Following many years of continued study and continued teaching experience with Sensei Walter Mattson, Joe was awarded Kyoshi Hachidan (8^th Degree Master Instructor) by the Okinawa Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association in 2010.  A career relocation lead to Joe’s also being accepted as a student of Okinawan Master Shinyu Gushi with whom he has studied Ryukokaku Karate and Kobudo since 1995.  Joe also has extensive study and teaching experience with Gushi-sensei, and is also recognized as Kyoshi Hachidan Master Instructor in Gushi-sensei’s association, Ryukokaku Karate & Kobudo.

 

While Joe continues his own study as a senior student under both Hanshi (Master) Mattson and Hanshi Gushi, he has had his own following of students since his Southern California dojo was founded in 1997.  Joe is recently retired from a 30-year federal law enforcement career.  Among his duties he was a certified use-of-force instructor in firearms and defensive tactics, and a physical fitness coordinator, and ran these programs as lead instructor for many years for a large field office of his fellow special agents.

(L-R):  Grand Master Kanei Uechi, Carmine-sensei, Master Ryuko Tomoyose, Forrest-sensei (1967)

About Us

Master Shinyu Gushi

Joe Graziano began his study in 1968 with the late Forrest Sanborn and the late Carmine DiRamio, who were among the early students of American Uechi-ryu karate pioneer George Mattson.  Joe earned shodan (1^st degree black belt) at age16 in 1971, and became Forrest-sensei and Carmine-sensei’s senior student and an apprentice instructor.  He ran a highly successful children’s program at their Quincy, MA dojo for most of the 1970’s, before beginning his career in law enforcement.

Master Gushi