explanations of his art, Tatum enjoys a reputation
as a gifted instructor and "teacher of the black belts."
His many students include celebrities and their offspring. He has
personally worked with Sidney and Joanna Poitier, Gary Collins, Julie
Haggarty, writer Joe Hyams, and Nancy Cartwright. He has trained the
children and grandchildren of such notables as Ed Byrnes, George Peppard,
Ann Archer, Tommy Smothers, Patty Duke, Austin Grier, and composer
Henry Mancini.
Today 10th Dan Larry Tatum is considered
one of the foremost authorities on American Kenpo Karate. His teaching
has spanned 30 years. Being one of the most sought after teachers,
his time is spent giving seminars and demonstrations throughout the
world as well as teaching at his Head Quarter School located in Pasadena,
California. Moreover, he has a American Kenpo Karate Association with
over 1,000 members worldwide.
Larry Tatum's achievements are many.
In 1980, Tatum was the first Martial
Arts instructor to convince the California courts to allow Martial
Arts to be recognized as a means for effective therapy for those who
have been victimized by violence. In 1983, Tatum wrote the first Kenpo
book for children, Confidence - A Child's First Weapon. In 1984, Tatum
was named "Instructor of the Year" by Inside Kung Fu magazine.
In 1996, Master Tatum was on the ground floor in helping to create
"Martial Arts Day" in California. He received a State Resolution
for his work. In 1996, Tatum was awarded a State Resolution for his
"Kids at Risk" program that has helped provide a safer and
caring environment for many kids, enabling them to stay off the streets.
Tatum has been featured on the cover of Black Belt Magazine five times
with over 20 of his articles published in the magazine. Tatum is the
official spokesman for the "Kids and Cops" program with
the Pasadena Police Department.
For over 12 years, Tatum has been
head of one of the largest American Kenpo Associations in the world
- The Larry
Tatum's Kenpo Karate Association (L.T.K.K.A.). Tatum's
teachings have spanned the world through demonstrations and seminars
encompassing South America, Europe, and Canada. Most recently, Tatum
has provided a national infomercial to promote a self-defense video
series, "America's Self-Defense," which will enable non-martial
artists to learn basic self-defense at home.
As further endorsement, the greatest
recognition comes from your seniors. Larry Tatum, at the first "Gathering
of Eagles", was seated at the head table where he took his place
with the other "Senior Masters of the Yudanshakai." There
were a total of 16 Senior Masters sitting at the table of honor.
As Senior Master Al Tracy
said, "Larry Tatum was the obvious choice to be the first to represent
American kenpo!"
Kosho-Ryu
Today
Since the Passing of James Masayoshi
Mitose there have been many people claiming to be the inheritor of
Kosho-ryu:
Thomas
Barro Mitose
Thomas B. Mitose was born in 1940, Honolulu, Hawaii.
He was James M. Mitose’s first, child. Thomas Mitose was separated
from his father as a child because of hardship and was adopted by
the Barro family through arrangement and it was not until Thomas Mitose
was six years old that he would see his father.
When he got older Thomas Mitose would
move to San Francisco, where he would began studying Kajukenbo under
Joe Halbuna, whom he would receive his Shodan (Black Belt) from.
In his early twenty’s Thomas
was reunited with his father and began his training in Kosho-ryu under
his father, the 21st Great Grand Master of Kosho Ryu Kenpo.
Thomas absorbed the knowledge of the family's art in all aspects of
the philosophies and techniques, as handed down from generation to
generation.
Father and son would separate again,
this from a personal family matter. It was not until James Mitose
was imprisoned at Folsom State Penitentiary that father and son would
reunite again. Thomas in visiting, with his father, would discuss
the future of Kosho Ryu. James Mitose would talk of coming out of
retirement and with Thomas open a school to teach the family art of
Kosho Ryu again.
Thomas Mitose never received any certificate
or rank from his father because as his father said, "you do not
need any certificate because you have my blood in you, being my son",
"unless one comes from the blood line of a Grand Master they
will never have full knowledge of that art."
During conversations and letters with
his father, James Mitose would urge his son to reclaim his family
name. Thomas legally regained his family name, keeping the Barro in
honor of his adopted parents memory of raising and giving him the
chances in life to grow and prosper.
Many people since the passing of James
M. Mitose, have claimed to be the successor of Kosho-ryu but most
believe that once James Mitose the 21st Great Grand Master had passed
away his son Thomas B. Mitose became the 22nd Great Grand Master of
Kosho Ryu, following the bloodline of the family.
Robert
Trias, Director of the United States Karate Association and close
friend of James Mitose, recognized Thomas B. Mitose as the head of
the Kosho Shorei style of Kenpo.
Adriano
Emperado, founder of Kajukenbo, recognized Thomas B. Mitose as
the rightful heir, true keeper and Grandmaster of Kosho-ryu.
