Hawaii Karate Seinenkai
The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai Salutes:
Carlton S. Shimomi
November 14, 1933 - October 29, 2002

Carlton Shimomi was born in Honolulu in 1933. While a member of the armed forces, he was assigned to Ashiya Air Base on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. There he learned Shorin-Ryu from Shigenobu Nakano, a senior student of Akio Nozoe. He also trained with Nozoe, who was the head of the Nippon Karatedo Kushinkai and a postmaster in Kumamoto. Nozoe learned Shorin-Ryu from Shoshin Nagamine, the founder of the Matsubayashi-Ryu form of Shorin-Ryu. Nagamine had learned from Ankichi Arakaki, Chotoku Kyan, and Choki Motobu. Nakano had also studied Wado-Ryu under Takemoto Sensei. Wado-Ryu was founded by Hironori Ohtsuka (the founder of Wado-Ryu and the senior student of Gichin Funakoshi). Before returning to Hawaii, Shimomi was awarded shodan by Nakano.

Akio Nozoe Shigenobu Nakano

In July, 1956, Shimomi rented a space and established the Shorin Ryu Karate Club (also known as the Kushinkai Club) in Kapahulu. He was the head instructor and Charles M. Iwakami was the assistant instructor. This was the first "traditional" dojo opened in Hawaii after World War II. At the time, most of the other dojo in Honolulu were teaching Kenpo Karate (under the line of Masayoshi James Mitose).

Early members of the Hawaii Karate Congress. Front: Jimmy Miyaji,
Kenneth Murakami, Robert Igarashi, Winfred Ho. Back: Mitsugi
Kobayashi, unknown, unknown, Walter Nishioka, Carlton Shimomi.

Shimomi's dojo grew quickly until there were over 40 students. Among these were Robert Igarashi and Harry Tagomori. Shimomi was a founding member of the Hawaii Karate Congress. He also trained with other Hawaii instructors, including Winfred Ho. Ho said that several instructors all worked together.

Shimomi brought Nozoe and Nakano Sensei to Honolulu around 1962 or 1963. He continued to teach until about 1966.


The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes Carlton S. Shimomi -- the first sensei to establish a traditional dojo in Hawaii after World War II.

The spirit of Karate is the Aloha spirit
