“Since 1990 when Mr. Parker first came to Okinawa, I have had the privilege of being his teacher. I have watched him learn and grow beyond my expectations and am proud to see Parker become such a fine ambassador for Okinawan Karate.—Takamiyagi Hiroshi, Okinawa Goshukan-ryu Karate-do “Fascinating and important lessons from a man who lived and trained in a place most people only every dream about. I highly recommend this book to all who study traditional Okinawan and Japanese martial arts.”—Joe Swift, Tokyo Mushinkan Dojo – JapanChanpuru: Reflections and Lessons from the Dojo offers glimpses into the old ways of karate through the personal journey of Garry Parker, a modern day sensei, who learned traditional karate the old way on Okinawa. Parker invites the reader to come along on his journey to see how he gained entrance into a rapidly disappearing society of authentic Okinawan martial art traditions. A tradition honed for a century before air-conditioned schools, colored belts and sport competitions. To offer deep insights into the many topics of karate, Chanpuru is divided into three parts. Part 1 is autobiographical, highlighting the reflections of Parker’s personal journey in karate. Part 2 is filled with essays on topics relevant to the study and practice of karate, including lessons learned, advice, the author’s personal thoughts and stories, and little nuggets of wisdom he’s picked up along the way. Part 3 is dedicated to the legacy of the author’s teacher, Takamiyagi Hiroshi, the founder of Goshukan-ryu, and pioneer of Wu Zhu Quan (Five Ancestor Boxing) on Okinawa. An exclusive interview, along with rare photos from Takamiyagi’s personal collection, complete the book.
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