In 1987,Grandmaster Thomas Mitose
reorganized and reinforced the philosophies and aspects of Kosho Ryu
Kenpo as handed down from generation to generation. The result in
the reestablishment of the supporting members and the belief that
Kosho Ryu Kenpo is a complete martial art system of ethical self-defense
that teaches humility respect for the rights and beliefs of others.
With the coordination and the development of the mind, body, and the
spirit, knowledgeable in the physical art of Kenpo, and to know that
one only uses the techniques only if necessary when threatened with
bodily harm.
At this time the Kosho Ryu Kenpo system
is growing throughout the world, teaching its philosophies as handed
down through the Mitose family.
Thomas B. Mitose teaches and passes
on his family’s art of Kosho-ryu at his dojo, "Mitose's
Kosho-Ryu Karate Kenpo Academy", in Antioch, CA.
Bruce
Juchnik
Bruce Juchnik is versed in many styles of martial
arts, including Tang Soo-do, Arnis, Gung-fu, as well as being a high
ranking Black Belt in the Tracy’s System of Kenpo.
Bruce Juchnik studied with James Mitose
from 1977 to 1981. His studies only consisted of verbal instruction
because of James Mitose's incarceration at the time. Bruce Juchnik
had been introduced to James Mitose by Juchnik's student George Santana
in 1977. Before Mitose’s death, he awarded Bruce Juchnik a full
mastery certification (Menkyo Kaiden and Inka Shomei) and gave him
the "power to do whatever (Juchnik Hanshi) thinks is good and
right for God, for (Mitose), and for Kosho Shorei, true self-defense,
true and pure Karate and Kempo" from that day forward.
Bruce Juchnik founded the Sei
Kosho Shorei Kai International (S.K.S.K.I.). The Kai was developed
to carry on and preserve the teachings of James Masayoshi Mitose.
Bruce Juchnik worked with Mitose’s
first Black Belt, Professor Thomas S.H. Young from 1982 until the
death of Professor Young in 1995 in order to better connect James
Mitose’s early teachings from Hawaii in the 1940s with the new
teachings transmitted to Bruce Juchnik in the 1970s and 1980s. Thomas
Young was an active participating member in Juchnik Hanshi's organization,
the Sei Kosho Shorei Kai International (S.K.S.K.I) , until Professor
Young’s death.
Nimr Hassan
Nimr Hassan began his studies in the Martial
Arts in 1957 in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, studying
many different forms of Martial Arts such as Judo, Karate, Aikido,
Jujitsu, Boxing, and Kenpo. Nimr Hassan has been training in the system
of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo for more than 20 years.
In the early 1970s, Great Grand Master
James M. Mitose came out of retirement and accepted one
student for training and instruction in his family's system. Nimr
Hassan was selected over other candidates to become the "ichi
deschi" (disciple/only student) of the Great Grand Master. In
this position, Nimr Hassan was instructed in the ancient and traditional
manner by receiving the secrets from mouth to ear. Day after day,
Hassan would journey to Mitose's home, where they would go into the
backyard and train for hours. He is the only non-family member who
has been taught the family's Temple Dance/Escaping Art Pattern systems.
This includes the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the Koga
Ha Kosho Shorei-ryu Kempo system.
In 1974, Nimr Hassan received from
James M. Mitose the master instructor's license and the family crest,
which meant he was allowed to teach the art of Kosho-ryu Kempo. Since
that time, Nimr Hassan has maintained the complete art taught to him
by Mitose and teaches it under the full title of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei-ryu
Kempo, reflecting all three arts designated on the family crest received
from his instructor.
That same year, Menkyo Hanshi Hassan
opened a Dojo under the guidance of the Great Grand Master and was
given the Charter and permission to promote, display, and use the
Kosho Shorei-ryu Coat of Arms. Menkyo Hanshi Hassan is presently the
only surviving student in the continental United States to be taught
by Great Grand Master James M. Mitose. He is the only Menkyo Hanshi
who teaches the ancient and traditional Koga Ha Kosho Shorei-ryu Temple
Dance/Escaping Art systems.
Since 1974, Nimr Hassan has received
many honors and awards from organizations, institutions, and fraternal
orders. Over the years, he has received promotions from other Masters
and schools. In 1993, Nimr Hassan was recognized by Dr. William Durbin,
Soke-Kiyojute
Ryu Kempo Bugei and Ann Nooner, Hanshi-Kiyojute-ryu Kempo
Bugei as the Menkyo Hanshi. In 1986, Nimr Hassan received the honorary
rank of Shichi Dan (7th Degree Black Belt) from Great Grand Master
William K.S. Chow, head of the Kara Ho and United Kenpo
Jujitsu Association. This award was given to Nimr Hassan for his continuous
efforts to preserve the ancient and traditional teachings of the Mitose
family system.
Nimr Hassan continues to teach at
his dojo in Philadelphia, The
Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo Association of Philadelphia.
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