The Last Lesson

Usually I don't put too many books in my list of recommendations that are not up to my perception of worthiness but in this case since it strikes toward an aspect of the practice of Isshinryu, in general, via Tatsuo-san's gift of his silk ken-po goku-i certificate I just had to make a few comments on this book. If you are not open to criticism then don't read this review.

I would have to question the title for I have come to the conclusion that the goku-i (will use this terse reference to mean "ken-po goku-i.") is NOT the last lesson but rather a lesson we should embrace from the very beginning of the practice of ANY martial system. It has come to my belief that to not balance out the physical with the spiritual (not a religious reference here) whereby the spiritual encompasses a deeper understanding of the Okinawan people with their customs, beliefs and history. Not the surface stuff you hear about all the time but a deeper level that reaches back in its history to the influences before Okinawan Ti become Toudi and then Naha-Tomari-Shuri Ti and finally today's Karate.

In general I found the content more an expression of the author rather than the goku-i. This is fine in general but I felt it did not actually speak toward the goku-i at the level's Tatsuo-san meant for us to reach. I say this as my personal belief and findings after my thirty plus years in practice and my ten plus years researching and delving as deep as I can into the full spectrum of the goku-i which does speak to many connections between Okinawa, China, Japan and other Asian nations such as Korea, etc. Many commonalities but also many unique perspectives of the same customs, beliefs and history.

If you are a student of the author I would encourage you to purchase the book if for no other reason then to see an inside view of the author, teacher and practitioner of Isshinryu but understand that the reference to the goku-i seems flawed, off-set and not quite the meaning meant by Tatsuo-san - again, my personal opinion and perspective only.

When I read that this was promoted as the "first book of its kind on Isshinryu" I had to disagree. Once you  read the content and remove the title of the book as for the goku-i it is actually another rendition of may other books not only on Isshinryu but on other systems/styles, etc. of karate. In that it is not from my view indicative of goku-i and the underlying meaning it can contain.

Then again at the level of which I perceive the efforts that may have gone into or not gone into researching the true meaning of the goku-i this book for this author may truly be his/her views on their perspective and belief as to the goku-i therefore I would applaud that effort for it as an effort to understand this often difficult koan called the goku-i at least on a rudimentary and beginner level. I would say it might be a start and remaining open to the possibilities that it is not the end of the story is crucial to all new readers to this and to the goku-i.

In this light if this book provides all the readers inspiration to seek out more as to the goku-i then it does meet that which Tatsuo-san wanted most from us, the desire to seek out the knowledge that encompasses that of the customs, beliefs and history of the Okinawan people and those Okinawan masters such as Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei, creator of Isshinryu Karate-jutsu-do.

In general I do not recommend this book for anything other than a small part of your effort to find out the wholehearted truth that is Tatsuo-san's desire to seek out more than the mere physical and reach for the stars. Add it if you will to your library but don't assume it is more than what it is - a good start "toward" the true lessons of Tatsuo-san.

p.s. note closely the "Isshinryu-no-Megami" symbol on the cover. I suspect either the author or the publisher reversed the plate as it is backward. Normally the dragon and stars are on the right and the open hand is up on the left side as you look at the picture. :-)