Karate has been taught outside of Japan for almost 40 years, and was exported to the rest of the world along both stylistic and organizational lines. By now, the names of most karate styles have become familiar to martial artists everywhere.

Of all the traditional karate systems shotokan, goju-ryu, wado-ryu, shorin-ryu, kyokushin, isshin-ryu, and shito-ryu among them shito-ryu remains the most obscure. Several of its leading practitioners, such as the charismatic Fumio Demura and the prolific Tour Hayashi, do have widespread fame, yet shito-ryu remains little understood outside its own schools. Shito-ryu had been most often described as a combination of shotokan and goju-ryu. It is also generally known that its teachers utilize formal exercises (kata) from many Okinawan sources. Unfortunately, such explanations fail to adequately describe just what shito-ryu really is In truth, shito-ryu, along with goju-ryu, wado-ryu and shotokan, is one of the four major karate systems of Japan proper (the Japanese islands excluding Okinawa). It was founded by Kenwa Mabuni (1899-1952), who, like most of karate's old masters, was descended from Okinawa's so-called warrior (bushi) class or aristocracy. Members of his family served Okinawan lords for hundreds of years. Mabuni started karate training at the age of 13 under Anko Itosu (1830-1915), the man who organized early karate in the Okinawan school system. Itosu was a student of one of Okinawa's most famous karate masters, Sokon Matsumura (1792-1887), the forefather of shorin-ryu. Itosu took a strong liking to his young pupil and Mabuni learned some 23 kata before the elder man died. Itosu's death so grieved Mabuni that he built a shrine in front of the master's grave and stayed close by for a year, practicing his kata daily.

Itosu was not Mabuni's only teacher, however. While still in his teens, Mabuni was introduced by his friend, Chojun Miyagi (the founder of goju-ryu karate) to Kanryo Higashionna (1853-1915). From Higashionna, Mabuni learned naha-te, a Chinese-influenced karate style. Mabuni also trained under the reclusive Arakaki Kamadeunchu (1840-1918), who taught a style similar to Higashionna's. Arakaki also taught Tsuyoshi Chitose, the founder of chito-ryu, Gichin Funakoshi of shotokan, and Kanken Toyama of the shudokan school. Arakaki, who was an acknowledged bo (staff) expert, taught Mabuni the unshu, sochin, niseishi, arakaki-sai and arakaki-bo forms. During the 1920's the insatiable Mabuni participated in a karate club operated by Miyagi and Choyu Motobu, with help from Chomo Hanashiro and Juhatsu Kiyoda. Choyu Motobu was a master of shurite (the antecedent of shorin-ryu) and gotende, the secret grappling art of the Okinawan royal court. Hanashiro was also a shuri-te expert, while Kiyoda came from the same naha-te background as Miyagi. Known as the Ryukyu Tode Kenkyu-kai (Okinawa Karate Research Club), this dojo (training hall) was one of history's gems. Experts from diverse backgrounds trained and taught there, and it was there that Mabuni learned some Fukien white crane kung fu from the legendary Woo Yin Gue, a Chinese tea merchant living on Okinawa.

By this time, Mabuni had become a highly respected police officer and made several trips to Japan after Funakoshi introduced karate there in 1922. Mabuni spent many of his early traveling years with Koyu Konishi, a friend and sometimes student who later founded shindo-jinen-ryu karate. In 1925 Mabuni and Konishi visited Japan's Wakayama prefecture where Kanbum Uechi, the founder of uechi-ryu, was teaching. It was after training with Uechi that Mabuni devised a kata called shinpa. But Mabuni actually spent most of his time in Osaka, where he taught at various dojo, including the Seishinkai, the school of Kosei Kokuba. Choki Motobu also taught at Kokuba's dojo. It was Kokuba who later formed motobu-ha (Motobu faction) shito-ryu. In 1929, Mabuni moved permanently to Osaka. Shortly thereafter, the Japanese martial arts sanctioning body, the Butokukai, pressured all karate schools to register by style name. At first, Mabuni called his style hanko-ryu (half-hard style), but by the early 1930's shito-ryu was the official name. It was coined from alternative renderings of the names of Mabuni's two foremost teachers, Itosu and Higashionna. Not everyone agreed with separating Okinawan karate into factions through the use of style names. In fact, shudokan headmaster Toyama questioned Mabuni and others about their use of what he called "funny-sounding names." Mabuni countered that giving the style a name would not only satisfy the Butokukai, but would give people something they could identify with and feel a part of.

Among Mabuni's earliest students was Kanei Uechi (not to be confused with Kambum Uechi's son of the same name), who by 1935 was also teaching in Osaka. In 1950, Uechi returned to Okinawa and established the Shito-ryu Kempo Karate-do Kai. On Okinawa, Uechi is considered the true successor to Mabuni's art, but internationally, Mabuni's eldest son, also named Kanei, is acknowledged as the head of shito-ryu and runs the Shito-kai.

Kanei Mabuni and his younger brother Kenzo head the karate programs at several universities, a task inherited from their father. Still other early students of Mabuni have their own distinct organizations and followings. Ryusho Sakagami, a contemporary of Kanei Mabuni, established the Itosu-kai just after Mabuni's death. Sakagami's son, Sadaaki, now oversees the Itosu-kai from the Yokohama area. In 1948, Chojiro Tani organized the Shuko-kai, where he taught tani-ha shito-ryu. Ever innovative, the Shuko-kai, under the present leadership of Shigeru Kimura in the United States, appears somewhat different in technique from the other shito-ryu groups.

Shito-Ryu has the greatest number and most comprehensive Katas. The style has served us well. Shito-Ryu students have dominated in world competitions. Our Hanshi (Hanshi Minobu Miki) has experience in instruction in the U.S. since 1967 when he moved to East Tennessee and attended East Tennessee State University. He opened a dojo sponsored by Harold Long of Knoxville, Tn. It was at this time that the Kingsport dojo's shihan (Shihan Ron Ervin) started training with Hanshi Miki. Shihan Ron Ervin was the first student to receive a black belt under Hanshi Miki's instruction.

In 1972 Hanshi Miki opened a dojo sponsored by Terno Hayashi in San Diego, CA. Hanshi has since been appointed to the World Karate Federation (WKF = a member of International Olympic Committee, with over 12 million registered athletes and 143 countries membership) World Technical Committee Member in VI World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany in 1995. Hanshi M. Miki has been an international referee since 1975 and he had the longest career as an international referee in the WKF World Championships and World Cups. Hanshi Miki has been appointed to the WKF Referee Control Commission in 1980 and an inaugural member of the referee council of the Pan American Union of Karate-Do Organization in 1981. In 1995 Hanshi Miki broke away from Hayashi-Ha Shito Ryu and now affiliates with Kenzo Mabuni, heir of the founder of Shito-ryu. And in 1998 he was promoted to 8^th dan by Kenzo Mabuni.

Under Hanshi Miki's instructions, may international and national champions have been produced. Hanshi Miki's influences span several countries. He has instructed nation champions, competitors for the World championships, World Games, World Cups and international champions. Hanshi's instructions have been tested and proven around the world.