As explained by Master Uezu; the real name
Go-Shu-Jin-Sama was not used originally due to the difficulty in translating
this to the Americans, thus the name Mizu-Gami was adopted for ease of
translation. During the next section the name Go-Shu-Jin-Sama will be used
In 1953, Master Tatsuo Shimabuku was
teaching in the courtyard of his home in Agena, Okinawa.
In the yard, the Master had a tank, which was used to collect water in
case of droughts and to supply hard-working students with a refreshing drink
between workouts. One day, after
a full day of teaching, the Master sat on top of the tank in order to enjoy a
little sake and cup of tea.
The day’s activities and tensions began
to float away, leaving the Master in a very restful state.
Soon, he fell asleep and began to dream.
In his vision he heard a man enter the gate of the courtyard and
approach him. When the man
confronted Shimabuku, he challenged the Master to a fight, but instead of
accepting his challenge, Shimabuku waved the man away with his left hand and
made a fist over his head with his right hand.
Symbolically, Shimabuku put an open hand, meaning patch, but backed up
the peace with a closed fists representing his ability to destroy the stranger
if he tried to hurt the Master. (This open left hand and closed right first is
also the salutation before performing each Isshin Ryu Kata).
Instead of leaving in peace, however, the man encircled the Master in
flames, and as mysteriously as he appeared, the man disappeared.
This left Master Shimabuku in a rather
difficult position, but instead of running about in panic, the Master kept a
cool head and used the bucket in the tank to pour water over the flames.
Before too long, all the flames were extinguished - so was his dream.
The Master awoke.
This left a lasting impression on the
Master, so much so that he couldn’t get the dream out of his mind.
The next day, when he want to Naha (Capital of Okinawa), for business,
he entered a great house and there hanging on a wall was a picture of a woman
waist deep in water. Immediately
he ran to an employee of the building and asked her who that was in the
picture. The master was
told that it was Go-Shu-Jin-Sama, (defense goddess)
What impressed him most about the picture
was that the lady, this Go-Shu-Jin-Sama, was in the same stance that he took
the night before in his dream against the strange man.
Furthermore, Go-Shu-Jin-Sama was in water - like he was on the tank -
and she was using water to extinguish flames in the sea - as he used to
extinguish the flames around his body.
The Master came to the realization that
water was the symbol of purity, strength, goodness; whereas fire was the
symbol of evil, aggression, and destruction.
What’s more, he came to understand that evil can only be destroyed if
first one is willing to yield to it with an open hand, tempered with the
strength and confidence one achieves through proper karate training.
As the Master discussed the woman’s
image and how he would like it to somehow represent his karate system, an
understanding and creative American soldier who was studying with Master
Shimabuku at the time, set out to design and incorporate the Master’s
thoughts into an emblem. The
soldier also did this to honor the Master.
This Isshin Ryu patch as it is known today is of oval shape to
represent the human heart. In the
center is the figure of Go-Shu-Jin-Sama and at the top are three stars
representing Master Shimabuku’s three teachers: Chojun Miyagi (Goju Ryu),
Chotoku Kyan (Shorin Ryu, and Choki Motobu (Shorin Ryu).
The stars are at the top to represent the Masters’ looking down on
the developing karateka, Tatsuo Shimabuku. This was later changed to 5 stars
by Grand Master Uezu to incorporate Master Shimabuku and Taira Shinken.
They are in heaven, and if you follow the right path, they too, will
guide you to attainment.
A red (sometimes-orange) circle signifying
the flame that surrounded Shimabuku in his dream boarders the emblem.
The flame signifies evil; the water purity; and Go-Shu-Jin-Sama, the
equalizer, and it is always worn on your uniform over the heart symbolizing
the “one heart way”.
Above Go-Shu-Jin-Sama is a dragon.
The dragon in eastern mythology represents good fortune.
Also, the serpent, like the karateka, is born of the sea (or starting
from the bottom), and when the dragon matures (or the karateka develops) he
ascends into the heavens and achieves attainment.
