Biography of Master
Souke Seinosuke MITSUYA, 9th Dan (Hanshi)
Founder of Karate-Do & Kobu-Do “MITSUYA-KAI International”
Seinosuke MITSUYA was born on 4th of October 1946 in Osaka, Japan. At the age of 14, he began the study of Martial Arts (Karate and Kobudo) under the guidance of Master Teruo HAYASHI (1924 - 2004).
He graduated from the “Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku” University of Osaka. During his university education, MITSUYA collaborated with Master Teruo HAYASHI (1924 - 2004) as his assistant in his central dojo, teaching karate and kobudo.
In Japan, to become a captain of the Martial Art (Karate & Kobu-Do) club of the University is a great achievement; Mitsuya became the captain of his university club, and he managed and coordinated several other university clubs in Osaka area too.
The last 60’s and earliest 70's were very difficult years in Japanese society, but Seinosuke MITSUYA showed already his talent and dedication as a great leader and martial artist.
He received many special lessons from Master HAYASHI (1924 - 2004) to perfect his skills and to be prepared to diffuse the original Hayashi-ha Karate-do and Kobu-do all around the world.
Mitsuya became the best direct student of master Hayashi’s all life. He always supported master Hayashi specially on international area, becaming the first official representative Instructor of Japan Karate-do “Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu Kai” (Founded 1971) and Kobudo "Kenshinryu" organizations outside Japan and his unique task made him the principal exponent of these styles presenting them all around the world. This role was instrumental for the great success and expansion of traditional Japanese Martial Arts school, that in early times was still unknown.
In the early 1972, Seinosuke MITSUYA moved to Seattle, USA, demostrating traditional Japanese Karate-Do and Kobu-Do in many events and teaching at 5 dojos in the States of Washington and Oregon (PortLand).
In 1973, he moved to Europe, where, he showed himself and tought in Sweden (Stockholm, Karlskoga, Karlstad), France (Paris), Italy (Torino, Milano, Bologna, Terni, Porto Recanati, Roma, Gaeta, Napoli, L’Aquila, Bari, Brindisi, Matera, Messina, Catania, Siracusa, Sciacca, Palermo), Spain (Madrid, Melilla, Barcelona), Germany (Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Munchen, Hamburg), Great Britain (London, Noth Wales), Switzerland (Basel, Olten, Zurich, Lausanne), Finland (Helsinki), Greece (Athens, Crete), Hungary (Budapest, Mateszalka), Belgium (Hotton, Liège).
And then, in Venezuela (Caracas, Barquisimeto), in the Ivory Coast (Abijan), Botswana (Gaborone) and India-Kerala (Kochi).
In 1999, Master MITSUYA held the rank of 8th Dan and title of Hanshi given by Souke HAYASHI Teruo (1924 - 2004), he became highest rank and top student of Souke HAYASHI’s organization (Japan Karate-Do “Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu” & Kobu-Do “Kenshinryu” style).
Hanshi MITSUYA has demonstrated his very high quality, refined and effective techniques in many occasions around the world by seminar, meetings and presentations for over 40 years.
Today Souke MITSUYA is continuing his work, with ever renewed spirit, through the MITSUYA-KAI International organization and his style devoting himself in the teaching and diffusion all around the world.