Program - Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai

Diane Satoko Nagaishi was born in Osaka Japan on August 10,
1934. She was the eldest of five children. Both of her parents were originally from Okinawa, but lived in Osaka where her father worked. In 1944
at the age of 10, she moved from Osaka to Okinawa after her father passed
away. Her mother along with Diane, her two brothers and two sisters
moved to Yagaji Island, just north of the city of Nago.
They lived in a farming village where Diane’s mother worked from morning to night to support the family. Diane talked about her younger days on
Yagaji Island that was filled with hardship having to take care of her younger
siblings, tending to farming chores, while still making time to go to school
on the main island of Okinawa. She joked that she had the record for tardiness as she never got to school on time having to help her mom first before
going to school. She recalled stories of getting to the beach too late in the
afternoon after the tide had risen and was not able to walk across the sand
flats back to her home on Yagaji Island. Now she had to spend the night
alone, usually at the nearby graveyard. That could be one of the reasons she
had such a strong frame of mind. Spending the night at a graveyard alone at
such a young age would definitely make you fearless.
Diane married Fumio Nagaishi in 1960. She worked in the Post Exchange
in the Naha Area and was the purchasing agent for all the Post Exchange
operations in Okinawa. She worked there until her retirement in 1988.
In 1988 Diane and Nagaishi Sensei returned to Hawaii after their retirement. Diane started training Okinawa Shorin Ryu and Ryukyu Kobudo
with Nagaishi Sensei at their home (in the garage). They trained six days a
week, rarely taking a break in their training schedule. Around 1993 Diane
joined Nagaishi Sensei and started training with Nakata Sensei and Nagishi
Sensei’s Kobudo students at the Kapahulu Dojo. Soon after, Diane requested Nakata Sensei teach her the Usheishi Kata, which she liked. She
also learned the other (option Katas) which are not part of the standard
Shorin Ryu or Ryukyu Kobudo curriculum. The Option Katas she learned
from Nakata Sensei were the Rohai, Wanshu, Seisan, Niseishi, Jutte, Jion
and Tensho.
Diane had a great affinity for reading and if she had a hobby that was it. She
was also accomplished at calligraphy, earning a Menjo Certificate in
Okinawa. Her first love was still Karate and Kobudo, which was apparent if
you ever saw her watching a Kata being performed. The intensity and concentration in her eyes was evident. Diane passed away at Kuakini Hospital
on August 20, 2010 after her struggle with cancer.
DSN
Food provided by Grant Kawasaki and Steve Chun
Refreshments provided by John Oberle
Program design by Sensei Angel Lemus
Mahalo!
Diane Satoko Nagaishi
Memorial Karate Demonstration
August 14, 2011
12:30 PM
Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha
1239 Olomea Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Participating Dojo & Sensei
• Aikenkai Shotokan Karate Asssociation (“Aikenkai”) - George Sasano
• Hawaii Senbukan Dojo (“Senbukan”) - Alan Lee
• Hikari Dojo - Charles C. Goodin & Charles T. Goodin
• International Karate League (“IKL”)- Walter Nishioka
• Island Ki - G. Hisae Ishii-Chang
• Kenshukan Karate Kobudo Association (“Kenshukan”)- James Miyagi
• Mas Oyama Kyokushinkai - Bobby Lowe & Herbert Ishida
• Minakami Dojo - Sean Roberts
• Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate Association (“OSKA”) - Pat Nakata
• Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai Hawaii - Fumio Nagaishi
• Zentokukai Shorinji-ryu - Angel Lemus
Opening Remarks - Pat Nakata
Tsuken Sunakake No Eiku.............................................Ryukyu Kobudo
John Oberle, Roy Rivera, Alan Yokota
Kihon Kata Shodan, Nidan, Sandan............................................... OSKA
Steve Chun, Grant Kawasaki, Tom Terayama, Alan Yokota
Pinan Shodan.........................................................................Hikari Dojo
Charles T. Goodin
Pinan Nidan......................................................................Minakami Dojo
Sean Roberts
Pinan Sandan...............................................................Kyokushin Karate
Herbert Ishida
Pinan Yondan................................................................... Minakami dojo
Sean Roberts
Pinan Godan.................................................................Kyokushin Karate
Herbert Ishida
Naihanchi Shodan..................................................................Zentokukai
Angel Lemus, Judy Lemus, Rob Toonen
Rohai...............................................................................Ryukyu Kobudo
Roy Rivera, Alan Yokota
Bassai Dai........................................................................Minakami Dojo
Randee Chang, Nicole Cardinale, Justin Kaneko, Adam Hagadone
Jion.............................................................................................Aikenkai
George Sasano
Kushanku...........................................................................................IKL
Gavin Hiramatsu
Naihanchi Nidan....................................................................Hikari Dojo
Dexter Chun
Maezato No Tekko..........................................................Ryukyu Kobudo
John Oberle, Roy Rivera, Alan Yokota
Nijushiho....................................................................................Island Ki
Hisae Ishii-Chang
Seisan....................................................................................Zentokukai
Angel Lemus, Judy Lemus, Rob Toonen
Kanku Sho..................................................................................Aikenkai
George Sasano
Kanegawa No Timbei......................................................Ryukyu Kobudo
Roy Rivera, Harold Hamada, John Oberle
Wanshu..............................................................................................IKL
Robert Matsushita
Naihanchi Sandan.................................................................Hikari Dojo
Charles C. Goodin
Matsumura No Patsai (Patsai Dai)................................................ OSKA
Steve Chun, Grant Kawasaki, Alan Yokota
Chinto.....................................................................................Kenshukan
Shawna Carino
Jitte............................................................................................Aikenkai
George Sasano
Kojo No Sai......................................................................Ryukyu Kobudo
John Oberle
Taira No Nunchaku................................................................Kenshukan
Ralph Sakauye
Gojushiho Sho (Itosu)................................................................Island Ki
Hisae Ishii-Chang
Shushi No Kun........................................................................ Senbukan
Alan Lee
Shushi No Kon Dai..........................................................Ryukyu Kobudo
Roy Rivera
Tensho..........................................................................Kyokushin Karate
Herbert Ishida
Hamahiga No Tunfua.............................................................. Senbukan
Kyle Nakasone
Kanegawa No Nichogama..............................................Ryukyu Kobudo
Alan Yokota