In the environment of traditional Japanese martial arts of karate and kobudo, Okinawa, Japan is considered a beacon because the Island has long been thought of as the birthplace of those Arts, the place where those two Arts originated.

In July of 1981, Franco Sanguinetti Sensei made his first journey to Naha, Okinawa to attend a 10-day Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate training event. He understood the importance of Okinawa, not only as the origin of karate and kobudo, but also as a place where the old traditions of those Arts are still preserved until today.

This first visit to participate in the training event in Okinawa was followed by a month-long experience visiting and training in other places such as Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo in mainland Japan.

Sanguinetti Sensei’s interaction with several traditional karate instructors during his training experience in Okinawa convinced him to make the decision to return to Okinawa to live from 1982 to 1983 and continue his learning not only in the technical aspect of the arts of karate and kobudo, but also in the cultural and historical aspects of those Arts.

Sanguinetti Sensei not only fulfilled his dream and desire to have that life experience living there, but since then he travels back to Okinawa once or twice every year to continue his own training and research, but he also makes separates trips to take groups of his students to enjoy that unique experience.

During Sanguinetti Sensei’s time living in Okinawa, he primarily trained with Morio Higaonna Sensei who was the most internationally prominent Okinawan Goju Ryu instructor and Shinpo Matayoshi Sensei, founder of the school of Matayoshi Kobudo.

To further his commitment to promote the arts of Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate and Matayoshi Kobudo, in 1997 Sanguinetti Sensei formed his organizations Bushikan Budo Kyokai and Matayoshi Kobudo Kyokai USA (currently called Matayoshi Kobudo Kodokan International).

His humble idea wasn’t just to promote the technical aspect of those Arts, but also the Okinawan culture and history intrinsically related to them. Since his first trip to Okinawa in 1981, Sanguinetti Sensei’s work has been dedicated not only to establish relationships with Okinawan instructors, but more important through the years to develop and strengthen those relationships to the point that he calls them his Okinawan Family.

To learn more about Sanguinetti Sensei’s martial arts background please visit this LINK.

In order for Sanguinetti Sensei to promote the old traditions and culture intrinsically related to the martial arts of Okinawan karate and kobudo, he made the commitment to bring Okinawan instructors to teach in the USA, as well he created the opportunity for students and instructors of his organization to travel to Okinawa to train with native instructors and get submerged in their ancient culture.

His original idea was to bring instructors to the USA in even numbered years and to take a team to train in Okinawa in odd numbered years.
Starting on February 1998 consistently he has brought Okinawan instructors to teach four full days training events in San Diego, California.

As Sanguinetti Sensei made the commitment to bring Okinawan instructors to teach in the USA starting in 1998, he also made the commitment to take a team of his students to train karate and kobudo in Okinawa every odd numbered year starting in 1999, a commitment that he has kept until the present.
Being in Okinawa not only allows his students to experience the "in person" training with native instructors, but also gives them the unique opportunity to be immersed in the original environment where the arts of karate and kobudo were formed.
Traveling to train in Okinawa is a unique once in a life time experience for students and instructors considering not only the technical aspect of the trip, but also very important the cultural aspect of it. Members of Sanguinetti Sensei's team have the opportunity on a daily basis to get acquainted with the Japanese language, the native and ancient language of Okinawan Hogen, the Japanese and Okinawan cuisine, and visit historic landmarks on the Island.
Starting in July 1999 Sanguinetti Sensei has fulfilled his commitment to further his relationship with Okinawan karate and kobudo instructors by conducting the following events in Okinawa with the following instructors: