​日本空手道糸洲会　総本部道場

     Itosu-ryu karatedo stems from the lineage of Shuri-te master Sokon Matsumura (1798-1890). It was founded by Anko Itosu (1830-1915), who is popularly regarded as one of the fathers of karatedo.

     Anko Itosu created many kata, including the five Pinan kata, which are the most widely practiced kata in the world today. In some schools they are known as Heian kata.

​     Of all his students, his senior student, Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952), learned Anko Itosu's kata most accurately and succeeded him as the 2nd Soke of Itosu-ha. Kenwa Mabuni also studied under Kanryo Higaonna of Naha-te. Taking the first characters of his two teachers' names and founded Shito-ryu ("Ito" also read "Shi" and "Higa" also read "To").

     Kenwa Mabuni passed on the Itosu-ha lineage to his senior student Ryusho Sakagami (1915-1993). It was Kenwa Mabuni's wish to pass down the name and the legacy of his teacher Master Anko Itosu to the next generation. Thus Ryusho Sakagami became the 3rd Soke of Itosu-ha on January 2nd, 1952.

     In April 1969, Ryusho Sakagami officially renamed his style of karate Itosu-ryu to distinguish it from "Shito-ryu," and called his organization Japan Katatedo Itosu-kai.

     Sadaaki Sakagami, the first son of Ryusho Sakagami, succeeded him to the position of the 4th Itosu-ryu Soke and has cherished the traditional kata that have been preserved over three generations, and is eager to spread it.

     Karatedo is said to start and end with kata, and in Itosu-ryu we mainly focus on the traditional kata and study techniques and applications to use in practical situations.