Sensei Documentary

Sensei: Masters of Okinawan Karate  

Documentary Series

Sensei: Masters of Okinawan Karate is a crowd-funded documentary series about the amazing martial arts teachers living on Okinawa, the birthplace of karate. It is completely free to watch on YouTube, anywhere in the world! Series One and Two has more than 1,000,000 views . 

I’d love to create a Series Three of Sensei: Masters of Okinawan Karate. There are many teachers in Okinawa who need to have their knowledge archived for posterity. The oldest masters have unique memories of WWII, post-war Okinawa, and talk using a mixture of Japanese and the Okinawan language. Karate and its links with language, dance, festivals, and history are key parts of Okinawa’s cultural heritage.

I’m already reaching out to the Okinawan karate community to set up series three interviews. I’ll hopefully start filming in late 2024, and releasing them on YouTube in 2025. Once again it will require financial support from karateka, dojos, and organizations around the world. I am grateful for the generosity shown by all sponsors and supporters of Series One and Two.

GOALS OF THE SERIES

  1. Document the stories of Okinawan karate masters and their philosophy on life and their martial arts practice.
  2. Record in the highest quality possible. Ideally 4K or 8K, RAW, multi camera, multi audio
  3. Store the original data as an archival record. 
  4. Transcribe and translate the recordings to spread knowledge of Okinawan martial arts, history and culture. 
  5. Make the videos available for free online via YouTube and Bujin.tv so that anyone, anywhere can see them.

The documentary series grew out of the Karate Masters Portrait Project which began in 2012. The portrait project allowed amazing access to the sensei, but it was only Chris Willson and James Pankiewicz who got to hear their stories. The documentary series is a way for us to share that unique knowledge with the international karate community. 

Interview #2 with Senaga Sensei

SERIES ONE – Okinawan Masters

Name                Style                  Length              Views

  1. Toshimitsu Arakaki – Matsubayashi Ryu                                                               8 mins               80,000
  2. Yoshitsune Senaga – Uechi Ryu                                                                           15 mins             472,000
  3. Koichi Nakasone – Ryukyu Kingdom Sui-di Bujutsu                                              26 mins             315,000
  4. Takeshi Tamaki – Shorin Ryu Karate Do International                                            9 mins               105,000
  5. Kiyomasa Maeda – Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do                                              15 mins             67,000
  6.  Kenyu Chinen – World Oshukai Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Do                            59 mins             146,000
  7. Tsuguo Sakumoto – Ryuei-ryu Karate                                                                   38 mins             54,000
  8. Seikichi Iha – Beikoku Shidokan Karatedo Association                                           34 mins             50,000
  9. Tetsuhiro Hokama – Goju-ryu, Hokama Kobudo                                                    27 mins             85,000
  10. Takehiro Gaja – Uechi-ryu Karate                                                                         30 mins             32,000
  11. Toshihiro Oshiro – Shima-Ha Shorin-Ryu karate, Yamanni Chinen Ryu kobujutsu.     39 mins             20,000 
  12. Zenshu Toyama – Goju-ryu Karate                                                                       33 mins             13,000  

Special Bonus episode  – Nakasone & Iha conversation at Dojo Bar.                               50 mins             3,000

International Masters

  1. Arcenio Advincula – Isshinryu Karate Ryukonkai Kobudo                                46 mins             58,000
  2. Cezar Borkowski – Okinawan Karate Ryukyu Kobudo                                     25  mins            14,000
  3. Neil Stolsmark – Shorin-ryu Karate, Matayoshi Kobudo                                   19 mins             14,000
  4. Doug Perry – Shorin-ryu Kensankai Karate & Kobudo                                     31 mins             35,000

SERIES TWO 

Students of Seikichi Iha 10th-dan Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate, Beikoku Shidokan Karatedo Association gather at Shuri Castle, Naha City Okinawa 26/8/2019 (just months before it was destroyed by fire.)

SUPPORT

The international karate community generously supported the first series.

