Seikichi Iha

(born July 9, 1932) was born in Nishihara City, Okinawa. Iha is an Okinawan martial artist who trains in the Shorin-ryÅ« style of Karate. Iha is currently the Director of the North American Beikoku Shido-kan Karate-do Association and the highest ranking Okinawan master in the United States.
Martial arts training
Iha's first martial arts training was under his uncle. In 1950 Shinpan Gusukuma accepted him as a student. Iha trained under Gusukuma four years, until Gusukuma's death in 1954. After Gusukuma's death, Katsuya Miyahira accepted him as a student. By 1963 he had achieved the rank of 5th Dan. Shortly after, Miyahira sent him to the Philippine Islands to be an instructor where he spent roughly eleven months, after his return to Okinawa he was promoted to rank of 6th Dan and he began instructing the U.S. Marines stationed at Futenma, Okinawa. In 1967, after receiving another promotion to the rank of 7th Dan, he was sent to Los Angeles, California to instruct there. In September 1978, he was once again promoted to the rank of 8th Dan. On March 12, 1989, he was promoted to the rank of 9th Dan, making him the highest ranking Okinawan master residing in the United States. On March 25, 2001, Iha was awarded his final promotion to date by Miyahira Katsuya, awarding him the rank of 10th Dan.
Dojo
After teaching at the American-Okinawan Club for five months in 1967, Iha opened the Shureikan Dojo in Los Angeles, California on Olympic Blvd with two other 7th Dans. A year later, Iha separated from this dojo and created his own Shidokan Karate Dojo, located on West Pico Blvd in Los Angeles.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu