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Master
Michael Shintaku
8th Dan
Pin # 14463
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Master Shintaku began his training in
Tang Soo Do in 1966 at the age of 14 under the tutelage of
Grandmaster Mariano Estioko (# 759), earning his Cho Dan
in 1970. In 1976 he relocated to Seattle, Washington but didn't
begin teaching Tang Soo Do until 1978 when he founded the Seattle
Tang Soo Do Association. In 1980, Master Shintaku, then a Tang Soo
Do 3rd Degree Black Belt, began training in Shito-Ryu, a Japanese
style of karate, receiving a 1st Degree Black Belt in 1982.
From 1982 to 1984 Master Shintaku was
teaching the Shito-Ryu style of karate. In 1984 he returned to
teaching Tang Soo Do. He
was promoted to 4th Degree at that time and then in 1994, to 5th
Degree. Ten years later, in 2004, during
Grandmaster Song Ki Kim's visit to the United States, Grandmaster
Kim promoted Master Shintaku to 7th Degree. On July 27th, 2012,
Master Shintaku was presented his 8th Dan.
Master Shintaku has been a successful
karate competitor in California, the Pacific Northwest, and
nationally, and has competed in full contact and AAU competitions. He has won many awards in both
fighting and forms competition
and is recognized as one of the outstanding tournament officials in
the country.
Master Shintaku promoted the USA National Karate
Classic, one of the premier Karate Tournaments in the Northwest. He
has appeared on the cover of Karate Illustrated Magazine, has been featured
in Tae Kwon Do Times and Black Belt magazines and is listed in
"Who's Who in the Martial Arts".
The Seattle Tang Soo Do Association was founded in 1978 by Master
Michael J. Shintaku two years after he relocated to Seattle from
Sacramento, California. In 1982, the Seattle Tang Soo Do Association
was dissolved when Master Shintaku joined the Japan Karate
Federation by earning a 1st degree black belt in Shito-Ryu Ryobukai,
a Japanese style of karate. He began teaching Shito-Ryu
under the Japan Karate Federation through Highline Parks in Burien
and the Boeing Employee's Karate Association. Two years later he
left the Japan Karate Federation and
re-established his school,
teaching Tang Soo Do.
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