SAKAGAMI RYUSHO (1915 - 1993)

Born in Hyogo Prefecture, Kawanishi City of Japan, Sakagami Ryusho was the son of a very prosperous Saki brewer. He began practicing Kendo around the age of ten. In his later teen years began to study Iaido. Hecontinued to dilligently practice these arts and by 1934/35, he was enrolled at the prestigeous Tokyo University, the KOKUSHINKAN, who's specialty was producing the top KENDO instructors in Japan. While attending university, he became interested in the arts of Kartedo and Kobudo..

Over the next few years he continued his education and training in various martial arts.He travelled to Okinawa to to train in Karate-do and Kobudo, he was encouraged by some of the great masters. Then some time around 1937 he eturned to mainland Japan to continue his studies with the Shito Ryu founder, Mabuni Kenwa in Osaka After graduating from university, Sakagami returned to Osaka to become a dedicated disciple of Master Mabuni. By 1941, he was awarded the "SHIHAN" licence from Master Mabuni and a shortly later returned to his home prefecture to establish his own school, the Gembukan Karate-doDojo

In 1942 the Dai Nippon Butokukai, the most prestigeous martial arts organization in Japan at the time, awarded him the honorary Karate-do title of "RENSHI". In 1952 Ryusho Sakagami Sensei accepted the position of "Third Generation Leader of Itosu-ha", at the request of Mabuni Kenwa. Mabuni Kenwa passed away on May 23, 1952 and Sakagami Sensei moved to the Tokyo area where he taught for a short time before settling in the town of Tsurumi located between the cities of Kawasaki and Yokohama. By 1955, Sakagami Sensei had firmly established the "Zen Nippon Karate-do Itosu-Kai" headquarters for instruction in the martial arts of Kendo, Karate-do, Kobudo, and Jodo. Over the next few years, Sakagami Sensei continued with the study of Ryukyu Kobudo under the direction of Shinken Taira who awarded him a Shihan licence in 1959, and later promoted him to the level of 8th Dan, Kobudo in 1963.. By this period in time, he had also attained the level of: 5th Dan in AIKIDO, 5th Dan in JUDO, and 7th Dan in JUKENDO (way of Rifle & Bayonet). In 1962, hei was was awarded a 7th Dan in Kendo with the title of Kyoshi level of distinction. He served as a director for the "Protection and Promotion of the Ancient Martial Arts of the Ryukyu Islands" and was one of the original "founding fathers" of the "Federation of All-Japan Karate-do Organizations" (F.A.J.K.O.) established in 1964 and proudly served as it's "chief technical judge" for many years. By 1977, he was again honored by receiving a 7th Dan in , JODO. In 1980, Master Sakagami was awarded the8th Dan/Hanshi in Karate-doby F.A.J.K.O.and by 1987, he had also reached the 8th Dan/"HANSHI" in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido. He was awarded the rank of 10th Dan in Karate-do by the Nippon Karate-do Rengokai before he passed away in 1993.