reihokan

Chris Hoshiyama, Shihan Hoshiyama Sensei began his martial arts training in the Hoshiyama family Jujitsu system passed down from his father Kazuo Hoshiyama. While learning Jujitsu, he began training in 1976 under Rudy Crosswell, Hanshi in the Shito-ryu style of karate and continued in that discipline for several years. Shihan’s Jujitsu training continued throughout his life until his father passed away in February of 1996.
throughout his life until his father passed away in February of 1996.Karate had always appealed to Chris because of its dynamic and often flashy striking movements and its beautiful kata. At a Karate tournament Shihan had the opportunity to meet a man who was known as the Father of Karate in America, Robert Trias, Hanshi..Mr. Trias was the head of the United States Karate Association and responsible for opening the very first Karate school in the United States. It opened in 1946 in Phoenix, Arizona. Shihan trained with Mr. Trias at the U.S.K.A. International Headquarters in Phoenix Arizona, learning the Shuri-ryu and Shorei-ryu systems of karate. Sensei Trias also held Shihan rank in Kodokan Judo. Chris was lucky enough to have had this passed down ti him as well. O-sensei Trias passed away in 1989 of cancer. During the time at the Trias dojo Chris had the opportunity to meet and train under some of the best martial artists in the United States, One of the most notable being Shihan Roy Osborne. Sensei Osborne was the first person to open Hoshiyama Sensei’s eyes to the true ways of Okinawan karate.	PICTURE
Osborne Sensei’s list of teachers is amazing to say the least. having been a direct student of Hohan Soken, Kanei Uechi, Fusei Kisei, Seiru Oyata, and many Japanese and American masters. Hoshiyama and Osborne have maintained their student-teacher relationship to this day. Hoshiyama Sensei was taken under the wing of John Pachivas, Hanshi. Mr. Pachivas acted as an advisor and friend to Chris. He passed away in 2000. In the 1990’s Mr. Hoshiyama decided it was time to learn the original methods of Non-Sport Okinawan Karate. He searched for an authentic Okinawan teacher in his geographic area. He found Shojiro Shiroma, Hanshi a direct student of Chosin Chibana Hanshi and Shugoro Nakazato, Hanshi. Hoshiyama Sensei trained with Mr. Shiroma for several years. In his efforts to return to the roots of true Okinawan Karate he sought out membership in the Shorin-ryu Shorinkan Kyokai. This is the organization headed by Hanshi Nakazato dedicated to Shorin-Ryu(Kobayashi-ryu) Karate. Hoshiyama Sensei held the rank of Renshi Rokudan under Nakazato Sensei.
PICTURE		Shihan Hoshiyama left the Shorinkan and became a member of the Shorin-Ryu Reihokan Karate and Kobudo Association headquarter in Naha City, Okinawa, Japan. He is a Senior Representative for the Reihokan in North America and is a senior student of Naonobu Ahagon- Hanshi in North America. Hanshi Ahagon is the head of The Shorin-Ryu Reihokan Karate-do and Kobudo Association from Okinawa, Japan. Hoshiyama Sensei while holding very high ranks in a number of systems(Trias Shorei-ryu and Shuri-ryu 8thdan) prefers to teach only the pure Okinawa Shorin-ryu style of Kobayashi-ryu as well as continuing the study of Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu. Sensei Hoshiyama holds a Shihan license directly from Okinawa. Over the years Sensei counts himself fortunate to have been able to develop long lasting friendships and the opportunity to learn from many of the top teachers from Okinawa and in the United States.