The President and Founder of the International Shorin Ryu Karate Kobudo Federation is Master George

W. Alexander. He is acknowledged as the “World pioneer of Shorin Ryu Karate”.  He began his training

in 1964 while serving in the United States Marine Corps.  His Marine Corps assignments enabled him to

journey to the orient including mainland Japan, Okinawa and Southeast Asia.  He began training in Shorin

 Ryu Karate in 1964 while stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  He quickly earned a reputation

as a rugged fighter in the Marine Corps.  During his career he trained with a host of noted masters.  He

made it a point of seeking out the best instructors. 

A decorated veteran, he served as a team leader with the US Marine’s 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company in

Vietnam.  In 1967 and 1968 while stationed at Dong Ha, Vietnam he led jungle teams which gathered intelligence

 information.  Since then he has become a uniquely qualified and popular instructor with international teaching

credentials and experience. He has traveled widely to spread the teachings of Shorin Ryu Karate.

Master Alexander earned a Baccalaureate Degree in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University in

Boca Raton, Florida in 1979 and did graduate work in Asian history at the same university under Dr. Tsung I.

Dow. He then received his Ph.D. in political science.  He received his Master Certificate and teaching

credentials in Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo in 1983 from the All Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo Association.  He now holds the rank of 9th Dan Hanshi in Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo and is also acknowledged as an expert in Jujitsu

and Kendo, the Japanese form of swordsmanship.

In 1989 he founded Yamazato International, a company specializing in martial arts publications and video

productions.  He has been featured in a series of videotapes on Karate, Kobudo and Jujitsu. In 1991 he was

inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He has competed in Tournaments and was the 1997

National AAU Karate champion and voted one of the world’s top 100 martial artists by the International

Martial Arts Federation. He has won many titles including USA Karate Champion and World Karate Champion. He has served as a director and advisor for many martial arts organizations and is currently a vice president of the World Union of Martial Arts

Federations.

Master Alexander has always been fascinated with the history of the martial arts and is an oriental art collector. 

As a result of this fascination, he has done much historical research and translation work and written

numerous articles on the martial arts. According to Master Alexander, “History and technique seem to intertwine

themselves.” He has written two of the leading books on Okinawan karate history. The first, Okinawa Island

of Karate is an in-depth study on Okinawan Karate history. The second book is a translation of a secret text

known as the Bubishi (Martial Art Spirit). He has also written The Shorin Ryu Karate Training

Manual and Warrior Jujitsu, a complete training guide in the art of Jujitsu. In addition, he has written the

Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Japanese Martial Arts and Japan’s Warrior Nation –The Samurai in

the Twentieth Century. He has been featured in a video called The Secrets of the Bubishi. Master

Alexander has established the Budokan Martial Arts Training Center and Museum in Reliance, Tennessee.

Master Alexander, Hanshi 9th Dan can be contacted the ISKKF Honbu Dojo or Yamazato Videos/

Publications at 180 Yellow Jacket Drive Hwy 315, Reliance, TN 37369 Tel. (423) 338-4972, Fax. (423)

338-5651, website www.yamazato-videos.com.  email alexyama@mindspring.com.