On May 19th 2020 six Okinawan Karate Masters were recognized by the prefecture as an Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. I am honored to have photographed them all for the Karate Masters Portrait Project over the past 8 years. Congratulations to Iha Sensei, Kikugawa Sensei, Maeshiro Sensei, Nakahodo Sensei, Iha Sensei and Takara Sensei!
Seikichi Iha 10th-dan Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate, Beikoku Shidokan Karatedo Association Photographed August 29th 2019 at the Miyahira Dojo, Naha City, Okinawa. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Seikichi Iha 10th-dan Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate, Beikoku Shidokan Karatedo Association Photographed August 29th 2019 at the Miyahira Dojo, Naha City, Okinawa. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Shitoku Takara 10th dan Okinawa Uechi-ryu Karatedo Kyokai (D.0.B. 10/05/1930) On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Shintoku Takara 10th dan Okinawa Uechi-ryu Karatedo Kyokai (D.0.B. 10/05/1930) On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Kotaro Iha, 10th dan Ryukyu Kobudo Ryu Kon Kai On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Kotaro Iha, 10th dan Ryukyu Kobudo Ryu Kon Kai On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Masanari Kikugawa 9th dan Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-Do Photographed for the Karate Masters Portrait Project at the Karate Kaikan, Okinawa on 21 January 2020. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Masanari Kikugawa 9th dan Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-Do Photographed for the Karate Masters Portrait Project at the Karate Kaikan, Okinawa on 21 January 2020. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Morinobu Maeshiro, 9th dan Shorin-ryu Karate of Shido Kan Musei Juku Dojo. Photographed at Naha Budokan Sept 1st 2014. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Morinobu Maeshiro, 9th dan Shorin-ryu Karate of Shido Kan Musei Juku Dojo. Photographed at Naha Budokan Sept 1st 2014. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Tsutomo Nakahodo 10th dan Shohei-ryu (Uechi-ryu). Photographed at the Naha Budokan Sept 1st 2014. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry. 
Tsutomo Nakahodo 10th dan Shohei-ryu (Uechi-ryu). Photographed at the Naha Budokan Sept 1st 2014. On May 19th 2020 recognized as “Intangible Cultural Asset Holder in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry.
I’m also happy to announce that episode 8 in the YouTube series Sensei: Masters of Okinawan Karate is now online.
I’m really proud of all the work that went into this episode, the team that helped create it, and the sponsors and supporters of the series. Iha Sensei speaks a mix of Japanese, Okinawan (a separate language not a dialect of Japanese), and English. It made transcriptions and translations a challenge, and there were even a few corrections after it went live, after getting some extra feedback from Nakasone Sensei.
Please like, comment, and share the videos so that the YouTube algorithm introduces it to others.
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 