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Branding is a concept we are all familiar with here in the America’s and elsewhere as well, it is what we use to symbolize things that are important to us as individual, as groups or clans or tribes as as a culture and society as a whole.
In recent conversations in the karate, and especially the Isshinryu, communities there has been various thoughts thrown around about Tatsuo-san’s Isshinryu as a name brand for his karate. Some say that if you change anything, as if the old adage applied “if it is good, don’t change it” holds special significance especially in the karate and Isshinryu communities. There is the belief, held near and dear to many, that any change in what we all feel Tatsuo-san taught as Isshinryu karate warrants a complete change in the name out of respect for him and his work.
Then, while mourning the loss of a family member today, the creative side of me in an effort to deflect certain feelings that one like me, a Intra-stoic (introvert-stoic) person, led me to think of Isshinryu as a brand name symbolic to the very creation of Tatsuo-san - I feel that is good.
Here is one for you and we all of a certain age can relate to it, Isshinryu is a brand and so is the automobile, “Ford.” Now, everyone knows and recognizes Ford and all of us of a certain age have fond memories of all the Ford’s we chose as our car. The great thing is this, when Ford, the man, first created and built the very first Ford it set in motion something that would span decades and lead into a variety of avenues such as racing cars and so on.
Now, if Ford and his followers had taken the mind-set that any change to the Ford required, in honor of Mr. Ford, one change the name then would we still have Fords? What to do, what to do, and the answer came through the creative processes of Ford and his staff, models - create models that hold to the very basic fundamental traits that make Ford, “A Ford.” We will call them models such as, “Ford Fairlane or … wait for it … Ford Mustang!”
Regardless of any changes that come on purpose or naturally by those who practice Isshinryu in truth and essence the very foundation, the core or corner stone of the dojo that Tatsuo-san built, is Isshinryu. Even when changes are instituted it doesn’t really change the very core of Isshinryu, it means the person or people have taken, “Isshinryu,” and created a model of that brand and system.
This seems to me to be honorable way to honor Tatsuo-san who himself continued to make ongoing changes in his perception and belief of Isshinryu all the way up to his final days. Yet, even he didn’t change the brand, the name, the title of “Isshinryu.” He simply changed the cosmetics of Isshinryu to suit is continued creative analysis and synthesis of his way of karate. We all accept that as truth, fundamentally, and yet some of us refuse to follow his way, as he professed he wanted all of his students to do, by owning Isshinryu and making it an American way while paying tribute to him, his beliefs and his culture - both personal and societal.
Remember, as I do, that all the luminaries, i.e., “Mitchum, Nagle, Long, Armstrong and Advincula” all have provided different versions of Isshinryu while all claiming to have stayed true to the original taught to them all by Tatsuo-san yet, “Why are there differences?” In truth, because all of them as we are all human and as a species unique in many ways where perceptions, intentions and applications in life and the dojo affect the very Isshinryu they practiced and that, in truth and reality, was paying homage and honor to Tatsuo-san.
In the end, as long as the essence of Isshinryu is there, there is no need to change the name but it might serve all of the Isshinryu community both historically traditional and the modern by using in the Dojo name something unique to the dojo while keeping Isshinryu as the inspiration and foundation that makes that dojo, unique.
One of the reasons I branded my dojo, a long time ago, “Isshin-do.” It was Isshinryu and it was my interpretation even tho, at that time, I worked hard to remain steadfast in the way it was passed to me by my Sensei.
Don’t make the mistake of making the Isshinryu brand anything other then a symbol of Tatsuo-san’s creative energetic creation but do adjust the model you teach to both give due to Tatsuo-san’s Isshinryu and to your own efforts as I tried to do so long ago.
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