The Mizu Gami

The Symbol of Isshinryu

The Mizu Gami (“Water Goddess” in Japanese) is the emblem of Isshinryu karate. The design is based on a dream that Master Tatsuo Shimabuku had one day while working to create the Isshinryu system. Master Shimabuku described his dream to one of his American students, Mr. A. J. Advincula, who designed the Isshinryu patch in 1961 to reflect the master's dream.

Historical note: Advincula Sensei asserts that Master Shimabuku did not refer to the figure in his dream as "mizu gami", but simply as megami, which just means "goddess." Tatsuo's son Shinsho has corroborated this fact as well. After the figure became well established as the symbol of Isshinryu, however, many practitioners started to erroneously call the figure mizu gami, and the name has stuck.

In his dream, the master was in his dojo (training hall). A man appeared at the door and challenged Master Shimabuku to a fight. The master refused to accept the stranger’s challenge, stating that he was a gentleman and did not fight unless it was absolutely necessary. After he said this to the man, a fierce dragon appeared above the stranger, and it spit a ring of fire all around Master Shimabuku. As the fire burned closer to the master, another figure appeared, this time above Master Shimabuku’s head. It was the Isshinryu no megami, the Goddess of Isshinryu, and the goddess put out the ring of fire with water, which saved the master. After Tatsuo Shimabuku awoke, he felt that this dream vision was the image he wanted to mold his karate style and philosophy after.

There is symbolism in every aspect of the Mizu Gami emblem. There are three stars on the emblem, representing the three masters who taught Sensei Shimabuku karate. (The stars also symbolize the mental, physical, and spiritual sides of karate.) The dragon is the one from the dream that spit fire at Sensei Shimabuku, and the female is the Water Goddess who quenched the flames.

One of the goddess’ hands is closed in a fist, denoting strength and courage, while the other hand is open, denoting peace and friendship. The upper body of the goddess is a female, a figure of kindness and peace, while her lower body is a roiling serpent, indicating troubled times or danger. The water is the water that the Mizu Gami put out the dragon’s fire with, and the grey background is the sunya, or “Void”. The sunya represents quiet calmness, tranquility. The emblem, when seen as a patch on a karate uniform, is bordered by an orange ring representing the fire spit around Sensei Shimabuku in his dream. The patch is also designed in a vertical, elongated form, not as a circle; this represents the “vertical fist” that is unique to Isshinryu karate’s punches.