Shindo Ryu Karatedo was founded in 1951 together with the establishment of the Miyazaki University Karate Club with Nikichi Zaha Shihan as its instructor. At first, the art was called Go Ju Ryu, but the Karatedo Shindo Ryu Shindokai was set up in 1987 to achieve the goals of returning the art to its origins and to preserve Okinawan Karate intact. Since that time, the Association has steadfastly endeavored to preserve this form of karate as a bujutsu, a true martial art. The art is characterized by the practice of traditional kata (forms), bojutsu (long staff), nagewaza (throwing techniques) and also zuisen ken* and bunkai kumite (paired partner exercises designed to master the kata) * Zuisenken is Zuisen kenpo. This refers to a series of techniques practiced on a stone pavement around a pond called gZuisenh inside the Shuri castle. The techniques were called gZuisenkenh after the name of the pond and involved mainly throwing techniques. Since 2002, the Association’s Chairman Nikichi Za