In 2003 Unante KenKyuKai was formed.
We are a small private dojo located 5 miles
north of Springfield, IL. in the small village
of Sherman.

"Unante"
The name Unante is short for "Unante-Karate".
Around the end of the Meiji period and before,
there was no official designation as to the name
of the different ways that people trained. People
just called their Martial Arts training all kinds
of different things at different times.

"Unan"
 is an alternative way to say "Uchinan"
which means Okinawa in Hogan. "Te" means hand, so
Unante can mean "Okinawate", which has nothing
to do with any specific style. It was just a
"street term" for their Martial Arts.

Unante-Karate as a more formal term simply
referred to both an empty hand training and an
art influenced by Chinese Martial Arts. (1.)

"KenKyuKai"
KenKyu literal meaning is: research, an academic
empirical study.

KenKyu-Kai literal meaning is: research association.
A club formed with the intent on in depth study
of a specific subject. (2.)


Unante KenKyuKai is based on the foundations of:

Shuri-Ryu/Goju-Ryu; of Sensei Ron Rollins 

Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu Koeppel Ha;

of Sensei Phil Koeppel Hanshi

Ryute; of Seibushi Steve Stark and Koubushi Bill Gossett.

This is our study. Not one particular style, but the
study of an Art. This art is called Okinawan Karate.
"The Life Protection Arts of the RyuKyu Kingdom".


I had no intentions of ever building a web site.
I was asked to think about putting one together
in the summer of 2008 and I'm amazed at how long it
has taken me too put this together. But I must say
I am enjoying myself and feel that this is another
building block in my Journey in the "Life Protection
Arts" of Okinawa.


The contents of the web site will include.

A History Page - the content that I have there will
eventually be updated to contain more information.

My Profile Page - lets you know a little bit about me.

Events Page - will be up-coming seminars, and tournaments.

Photos - photos of past seminars, archives.

Newsletters - they will be added 2 times a year.

Links - to classical, and traditional Okinawan Karate


I hope you will enjoy my site, Any constructive
suggestions are welcome!


(1.) Translation by Sensei John Sells
Author of "Unante the Secrets of Karate"

(2.) Translations from "The Dojo Desk Reference"
Author: Akatsuki Sakiyama
Translated by Don Oberloh