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Michigan Heritage Awards
Arts
Nomination Form (PDF)
Arts Nomination
Form (word)
Community
Leadership Nomination Form (PDF)
Community Leadership
Nomination Form (word)
^ MHA Awardees List ^
Seikichi Iha
2008 awardee, Lansing (Ingham County), Shido-kan
karate-do
Seikichi Iha was born in Okinawa in 1932. He came to Los Angeles in 1967
and to Lansing in 1974. He has devoted his entire adult life to the study
and teaching of Shido-kan Karate-do.
Seikichi Iha was introduced to karate at an early age by a family member,
and, in 1950 at the age of 17, he began formal study with Shinpan Gusukuma,
a student of the noted teacher Anko Itosu. Since the death of Shinpan Gusukuma
in 1954, Seikichi Iha's teacher and mentor has been Katsuya Miyahira, a
master teacher and recipient of the highest honor in Japanese martial arts.
Seikichi Iha, himself, was awarded the rank of master teacher in 2001. He
has achieved and maintained the highest level of skill and at 75 he continues
to grow in his understanding and teaching of the principles of Shido-kan
Karate-do. He has been a school (dojo) owner since 1967 and has taught over
a thousand students-some studying with him for 20-30 years-in the Lansing
community. As director of the Beikoku Shido-kan Karate-do Association, he
has taught and performed throughout the U. S., Canada, Japan, France, Germany,
Brazil, and Argentina. Students from around the world visit his dojo.
The Lansing community has benefited from Seikichi Iha's teaching of self-preservation
through healthy practice of movement arts and self-defense. His longtime
motto is "friendship, cooperation and learning." He is an active
member of the Michigan Okinawan Association and supporter of Okinawan folk
dance. He also has given many free public demonstrations at schools and
community events. Seikichi Iha, a master of Shido-kan Karate-do, is honored
with a Michigan Heritage Award for his exemplary and consistent commitment
to the passing on of this old traditional form of Okinawan martial art.
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