Tadashi Yamashita

Master Yamashita Tadashi, possessor of 9 dan in Kobayashi Shorin Ryu and 10 dan in Kobudo, is the chief instructor of Shorin Ryu and of Zen Okinawa Kobudo Renmei in USA.

Born in Japan in 1942, he lived in Okinawa since the age of 8 years old. At the age of three, his father passed away. He started the study of martial arts at the age of 10, and he won his first dan at the age of 16. Today, he lives permanently in Los Angeles, USA, where he moved at the age of 24.

Master Yamashita Tadashi is one of the most well known instructors in an international level and he is considered to be an authority in traditional arms of Okinawa worldwide. He is the younger Karateka in the history of Japan who reached the 7th dan at the age of 27 years old. The title was awarded to him after examinations in 1968 by the famous master of Shorin ryu, Chibana Chosin, and his personal teacher in Okinawa, Nagazato Sugoro.

In U.S A, there are over 60 traditional dojo under his supervision.

His popularity, his skills in karate and kobudo as well as his personal style Suikendo, gave him the chance to enter in the world of show-business (Hollywood).
He participated in more than 25 movies, among others: Thrillseekers, The Karate, The Blind Karate man, Karate 2, Enter the Dragon, Judge Dee, Golden Needlesss, Octagon, The Seven, The Magnificent Three, The Shinobi, Kung Fu, A Man Called Sloan, American Ninja etc.

Today, his only occupation is the instruction of his art according to the traditional values of Okinawa's Karate and its spread throughout the world.