I’m very pleased to announce the official release of “Tales from the Western Generation”! This book is a collection of over 30 interviews with some of the most senior karate practitioners in the United States. These are men and women who studied directly with the great masters of Okinawa, Japan, and early USA.

I’d like to show off what the book has to offer!

What is Tales from the Western Generation?

In 2008 I started Ikigai Way, and shortly after began pursuing interviews with martial artists that I found particularly interesting or impactful. After completing a handful of interviews I realized that there were some amazing individuals with unique stories that had a lot to share…but no avenue to share it! That’s when I decided to begin pursuing the stories of karate greats with more zeal and collect them all in one book.

“Tales” is the culmination of that effort, and breaks down like this:

Section 1 – History of how Eastern martial arts made their way to America. Prior to 1950 Judo was the most popular Eastern martial art in the United States. Despite thousands of Chinese immigrants during the gold rush era, Kung Fu remained a well maintained secret. In section 1 I explore how the importation of various Eastern martial arts affected the eventual growth of karate in the USA.

Section 2 – Interviews with the Western Generation. The crux of the book, this section features over 30 interviews with senior practitioners of various karate styles. The interview guests come from diverse backgrounds and studied with senior sensei in Japan, Okinawa, and the United States.

Section 3 – Conclusions. Using the wide context of the book, I draw certain conclusions about the past, present, and future of karate, applicable to individuals of all styles and skill levels.

Hear Stories About Great Masters Such As:	___	Interview Guests Include:
Hohan Soken Okazaki Teruyuki Shimabukuro Zenryo Tsuyoshi Chitose Odo Seikichi Robert Trias Kise Fusei Oyata Seiyu Peter Urban Matayoshi Shinpo Miyazato Eiichi Shimabukuro Eizo …and many more!		Chuck Merriman – Goju Ryu Ed McGrath – Isshin Ryu Maynard Miner – Shotokan Glenn Keeney – Goju Ryu Victor Moore – Shuri Ryu Cathy Cline – Shotokan James Logue – Oyata Shin Shu Ho Bill Hayes – Shobayashi Ryu Nicomedes Flores – Okinawa Kenpo William Dometrich – Chito Ryu James Coffman – Matsumura Seito Doug Perry – Shorin Ryu Shorinkan …and many more!