IN CELEBRATION OF THIS PUBLICATION

I am very grateful that our long dream to publish a "Ayumi" (History) has been accomplished. I would like to thank the editing committee. Thank you for your hard work.

This project started 16 years ago when the seventh Kaicho Meitoku Yagi Sensei established the "Ayumi" committee and started to record and publish the history of Zen Okinawa Karate-do Renmei. I believe it is our duty to those who have run the Renmei from the beginning to leave a record of the history of Karate after the second World War in its place of origin, Okinawa.

Recording the history will allow what the old proverb says: "You learn about the present by studying the past". This is a mission for the executive board of the Renmei. However, due to many different interruptions, it took 16 years to accomplish this task. Again, as the old saying goes we "Turn misfortune into a blessing", and we were able to add another 16 years to the record of our history, to make it more comprehensive.

The world of Karate has gone through many changes and restructuring over the years. At present there are about 10 organizations in Okinawa. All 5 Ryuha and 35 Dojo in Okinawa which belong to the Zen Okinawa Karate-do Renmei have always been hard working and made progress with the "healthy growth of the youth" as our motto and by contributing to the development and promotion of Karate as a team effort while making changes and adjusting with the times but not losing its direction.

I would like to conclude my congratulations by praying for the development of Okinawa Karate-do, Kobu-do and Zen Okinawa Karate-do Renmei.

Joen Nakazato, Hanshi 10 Dan
Zen Okinawa Karate-do Renmei
Kaicho (Chairman) Karate-do