Angi Uezu was born January 3, 1935, in Chiyaranka City
on the island of Saipan. His father was 6th
generation Okinawan of Sumarai lineage from Shuri, his ancestors served under
the King of Okinawa in the city of Gushikawa. In the 1930’s work on Okinawa
was hard to find, so as a young man his father traveled to Saipan to find work
in the sugar cane fields and start a better life. While in Saipan his father
found his first wife and the mother of Angi Uezu who was the third of four
brothers.
Angi’s first involvement with martial arts came in
junior high school where the schools curriculum included Gojo-ryu. He didn’t
like Karate because he was very much against fighting of any sort. He thought
why train in Karate and get beat-up everyday learning to defend yourself when
the likelihood of getting in a fight was so remote.
In 1956, he met Yukiko Shimabuku, the third daughter
of Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, the well known karate master. After a short
courtship and Yukiko’s prodding to get married Master Uezu went to the Kyan
dojo to ask Master Shimabuku for his daughter in marriage. Master Uezu tells the
story of his first meeting with the Master, "As I approached Master
Shimabuku’s house I could hear some very loud pounding. I walked around the
corner up to the fence gate and saw Master Shimabuku punching the makiwara, he
wasn’t smiling and was very intense, I thought he was getting ready for
me."
He said, "I stopped at the gate and saw the
master hitting the makiwara, I turned and ran, I was very scared, I thought he
was mad at me and was going to hurt me." Later his mother took him over to
Master Shimabuku’s and found out that the Master was pleased to have me as his
son-in-law and agreed to the marriage. In 1957 after Master Uezu and Yukiko
married he moved into the Master’s house, but he didn’t start karate,
instead he was working many hours at one of the military bases to make money for
his new family. Master Uezu recalls that Master Shimabuku was always after him
to start training. Master Uezu said he always told Master Shimabuku he didn’t
like karate and stayed busy working late hours at his job so he’d have a
excuse not to train.
It was around this time a good friend of his, Taba
Seichi, who was training, asked him to teach him the Bo kata, Tokomine no kun.
Master Uezu told his friend that he didn’t know the kata because he wasn’t
training with Master Shimabuku. His friend Taba said him "you live with
Master Shimabuku and don’t train in karate? "Why don’t you train in
karate? Master Shimabuku is your father-in-law you must respect him. You have to
help him teach in the dojo".
That evening Master Uezu thought about what his friend
had said and realized he was right. Master Shimabuku had given him his daughter,
a house and helped him in many ways, it was his duty to respect and help the
Master. The next day Master Uezu and Yukiko’s older sisters husband started
training. Master Uezu said he found that he really enjoyed karate and the
rigorous training and easily remembered all of the basic exercises.
Due to his loyalty and dedication he soon became one
of Master Shimabuku’s top students. During the early sixties as his skills
improved he became one of the top competitors on Okinawa winning many
competitions and became highly regarded as an outstanding martial artist on
Okinawa. He was an excellent counter fighter with an array of techniques that he
worked until he considered them perfect for all types fighting.
Later, Master Shimabuku sent him to teach at many of
his outlying military dojos because of Master Uezu’s English skills and
teaching ability. Master Uezu taught many Marines at Camps Hansen, Courtney and
Foster. In 1967, as a Yon-Dan, he took over as Master Shimabuku’s
representative to go to the United States and conduct training and seminars, a
yearly tradition he has kept for the past 30 years. The only time he interrupted
his schedule was after his stroke in April 1994. After his recovery he resumed
his seminar circuit and having people come to Okinawa to train in 1996.
In May 1975, Master Shimabuku passed away at the age
of 68 starting off a chain of events that almost destroyed Isshin-Ryu on
Okinawa. This along with other internal conflicts began the downfall of the
largest style of karate on Okinawa at the time. Many of Isshin-Ryu’s top
people went to other styles because of internal disagreements and beliefs
leaving only seven senior students to include Master Uezu to carry on. This
would begin the hardest test of his loyalty and dedication to his Master and
Isshin-Ryu for the next 21 years.
He recalled a time after the Master’s death when he
was approached by three former friends and students of Isshin-Ryu who came to
his house to get him to switch to Shorin-Ryu. The three begged him to join them,
to which Master Uezu again replied "I have a duty to Master Shimabuku and
must remain loyal to my family". Master Uezu realized he had many people
around the world that needed him to keep Isshin-Ryu alive. He knew that he must
teach good Isshin-Ryu and respect Master Shimabuku because it was his duty.
Master Uezu took to this challenge by going to the states for extended periods
to teach and spread the word about Isshin-Ryu wherever and whenever he was
asked.
Master Uezu has said on many occasion, "I always
look straight ahead and ignore the comments that could distract me from
practicing good Isshin-Ryu". Through his efforts, he gathered a large
following of supporters, many skeptics and critics who met him have found him to
be a genuine, and honest person who is always smiling and will talk to everyone
no matter of their rank or status.
Master Uezu follows his Master’s beliefs in that one
must be a gentleman or lady at all times and never worry about the negative
influences that can harm oneself. Through all of this Master Uezu never struck
out at his detractors, to do so would have taken a way from everything he
believed in. If others didn’t like what he had to offer that was okay, he
respected them for their beliefs and willingness to follow their chosen path. He
truly believes that you must remain focused and have a big heart to accept
others for what they believe.
Master Uezu says Karate is the tool that helps reach
people reach their goals by training them to be strong mentally and physically.
Isshin-Ryu means "The One Heart Way", as Master Shimabuku truly
believed karate should be used for bettering oneself. In 1987, a disagreement
between the remaining top Okinawan leaders of Isshin-Ryu almost put the final
nail in the coffin on Okinawa. While the others went their own ways to different
styles, Master Uezu started the Okinawan Isshin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Association (O.I.K.K.A.)
to keep Isshin-Ryu alive on Okinawa and support his many followers around the
world.
Master Uezu’s persistence and dedication to his
master paid the ultimate dividend by becoming the only Isshin-Ryu association
now recognized by the Prefectural government and asked by it to perform at all
major karate demonstrations. The crowning achievement of his efforts to promote
Isshin-Ryu came when his association was asked to perform at 1995 World Okinawan
Karate Championships here on Okinawa.
In 1996 Master Uezu finally retired and passed the
torch on to Sensei Tsuyoshi Uechi, who is now the leader of Isshin-Ryu on
Okinawa and the President of the O.I.K.K.A. after having trained directly under
Master Uezu for over 25 years. Even in retirement Master Uezu is still
constantly receiving letters from people wanting to join the O.I.K.K.A. and has
never denied anyone admission to his association unless they were proven to be
less than respectable.
Today he resides quietly in Gushikawa City with his
wife Yukiko and his son. Even though he’s retired he isn’t far away from the
dojo. Master Uezu is a frequent visitor at Sensei Uechi’s dojo to watch,
however he with his enthusiasm and drive still strong he usually ends up
teaching the class. Master Uezu says "My wife won’t let me teach at home
and is always telling me to rest. I am a karate man and this is my life I
can’t rest, I have a duty to Master Shimabuku to spread his art of Isshin-Ryu".
Being the ultimate Bushido man he still practices
karate everyday in his dojo, (while his wife is taking a nap), he walks 5 miles,
and tells anyone who will listen the benefits of karate. This man will never
rest, "One day I’ll die and there will be plenty of time to rest, right
now I’m too busy".
Courtesy of the Isshin-Ryu Hall Of Fame,
Inc.
