Sensei's Background

Franco Sanguinetti is a descendent of Italian and Spanish grand-parents who migrated to South America before World War II. He began his Budo training in his homeland of Perú, South America, where there is a very extensive Okinawan/Japanese community. Sanguinetti Sensei initiated his training in Budo in 1972, and since then, he has trained under the tutelage of strict, traditional Okinawan and Japanese instructors. Many instructors have influenced Sanguinetti’s martial arts skills; among them are well recognized names such as Morio Higaonna, Juichi Kokubo, John Roseberry, Shinpo Matayoshi, Yoshiaki Gakiya and Seisho Itokazu among many others.

Sanguinetti Sensei’s learning journey in the martial arts has taken him to live in Perú, Venezuela, Okinawa, and the USA. He moved permanently in 1985 to the USA where he has resided in San Diego, California since then.

Although Sanguinetti Sensei holds the rank of Hachi Dan (8th Dan) in Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate, he has trained and been ranked in Kyokushinkai, Shotokan and Shito Ryu. This exposure to other Karate styles has provided Sanguinetti with additional knowledge and insight into the martial arts. As a result he has a more complete understanding of what he does today as the founder and chief instructor of the Bushikan Budo Kyokai. Sanguinetti Sensei began his journey in Okinawan Goju Ryu in Perú under the instruction of Juichi Kokubo Sensei who was Morio Higaonna Sensei’s ‘uchi deshi’ in Japan. He continued his training with Higaonna Sensei when living first in Okinawa and later on the United States where he became the ‘dai sempai‘ at Higaonna Sensei’s dojo in San Marcos, California. In 1993 Sanguinetti Sensei joined the Shorei Shobu Kan organization seeking the knowledge of John Roseberry Shihan, a relationship lasting until today.
Karate Grading
Rank Organization Awarded By Place
ShodanI.O.G.K.F.Morio Higaonna SenseiVenezuela
NidanI.O.G.K.F.Morio Higaonna SenseiOkinawa
SandanI.O.G.K.F.Morio Higaonna SenseiPerú
YondanShorei Shobu KanJohn Roseberry ShihanUnited States
GodanShorei Shobu KanJohn Roseberry ShihanUnited States
RokudanShorei Shobu KanJohn Roseberry ShihanUnited States
NanadanShorei Shobu KanJohn Roseberry ShihanUnited States
HachidanShorei Shobu KanJohn Pitts SenseiUnited States
Sanguinetti Sensei also holds rank of Kyu Dan (9th Dan) in Matayoshi Kobudo. Sanguinetti Sensei’s training in Kobudo began parallel to his training in Karate in 1972. When he moved to Venezuela in 1979 he had the opportunity to meet and train with Gishin Hiramatsu Sensei. Sanguinetti Sensei practiced with Hiramatsu Sensei until 1982 when he moved Okinawa to train with Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei. Franco Sanguinetti met Matayoshi Sensei for the first time in 1981 when he traveled to Okinawa to participate in the 1st IOGKF International Gasshuku & Tournament. Sanguinetti Sensei started training with Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei in 1982 when he returned to live in Okinawa 1982 ~ 1983. Sanguinetti Sensei trained with Matayoshi Sensei until 1997 when the latest passed. After the passing of Matayoshi Sensei in 1997 Sanguinetti Sensei has trained with Yoshiaki Gakiya Sensei, Kenichi Yammashiro Sensei, Koushin Kamura Sensei, Seisho Itokazu Sensei, Koushin Kamura Sensei, Seitetsu Murayama Sensei and all the senior instructors in the Kodokan in Okinawa. Today Sanguinetti Sensei is one of the most respected Matayoshi Kobudo instructors worldwide.
Kobudo Grading
Rank Organization Awarded By Place
ShodanKodokanShinpo Matayoshi SenseiOkinawa
NidanKodokanShinpo Matayoshi SenseiOkinawa
SandanKodokanShinpo Matayoshi SenseiOkinawa
YondanKodokanShinpo Matayoshi SenseiOkinawa
GodanKodokanYoshiaki Gakiya SenseiOkinawa
RokudanKodokanSeisho Itokazu SenseiOkinawa
NanadanKodokanSeisho Itokazu SenseiOkinawa
HachidanShorei Shobu KanJohn Roseberry ShihanUnited States
KyudanKokusai DōkōkaiKoushin Kamura SenseiOkinawa

Okinawa Training: It was during his first trip to Okinawa in 1981 that Sanguinetti Sensei, in search of more depth to his training, made the decision to move to Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate and Kobudo. The following year he moved to Okinawa and trained in three different Dojos during 1982 ~ 1983. He practiced Okinawan Goju Ryu with Morio Higaonna Sensei, Matayoshi Kobudo with Shinpo Matayoshi Sensei and Iai-Do with Toyozato Sensei. He fondly refers to that period as the best time in his life because he did not need to focus on anything else other than budo training and learning about the Japanese/Okinawan culture. Sanguinetti Sensei until today continues traveling to Okinawa every year to train in Karate and Kobudo.

Competitions & National Teams: as part of Sanguinetti Sensei martial arts experience he competed in national and international tournaments for over 13 years. He competed in tournaments in Perú, Venezuela, Argentina, Okinawa and the USA. As a result of this experience in competitions, he has earned positions on prestigious teams such as the Peruvian National Karate Team and the Venezuelan National Karate Team.

Sensei's Photos

  • 1981 Jul Naha, Okinawa – Chojun Miyagi Haka
  • 1981 Jul Naha, Okinawa – IOGKF Taikai
  • 1981 Jul Naha, Okinawa – Morio Higaonna Sensei & Teruo Chinen Sensei
  • 1981 Jul Tokyo, Japan – Yoyogi Dojo
  • 1981 Sep Buenos Aires, Argentina – Venezuela Karate National Team
  • 1982 Dec Naha, Okinawa – Zen Okinawa Kobudo Renmei Bonenkai

 

Sensei's Teachings