Uncovering History: Kanki Izumikawa’s 1961 Visit to Hawaii and the Hidden Link to Kiyoshi Aihara

Photo provided by the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai

This remarkable photograph, taken during Kanki Izumikawa’s first trip to Hawaii in 1961, marks a pivotal moment in karate history. The visit coincided with the opening of his first Goju-Ryu Senbukan Dojo on U.S. soil, a milestone that helped establish Okinawan karate’s presence stateside.

In the back row of the photo stand two men who, for decades, were listed as “unknown”, a mystery that puzzled Hawaiian karate historians. After detailed study and verification by Soke Joseph Ruiz, it has now been confirmed that the second person from the left in the back row is none other than Kiyoshi Aihara.

The Aihara Connection

Photo provided by the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai

According to Soke Ruiz, Aihara Sensei, besides training with Gichin Funakoshi and Egami, also trained with Kanki Izumikawa while living in Japan. This connection gave Aihara access to both Katsu-Ryu Kempo and Koga-Ryu Kobudo, traditions that would later become essential components of the International Karate Kobudo Union (IKKU).

This photo provides historical evidence of the cross karate pollination occurring between the masters of the era. This historical link not only enriched Aihara’s own martial foundation but also helped seed Soke Ruiz’s later experiences training at Izumikawa’s dojo overseas, creating a living bridge between the Okinawan, Japanese, and Hawaiian karate lineages.

The Early Senbukan Legacy in Hawaii

Among Izumikawa’s early students was Kenneth Murakami, who trained under him while stationed in Japan with the U.S. Air Force, and George Miyasaki from Hawaii. When Murakami returned home, he continued spreading Izumikawa’s teachings, first from his aunt’s garage, and later through dojos hosted at the old Jikoen Temple, Daijing Temple, and Aiea Hongwanji.

Miyasaki frequently taught alongside him, ensuring that Izumikawa’s Goju-Ryu principles took firm root in Hawaiian soil, a legacy that continues to shape the region’s martial arts community to this day.

A Rediscovered Link in the IKKU Lineage

This discovery does more than solve a long-standing historical mystery,  it solidifies a critical link in the IKKU’s lineage, connecting Soke Ruiz’s modern teachings directly back to the roots of Kanki Izumikawa’s Senbukan and Aihara’s Zen Shotokai.

By confirming Kiyoshi Aihara’s presence in that historic 1961 photo, we gain a deeper appreciation for the interconnected nature of karate’s evolution, a lineage that flows from Okinawa to Japan, to Hawaii, and ultimately into the hands of the IKKU’s practitioners today.

We have reached out to the Hawaii Karate Seinenkai for additional information sharing.

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