OBJECTIVES OF THE TATSUO-KAN® SOCIETY

• This Society will be a family of karate-ka broadly distinguished from any other Isshinryu Karate group (Association, Society, or Alliance) by mutual interests, participation in characteristic relationships, shared institutions, a Traditional culture, and direct lineage of Master Joel Chandler.
• Promotion of Traditional Isshinryu Karate Do as Founding Grand Master Tatsuo Shimabuku established and as perceived by the Society.
• Preserve and teach the kata as Grand Master Tatsuo Shimabuku performed on film in 1966.
• To control and coordinate all promotions within the Society on a capability, proficiency and a time-in-grade basis.
• To stimulate interest in Traditional lsshinryu Karate among the general public.
• To promote and support competition and tournaments among the members of the Society on a true level of amateurism, sportsmanship, and friendship and to provide uniform rules and regulations for such events.
• To provide a basis for standardized teaching and judging methods for the member dojo of the Society.
• The Tatsuo-Kan® Society shall be an independent and non-profit Society and is governed by its own Constitution and By-Laws.
• BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Society shall be directed by a Board of Directors composed of the Chairman of the Board, President, Senior Vice President, Vice President, Secretary, and Directors.

  Chairman of the Board	Joel Chandler
  President	Clyde Stanley
  Exectutive Vice President	Arnold Sandubrae
  Senior Vice President	Pam Johnson

MEMBERSHIP

• DAN MEMBERSHIP

  Dan membership shall be open to any Isshinryu Karate Black Belt who has chosen to be a direct lineage of Master Joel Chandler or one of his direct Black Belts at a member dojo. Application for membership shall be made by application to the Chief Instructor of the dojo or directly to Society headquarters. All applications must be accompanied by the designated dues as discussed in Article VII, Financial, of Tatsuo-Kan® Constitution and By-Laws. Member Black Belts shall display the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of Isshinryu Karate and the Society. They shall promote the teachings and skills of Isshinryu Karate as set forth in "ISSHINRYU KARATE - HISTORY AND KATA" by Master Joel Chandler.

• KYU MEMBERSHIP

  Kyu membership shall be open to any student of a member Isshinryu Karate dojo, or to Tatsuo-Kan® Society Headquarters. Application for membership shall be made by the applicant to the Chief Instructor of the member dojo. All applications must be accompanied by the designated dues.

• MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Benefits to members of the Tatsuo-Kan Society are-.

  A. A Tri-annual Newsletter
  B. Annual seminars and clinics by high ranking Black Belts.
  C. A Society Membership Certificate.
  D. A Society Identification Card.
  E. Society Rank Certificate on all future promotions.
  

  EMBLEMS The Tatsuo-Kan TM Society emblem shall be the official Society emblem. It shall be worn on the front upper left chest of the gi or on the left upper sleeve. A dojo patch may be worn on the lower right sleeve of the gi. The lsshinryu emblem (Mizu Gami patch) may be worn on the front upper left chest area of the gi.

The shape of the patch is in the shape of the lotus flower that grows in the muddy banks of rivers in the Orient. The red color of the flower is in remembrance of the Master of all Isshinryu Karate Do, the late Grand Master Tatsuo Shimabuku. The dragon on the left side of the patch is for good luck, wisdom and the master, The right side of the patch has the shape of the island of Okinawa on it to remember where all karate came from. The three eight-pointed stars at the bottom represent the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of Isshinryu. The eight points of the stars represent all the directions. The center is from the Dynasty of Okinawa and is commonly called the Okinawan symbol. And, finally, from the words Tatsuo-Kan at the top of the patch, Tatsuo represents Grand Master Shimabuku's chosen name and means Dragon Boy in Japanese and Kan means house. Therefore, Tatsuo-Kan® means "The House of Tatsuo" or the house (Isshinryu) that Tatsuo (Grand Master Shimabuku) built.

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