About Seido Karate

WHAT IS SEIDO KARATE

A martial art for men, women and children

The goal of Seido Karate is to attain physical, mental and spiritual growth. For those interested in self improvement, what is learnt in the Dojo can be used to enhance their everyday lives.

Physical Fitness

Our training is of a progressive nature. Even unfit people can safely begin karate and enjoy the benefits, as they progress at their own pace. The motivation that comes with group training, and the incentive of learning and developing skills, brings students to a high degree of all round fitness. Our students range in age from 5 – 75.

Self Defence

Seido Karate is one of the most effective and efficient forms of self defence. Students learn to use the entire body as a weapon, developing the ability to defend themselves against much larger and stronger assailants. Accordingly each person grows in confidence and develops an awareness of how to avoid confrontation.

A Reputation for High Quality Teaching

Seido Karate is a traditional school. It teaches that, while karate is an excellent means of physical conditioning and self-defence, the real purpose of this martial art is cultivation of character.

In Nelson we have our own Dojo or training hall. Over the past 35 years it has developed a strong reputation worldwide, for the high quality of its teaching and the standard of its students.

We also offer meditation classes.

One of the many benefits of being part of Seido Karate is the close and lasting friendships that are formed.

THE FOUNDER OF SEIDO KARATE

Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura

Born in Japan in 1942 Kaicho started Karate at an early age and rose to become the worldwide Chief Instructor for Kyokushinkai Kaikan Karate. Disillusioned with the way Karate was heading and its emphasis on competitiveness, Kaicho formed Seido Karate in 1976 based on the principles of LOVE, OBEDIENCE and RESPECT.

Kaicho wanted to return Karate to its original root values – that is that everybody, men, women and children from all walks of life should be able to safely practise this beautiful martial art.

A 9th Degree Black belt, Kaicho’s ideals, beliefs and philosophy of living have given strength and inspiration to thousands of students around the world.

Kaicho, with his son Nidaime Kyoshi Akira – Vice Chairman of World Seido Karate, teach and practise Karate daily at the World Headquarters in Manhattan, New York.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF KARATE

Karate is two words together— ‘Kara’ means empty and ‘Te’ means hand.

Seido comes from the Japanese words ‘Sei’ and ‘Do’ meaning sincere way.

The origins of Karate can be traced back thousands of years to China & Okinawa. In the 5^th Century Master Bodhidharma from India taught a form of meditation at the shaolin monastery in China. Bodhidharma found the assembled monks in poor physical condition and subject to attack by bandits. He said “Although my teaching is meant to nourish you spiritually, in reality the spirit and body are one. From tomorrow, you will rise and train in the following method”.

Sanshin Kata is attributed to Master Bodhidharma.

Okinawan martial arts were influenced by traders from China and practical empty hand techniques(jutsu) were developed by the Okinawans when weapons were banned by Japanese invaders in the 1400’s. Karate then was very much just for self-defence although just the ‘no quit’ spirit empowered courage and self-esteem amongst the islanders.

The Japanese had many martial arts of their own, their main unarmed combat system being jujitsu. With the advent of the firearm the Martial Arts went from being just practical technique (jutsu) to ‘Do’ (way). The way being a path or journey to self-discovery and realization.

In 1922, Okinawan Master Gichin Funakoshi was invited to Japan to formally introduce Karate Do.

The way of Karate quickly became very popular and one of his first students was Masutatsu Oyama.

Master Oyama studied other styles as well including Goju Ryu. In 1953, he formed his own Dojo and style called Kyokushin. In the 1960’s both Ei Koh Hanshi Andy & Ei Koh Hanshi Renzie trained with Master Oyama in Tokyo.

In 1966 Kaicho Nakamura as Kyokushin’s head instructor was sent to the USA to teach and promote Kyokushin Karate.

In 1976 Kaicho Nakamura started SEIDO Karate. Kaicho invited Eiko Hanshi Andy & Eiko Hanshi Renzie to join this new organization. Kaicho felt Karate Do should return to its original roots, that is everybody should be able to safely practise this beautiful Martial art.

OSU

Eiko Hanshi Andy

Born in Wellington in 1948, Eiko Hanshi Andy started Karate as a teenager in the mid 1960s. In 1967 he traveled to Japan to train at the Kyokushinkai Honbu Dojo in Tokyo under Master Oyama.

Even though the everyday training was gruelling and often brutal, Eiko Hanshi Andy topped the training attendance record and was awarded Shodan Black belt by Master Oyama. He returned to New Zealand with fellow New Zealander Mr John Jarvis. Together they toured the country giving demonstrations and newspaper and TV interviews on this then little known, mysterious oriental art.

Eiko Hanshi Andy had considerable success in tournaments both in NZ and Australia and in 1975 captained the New Zealand team to the 1st World Karate Championship in Tokyo.

After meeting Kaicho Nakamura, Eiko Hanshi opened his own Dojo in Nelson in 1974. Eiko Hanshi Andy reflects on this time – “Eiko Hanshi Renzie (of Christchurch) and I invited Kaicho to New Zealand. I had met and seen karate masters in Japan but on meeting Kaicho for the first time I suddenly realized what karate was about. Here was this powerful man with awesome ability the likes of which I had never seen before. But with it Kaicho had such a gentle, sincere and humble manner. It was so inspiring that I decided I wanted to do Karate full-time. So I left my job at a publishing company in Christchurch, sold my house and moved with my family to Nelson. I bought an old factory and gradually it turned into the beautiful dojo we have today.”

Since the founding of Seido Karate in 1976 Eiko Hanshi Andy travelled regularly to New York to train with Grandmaster Nakamura. Andy Barber was promoted to Eiko Hanshi 8th Dan (Chief Master) level in June 2022 along with Eiko Hanshi Charles Martin of New York and Eiko Hanshi Renzie Hanham of Christchurch. These three gentlemen are the highest graded students in Worldwide Seido Karate. The title Eiko means ‘everlasting light’. They will be the only recipients of this particular title.

Eiko Hanshi Andy was a Justice of the Peace and taught Government training programmes for more than 10 years, motivating hundreds of people towards worthwhile life opportunities.

Eiko Hanshi Andy was married to Sei Shihan Jane Barber (the most senior Seido Karate woman outside the USA) and they have 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

In 6 June 2016 Eiko Hanshi Andy Barber received the Queen’s Service Medal for services to karate and the community.

On 19 July 2022 Eiko Hanshi pasted away in Nelson. He has left behind a great Karate legacy with a number of strong vibrant dojos around the top of the South Island, experienced and dedicated instructors and hundreds of regularly training students.

Eiko Hanshi Andy is sadly missed but his presence is still resonant in the training hall.

Download the Wild Tomato magazine interview with then Hanshi Andy (4.2MB PDF)