To preserve the teachings and expand upon them!

The Zentokukai was created from a great tradition and lineage of Okinawan Karate. Its goal is to preserve the teachings passed down to us by Masters Kyan and Shimabukuro, and at the same time allow and promote the natural evolution of any living art, which by nature has to evolve as it moves forward through time much like an individual going throught the stages of a beginner to an advanced practitioner. Cultural, historical, and tehcnological factors also influence the development of a martial art, for example, modern publishing methods, the internet, jet travel, and multimedia technologies have all done wonders to promote the research and collection of data and quickly package it for mass consumption practically overnight.

Martial arts principles of movement, energy, and strategy have been around since the beginning of time, these remain intact and do not require improvement because they are woven into our genetic makeup and the physical, and spiritual laws of our universe. What has constantly changed over time, is our capacity to better understand them through modern science and education, and to improve the way we study and teach them to the next generation.

The Zentokukai is very proud of it's rich tradition which fosters all the old world virtues which have stood the test of time, and still to this day provide the clarity and wisdom of ages. And at the same time, reconizes the need to adapt and change in order to fit into our modern world, and provide a clear cut curriculum that conforms culturally, and is practical to this day and age.

Below is an article printed in Bugeisha Magazine's issue #5 published in the spring of 1998. Written by martial artist-historian John Sells (author of Unante), it is an in-depth story of the Zentokukai's roots to the Kyan family, and the Seibukan dojo founded by Zenryo Shimabukuro.