Master Ueshiro in Okinawa (just left of picture centre)

In 1962, Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro came to NYC from Okinawa to teach Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu Karate in America. He was the first Okinawan to bring Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu Karate to America. Master Ueshiro was considered the world's foremost practitioner of the Bo kata and was world champion for four years in a row. One of his first student was Hanshi Robert Scaglione, a NYC police officer. Hanshi Scaglione is now the leader of Shorin-Ryu Karate U.S.A.

Master Ueshiro's Flying Side Kick

One of Hanshi Scaglione's students, Kyoshi Matt Kaplan, moved from NYC to Oahu, Hawaii in the early 1990s to teach Psychology and karate at Hawaii Pacific University. In 1991, Sensei Alan Lai and Sensei Stephen Wong joined Kyoshi Kaplan's karate club. Kyoshi Kaplan has been their karate master ever since.

Hanshi Robert Scaglione	Kyoshi Matt Kaplan
Sensei Alan Lai	Sensei Stephen Wong

The founder of the Ueshiro Hong Kong Karate Club, Sensei Alan Lai, received his training under Kyoshi Kaplan in Hawaii and returned to Hong Kong and founded a karate club in September of 1996 at Sears Rogers International School. Sensei Wong joined the club in 1997 and Kyoshi Kaplan is the club's honorary consultant.