Trips To Okinawa
It was during his first trip to Okinawa in July of 1981 to participate in a 10-day Goju Ryu gasshuku and tournament that Sanguinetti sensei understood the intrinsic connection between the essence of the arts of Karate and Kobudo and this special island at the south of Japan.
It was not just that Okinawa was the birthplace of these two arts, but more important, he connected personally with the Okinawan culture, history and the wonderful native people. With that immediate realization came also his instantaneous decision to move to and live in Okinawa the following year.
Following one of his most important decisions of his life, Sanguinetti sensei moved to the city of Naha in July of 1982 to live in Okinawa through 1983. He moved to train in Matayoshi Kobudo with the founder of the school, Matayoshi Shinpo sensei and in Okinawan Goju Ryu with one of the then most well-known and respected instructors worldwide of the ryuha (style), Higaonna Morio sensei.
After fulfilling his goal to live in Okinawa from 1982~1983; experience that he recalls until today as one of the most fulfilling in his life, Sanguinetti sensei has continued with his commitment to travel to this important ancestral island not only to continue with his own martial arts training and development of his personal relationship with other Okinawan instructors, but also to take practitioners from around the world to have the opportunity to live what he calls the “Okinawan experience”.
As part of that commitment; until the present, Sanguinetti sensei takes 2 or 3 trips every year; between his personal trips and the trips taking members and non-members of his organization to train in Okinawa. Regardless that Sanguinetti sensei is primarily a Goju Ryu practitioner, he understands the importance to expose practitioners to the other two old Okinawan styles of karate so all his trips include training in Okinawan Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu and Uechi Ryu. The trips also include extensive training in Matayoshi Kobudo.
The trip not only focus in training with Okinawan instructors in Karate and Kobudo, but also in visiting historic places and tourist locations on the island.
Team members traveling with the group will have the opportunity to train martial arts as well as to learn about the ancient and rich Okinawan culture. Sanguinetti Sensei always encourages travelers to take the opportunity to learn as much as they can during their stay; from the technical aspect to the cultural. Just the simple but respectful way of living demonstrated by the Okinawans in daily life is worth to assimilate. Spouses and relatives are very welcome to travel with the team.
For more information about this trip, please click HERE
