Shuri Ryu Karate Do

The Dawsonville Martial Arts Center specializes in teaching the ancient art of Shuri-Ryu Karate and Yamanni-Ryu Kobudo (traditional Okinawan weapons).

Many styles of martial arts are incorrectly called karate. The word Karate translates to "Chinese Hand" or "Empty Hand". Our system is influenced by elements of traditional Chinese fighting arts and was developed into a highly effective form of weaponless self defense.

Shuri, one of the 3 major schools of Okinawan karate has the destinction of having the longest unbroken history of any karate system. For a current lineage chart, click here.

In the year 1373, the settlement of Kume Mura was founded on the island of Okinawa by the Chinese. Many years later, T'ung Gee Hsiang, who was living in Kume Mura at the time was approached by the legendary Choki Motobu and together, they combined their vast knowledge to develop the system of Shuri as it is taught today.

Karate was intoduced to the Okinawan public school system in 1901 by Anko Itosu. A brilliant pupil of Master Itosu named Gichin Funakoshi formally introduced karate to Japan in 1922 and went on to develop a style of karate called Shotokan.

In 1942, a young U.S. Navy serviceman named Robert A Trias was fortunate to cross paths with Master Hsiang and soon began the training he would bring back to America. When World War II ended in 1945, Master Trias returned to the United States and introduced karate to America. He opened his first school in 1946 and formed the United States Karate Association two years later.

Master Funakoshi and OSensei Trias

Shuri Ryu literally means to transcend and learn through tradition. We continue to teach the traditions handed down to us by the masters under the guidance of Hanshi Robert Bowles, style lead and founder of The International Shuri-Ryu Association and Hanshi Ridgely Abele of The Columbia School of Karatedo.