The Life and Times of a Master:  Shihan Rudy Crosswell

A treasure house of martial arts technique, history, and scholarship, Shihan Rudy Crosswell is considered to be one of the world's greatest living martial arts masters. He currently holds the following key rankings:

Shito-ryu karate: 10th Dan, Hanshi
Okinawan kobudo: 10th Dan, Hanshi
Shinkendo: Tokui, Kyoshi
Hakutsuru-ryu (White Crane) karate: 8th Dan

Early Beginnings

Shihan Rudy Crosswell began his martial arts training just outside of New York City at the age of thirteen. The year was 1960, and his first dojo offered the arts of Isshin-ryu karate and Judo. He went on to study Shotokan and Chito-ryu karate during this period before joining the US Air Force in 1965. During his first three years with the US military, he studied Shorin-ryu, Tangsoo-do and Goju-ryu karate. Shihan Crosswell was awarded his first black belt in the art of Goju-ryu karate in 1967, having already embarked on what was to become a lifetime of dedication to traditional martial arts.

Rudy Crosswell (right) first encountered martial arts as a boy in Jersey City, 1960

Early Beginnings

From the Jersey streets to his first black belt in the Air Force

Years in Japan

An unlikely assignment alters
the course of history

The 1970s

Traditional budo in America:
the Arizona Budokan is born

The 1980s

Shattering stereotypes & uncovering historical treasures

The 1990s

Diversifying & popularizing traditional martial arts

The 21st Century

A long-awaited place
in martial arts history

Today

Carefully handing down
a priceless tradition

Rudy Crosswell as a brown belt in Goju-ryu, practicing
a jump side kick at Luke Air Force Base in 1966

Years in Japan

In 1968, destiny favored Shihan Crosswell with a rare wartime assignment to the US Air Force base in Fuchu, Japan. While living just outside Tokyo, he met and became a student of the legendary Soke Shogo Kuniba (Kokuba) and Soke Teruo Hayashi. Though not accustomed to having foreign students, these two master instructors generously provided their eager American protégé with detailed and extensive knowledge of Motobu-ha Shito-ryu karate and Okinawan weapons (kobudo). Driven to assimilate as much martial arts knowledge and skill as possible before leaving the country, Shihan Crosswell spent hours training nearly every day, chauffeuring his Japanese sensei around town, sleeping on dojo floors, and commuting tirelessly between Tokyo and Osaka to soak up every piece of information from them that he could—both in and out of the dojo. The year 1968 also marked Shihan Crosswell’s first introduction to Japanese sword, and he began his training in the art of Iaido while stationed there as well.

During his years overseas, Shihan Crosswell not only studied day and night from these renowned martial arts masters, but also found the time and energy to run the Seishin-kai Motobu-ha organization’s only American branch dojo. In 1969, he and his all-American GI team shocked the nation by taking third place in kumite at the All-Japan Seishin-kai National Championships—shattering the stereotype that only Japanese nationals were truly capable of mastering the art of traditional karate. It was to be one of many outstanding accomplishments that would make Shihan Crosswell instrumental in elevating the status of foreign-born traditional martial artists, both in Japan and around the world.

on to the '70s and '80s

Crosswell's instructors throughout the years

Crosswell & his students with Shogo Kuniba's two young sons, Kozo & Kosuke

Crosswell (left) practices kobudo at his Seishin-kai branch dojo in Fuchu, Japan

World Championship team with
Shogo Kuniba and Teruo Hayashi

Crosswell & his students take 3rd place at the '69
All Japan Seishin-kai National Championships

Arizona Budokan
INTERNATIONAL SHITO-RYU KARATE FEDERATION HONBU DOJO
3135 E Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ 85028, USA    (602) 369-6833

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