KUNIBA

In the early 1970's Soke Shogo Kuniba began visiting the U.S. to teach seminars. Although he was known as an outstanding teacher of Motobuha Shito Ryu Karate-Do, he also studied Yoshinkan Aikido, Judo, Jujutsu and other styles of Karate. He applied his knowledge of these other arts to the Shito Ryu Karate kata to create a unique interpretation of these kata. When he taught his interpretation of these kata he referred to it as "Goshin Budo", a term he used to mean "applied self-defense". "Goshin Budo" literally means "Self-defense Martial Way".

Several of his American students were also training in Hakko Ryu Jujutsu. To help the Hakko Ryu Jujutsu students learn his Karate, Soke Kuniba took an instructors manual from the Hakko Ryu Martial Arts Federation and used the techniques shown to create a series of Kata. This mix of Hakko Ryu Jujutsu and Shito Ryu Karate is commonly known as "Goshin Budo Jujutsu" in the United States. There are several organizations in the U.S. which teach this "style" and variations of it.

By the early 1980's Soke Kuniba had re- organized this teaching and formulated new kata into a system that is now known as Kuniba Ryu Goshindo.

I had been exposed to Goshin Budo as a member of the National Karate and Jiu Jitsu Union. Mr. Baillargeon, founder of NKJU, also made a number of visits to our school in Orlando and had taught at camps and clinics. Much of this teaching included "Goshin Budo". Soke Kuniba also taught at NKJU camps.

It is the early 1970's version of Goshin Budo, as devised by R.P. Baillargeon, in which I received a Shodan ranking. I have received an earlier version of the Seishinkai / Kuniba Ryu Goshindo instructors manual and much information from the Kuniba family which proved of value in keeping some of Soke's teaching in my curriculum.

In 1983 Kuniba Soke moved from Osaka, Japan to Virginia. He soon organized his "Goshin Budo" into a formalized system including kata of his own creation. The style was officially named Kuniba Ryu Goshindo and is recognized as such by the Japan Karatedo Federation. Although, the JKF did specify "only as taught by Kuniba Shogo Soke".
In 1996 the Kuniba Kai was created by Soke's family in order to continue his teachings. Kuniba Kozo holds the position of Soke. Judy Kuniba is the administrator for the Kai in the U.S. and Louis Estes and Darren Myers serve as Chief Instructors.

In this video Karate Expert Louis Estes will show you many wrist escapes as well as several pressure points and throwing techniques that will leave your attacker helpless once applied. he will show you no matter your size or gender how to use your body to its maximum potential should you ever have to defend yourself. Estes is known as a master technician and for his wide knowledge of karate self defense applications that he learnt from his teacher Shogo Kuniba the creator of Motobu Ha Shioto Ryu Karate. if you are interested in KarateÌs self defense application s then this is the tape for you very professionally done with high quality equipment and professional personel.

Why would this interest an Aikido student? Shogo Kuniba also studied with Gozo Shioda and applied that knowledge gained to his Karate and other arts to create his Goshindo.