10/06/2026
A message of gratitude 🙏
The true measure of a traditional Okinawan karate master is rarely found in the trophies they win or the titles they carry. Instead, it is found in the quiet, unscripted moments when the fierce warrior steps aside, and the depth of their humanity is revealed.
In the early 1980s, I opened the local Yellow Pages looking for a place to train. By a profound twist of fate, my eyes caught a simple, unassuming listing: "Private lessons with master T. Higa." I had no way of knowing at the time that this blind choice would connect me directly to a legendary prodigy, a former Okinawan Grand Champion, and the chosen protector of Grandmaster Shigeru Nakamura’s lineage.
For my first three years of training under Sensei Teruyuki Higa at the Okinawa Kenpo Karate School in Hempstead, New York, our relationship was defined by an unyielding, intense discipline. Sensei Higa taught through intimidation and its immense physical demand—pushing so hard that many students simply broke under the pressure and quit. His classes were grueling, demanding, and pushed me to the absolute brink. It was simply training, more training, and the silent expectation to survive past my comfort zone. Through this intense friction, Sensei Higa systematically broke down my limitations, forged an unshakeable confidence within me, and tested my character every single time I stepped onto his mat.
Although Sensei Higa initially was heavily involved and competed in full-contact tournaments during his early years in Okinawa, his focus eventually shifted completely. He chose to look past the modern sport aspect of karate, focusing his teachings solely on raw, practical self-defense rather than tournaments. He wanted his students to learn how to protect themselves in the real world, exactly as the old masters intended. Sensei Higa is and was a truly great teacher—a fact proven by a lifetime of absolute resilience, as he continues to actively teach the art today well into his 80s, preserving the flame of true Okinawa Kenpo for yet another generation.
Then came the day that changed everything.
Shortly after the birth of my daughter, Rachel, an evening of intense training had concluded. After bowing out and preparing to leave the dojo, I headed toward the door. Breaking his usual stoic silence, Sensei Higa called out, halting me in my tracks. He didn't make a grand gesture or offer a lengthy speech; instead, he simply pointed to a package resting quietly on a nearby chair.
"For baby," Sensei Higa said.
Inside the package was a simple baby blanket. In that singular, quiet moment, the tough exterior of the world-class champion and demanding instructor vanished. It became profoundly clear to me that beneath the fierce warrior was a man with a deeply compassionate, caring heart. He had been paying attention to my life all along. That gift transformed our relationship forever, cementing a lifelong bond of mutual respect and family that has now spanned more than four decades. Today, 39 years later, Rachel's baby blanket is still safely kept—a tangible, enduring monument to the real Teruyuki Higa.
What Sensei Higa instilled in me went far beyond the walls of the Hempstead dojo. The profound confidence I forged under his watchful eye gave me the courage to take a massive leap in life—borrowing over one million dollars to start my own business. Guided by the work ethic, resilience, and discipline he taught me, I successfully operated that business for 28 years before eventually closing it and selling the building.
My martial arts journey eventually brought me into the highest echelons of traditional Okinawan karate governance. For seven years, I served as the official USA Representative and Headquarters for the Shubukan Uema Dojo of Shuri, Okinawa. Today, I stand as the official USA Representative and Headquarters for the Shobukan of Giyu Gibo (10th Dan) of Urasoe, Okinawa, running my own dojo: New England Shuhari.
Inside my dojo, I have a wall entirely dedicated to Sensei Higa and Okinawa Kenpo. However, while I preserve his standards, my teaching method has evolved. Where Sensei Higa pushed through intimidation, my approach is on the softer side—friendly, encouraging, and understanding. I believe in meeting students where they are, but my standards remain absolute. If the work is not put in, they do not advance in rank. It is entirely up to them to step onto the mat and show me what they have.
Long after the old tournament lights have faded and the internet noise has quieted, the dedicated legacy wall stands watch over my students as they train. It is the living, breathing proof of a real legacy—an unbroken line of Okinawan tradition connecting Nakamura, Higa, Uema, and Gibo directly to our mats in New England. Spurious online rumors and cheap fabrications cannot touch a truth this pure. Sensei Higa was an amazing teacher, an exceptional person, and the master who changed the trajectory of my life forever—a gift I proudly pay forward every single day as he continues to do the same.
