As you may have noticed, the Koden Europe is not a member anymore of the IOTKA. The reason for this, is that the IOTKA is just an other American version of an Isshinryu organisation. We, the Koden Europe, don't want to continue to support the IOTKA with money of our members, especially when there is nothing in return. Also the communication skills of the IOTKA, which should represent a global organisation, are very unprofessional or in other words amateurish. We assumed that the IOTKA was an Okinawan organisation at the time we signed up for our membership. Even the people on Okinawa couldn't tell what was going on within the IOTKA.

 Another important issue is that we don't agree with the content of the kata. Uechi Sensei added, on his own initiative, certain techniques to the kata and also added non-Isshinryu kata, like Fukyu kata. This is the reason that we as "Koden" stop supporting Uechi sensei. The kata we train are not changed since Shimabuku Sensei developed them. These kata were taught to Advincula Sensei, who trained for 17 years with Shimabuku, and he transfered the kata to us.

My opinion is that as soon as the content of kata are changed, it is not Isshinryu anymore but a ryu-ha. Isshinryu must remain pure, the way Shimabuku has created it and no other way. And this is what the Koden stands for.

Recent I had a e.mail from someone inside the IOTKA. IOTKA is a member of Rengokai Okinawa, he sais that the Rengokai Okinawa doesn't recognizes the Isshinryu Kata's Kyan No Sai and Kusanku No Sai. Without these Kata's it is't Isshinryu anymore in my opinion.

Fred van de Vijver Kyoshi 7 th Dan ,

Kaicho of the Koden Isshinryu Karate Kobudo Kenkyukai

 DOMUGEN