Main Series Sponsors – SERIES ONE

Fusei Kise, Isao Kise and the OSMKKF-USA  

Jerry Figgiani – Shorin Ryu Karate Do International

Beikoku Shidokan Karatedo Association

Grant Campbell – USA Karate Federation

Cezar Borkowski – Northern Karate Schools

NOVA Okinawan Karate Dojo

Waterpoints Dojo – Okinawa Arts Research Studies World Scene

Series Sponsors – SERIES ONE

Marguerite “Peggy” Hess – Jensen Beach Uechi Ryu Karate Do Dojo

Reece Cummings – Cummings Karate Dojo

Michael Quinn – Okinawa Shogen-Ryu Karate-Do Europe

Martin Pinto – Essex Goju Ryu Karate

Mark Spear – Black Bear Dojo

Okinawa Karate Podcast

Fred Mansfield Jr. – Beikoku Shidokan / RBKD

Series Supporters– SERIES ONE

Tim Herlihy, Robin Ross, Joshua Simmers, Jeff Perkins, Paul Punshon, John J. Strangeway, Gerry Campbell, Shelley Cormier, K V Manoharan, Phil Butler, Danny Smith, Justin Rathert, Adam Carter, Mike Powers, Miguel Da Luz, Robert Roberto Curtis, Josh Ryer, Belgi Serin, Igor Vakos, Lisken Dus, Andrew Pearce, Christopher Ford, Cos Vona, Steve Ouslis, Sandro Simonetta, Axel Heinrich, Jiří Matouš, Jose Planas, Andy Morris, Steve Armes, Olaf Steinbrecher, Hannele Zubeck, Maija Zubeck, Scott Alter, Rob Chartier, Laura Chartier, Xu Ya Hui, Vlamir Silva, Marian Reiter, Cassie Pham-Korman, John Schrock, Åke Mora Temnerud, Ari Nuutinen, Hubert Laenen, Mario Michiels, Chris Michiels, Lynn Miyahira, Roy Paul, Andy Sloane, Justin Sheehy, Manfred Streuber

Toshihiro Oshiro, 9th dan Shima-Ha Shorin-Ryu karate, 8th dan Yamanni Chinen Ryu kobujutsu. Photographed on Chura Sun Beach near his dojo in Itoman, Okinawa.

SERIES TWO SPONSORS

Martin Pinto – Essex Goju Ryu Karate

Doug Perry – Okinawa Shorinryu Karate

Cezar Borkowski – Northern Karate Schools

NOVA Okinawan Karate Dojo

Seikichi Iha, Okinawa Prefectural Intangible Cultural Asset – Beikoku Shidokan Karatedo Association

Neil Stolsmark – Authentic Ancient Arts 

Okinawa Kobudo Doushi Rensei Kai & Shorin- Ryu Shorinkan.

Zensekai Karate Kobujitsu Renmei / Oyata Preservation Foundation

Series Two – Key Supporters

Ervin Tong – Shin Shi Kan

Fred Mansfield Jr. – Beikoku Shidokan / RBKD

Robert Roberto Curtis – Beikoku Shidokan / Virginia Dojo

琉球大学国際地域創造学部 ウェルネス研究分野 (荒川研究室)

Mark Spear – Black Bear Dojo   

Series Two Supporters

Ari Nuutinen, Justin Sheehy, David Deinert, Fred Speece, Andreas Sticht, Danny Smith, Olaf Steinbrecher, Jonathan Lapomardo,  Shelley Cormier, Gerry Campbell, Marian Reiter, Joel Castasus, Åke Mora Temnerud, Victoria Kirkup, Robin Ross, Thomas Podzelny, Andy Morris, Darren Xiberras, James Hatch, John J. Strangeway

Takehiro Gaja, Hanshi 9th-dan, Uechi-ryu Karate and Kyoshi 7th-dan Matayoshi KobudoPhotographed January 2nd, 2020 我謝 孟弘 範九段　　上地流空手教士七段 又吉古武道

SERIES 3

Six episodes with Okinawan masters Approximately 20 – 40 minutes in length. 

Released in 2025 every 2 months on YouTube and Bujin.tv

2-3 additional episodes with international masters of Okinawan karate.

SPONSORSHIP – SERIES THREE

TIER ONE

Main Sponsor  $10,000                    

Organization name and logo /graphic full page at the start and end of the each video.  

YouTube only allows static title cards and end cards where there’s a paid promotion. These title cards and end cards can include graphics and the sponsor or marketer’s logo and product branding. Must be co-branded with the creator’s name/logo.  Title cards 2 seconds. End cards 3 seconds.

TIER TWO

Sponsor  $1,000            

Dojo / Organization name and logo at end of each video

TIER THREE

Key Supporter  $500             

Dojo / Organization name at end of each video

TIER FOUR

Supporter  $100                                    

Individual’s name at the end of each video

To become a supporter or key supporter click on the following PayPal link to securely make you donation.

paypal.me/TRAVEL67 

In the description box please include your name as you’d like it to read in the credits.

Norihiko Masuda Okinawa Goju-ryu Karatedo Kyokai Kyoshi 7th dan JKF Goju kai Technical committee member. Photographed July 25th 2021 for Karate Masters Portrait Project in Onoyama Park, Naha City, Okinawa.

WHY SPONSOR SERIES THREE?

  1. You see value in our goal to document and archive Okinawa karate and kobudo culture.
  • You are aware that if we don’t receive financial support Series Two can’t happen.
  • You understand that the knowledge held by many of the karate masters is important, and wish for it to be archived before they pass.
  • You realize that we are racing against the clock to record memories, and the Okinawan language. The oldest masters have unique memories of WWII, post-war Okinawa, and talk using a mixture of Japanese and the Okinawan language. 
  • The Karate Masters Portrait Project and now the video series are seen by hundreds of thousands of people. If you want to reach out to the international martial arts community, you can do it through sponsorship of our series. 
  • You enjoyed Series One and Two and want to help make more.

To become a supporter or key supporter click on the following PayPal link to securely make you donation.

paypal.me/TRAVEL67 

In the description box please include your name as you’d like it to read in the credits.

To become a Sponsor or a Main Sponsor then please first contact us, and we will give you information on how to send us your logo.