Welcome to the Hunterdon Karate Club
Celebrating 50 Years of Tradition and Excellence
Founded in 1974, the Hunterdon Karate Club is proud to be Hunterdon County’s oldest Karate school, with five decades of continuous training, teaching, and community leadership. Rooted in the classical traditions of Okinawan karate, our mission is to preserve and share the art of self-discipline, respect, and personal growth through martial arts.
About Our Founder – Walter Van Gilson
Walter Van Gilson was a passionate martial artist, teacher, and pioneer who introduced traditional Okinawan Karate to the Hunterdon community at a time when it was still new to most of the U.S. His dedication to authentic training, deep respect for lineage, and focus on character development made him a beloved instructor and mentor to generations of students. Walter’s legacy lives on through the students he inspired and the values he instilled—discipline, humility, and lifelong learning.
LINEAGE
Hunterdon Karate was founded by Hanshi (範士) Walter Van Gilson in the nineteen seventies. From that point on, he dedicated his life to the study of Okinawan Te. Walter Van Gilson was given his first instructor certificate from Sensei Tatsuo Shimabuku, founder of Isshi-ryu on November 16, 1969. He was one of the few Americans who lived, worked, and trained in Okinawa as a civilian after being discharged from the United States Marine Corps. At that time, you needed an Okinawan to sponsor you if you were going to stay in Okinawa as a US Civilian. Shimabuku not only sponsored Walter Van Gilson but also introduced him to the Takesu family, who were family friends of Shimabuku Tatsuo. Walt worked and lived on the Takesu farm and eventually formed a family relationship with them, Epsisiley Hanshi Koei Takesu. Hanshi Takesu was around the same age, and also studied Isshin-ryu at the same time, and became his lifelong brother.
Tatsuo Shimabuku
Founder Isshyn-Ryu
Seiki Toma was a respected Okinawan martial arts master and the founder of Seidokan Karate, a system that blends elements of traditional Shōrin-ryū, Motobu Udundi, and Okinawan kobudō. Known for his emphasis on natural movement, practical application, and traditional values, Toma created Seidokan to preserve the essence of Okinawan “Te” while adapting it for modern practice.
Seiki Toma was originally a student of Tatsuo Shimabuku in the early years of his martial arts journey. He trained under Shimabuku during the period when Shimabuku was refining what would later become Isshin-ryū. Toma also study under other Okinawan masters, most notably Shigeru Nakamura, Seiichi Iju, and Seikichi Uehara, before founding his own system —Seidokan Karate and Kobudo
During this time, Toma and Van Gilson collaborated to research and revive Tuite, the joint locking and manipulation techniques that were historically part of Okinawan “Te” but had become less emphasized in modern karate styles. Their work helped restore these subtle, close-quarters techniques—enhancing the self-defense practicality of Isshin-ryū and laying the groundwork for what would become Seidokan Karate.
This partnership between Toma and Van Gilson reflected a shared mission: to preserve authentic Okinawan martial principles while refining them for practical, real-world application. Their efforts continue to influence students today through the teachings passed down in the Hunterdon Karate Club, the oldest karate school in Hunterdon County.
Seidokan
Seiki Toma
Koei Takaesu, a dedicated student of Seiki Toma, represents the next generation of Seidokan masters. He trained closely under Toma and helped carry the art forward through teaching, refinement of technique, and continued promotion of Seidokan’s principles. His contributions further solidified the curriculum and preserved the lineage that began with Okinawa’s original “Te.”
Seidokan Karate and Isshin-ryū both originate from the rich martial heritage of Okinawa, shaped by generations of masters who combined the precision of Shōrin-ryū, the rooted power of Gōjū-ryū, and the flowing efficiency of classical Te.
Isshin-ryū, founded in the 1950s by Tatsuo Shimabuku, modernized Okinawan karate by focusing on natural stances, vertical punches, and practical self-defense. His system spread quickly, especially among American servicemen training in Okinawa, and became one of the most widely practiced Okinawan styles in the U.S.
Seidokan Karate, officially founded in 1984 by Seiki Toma, evolved from his experience in Isshin-ryū and deepened through study with other Okinawan masters such as Shigeru Nakamura, Seiichi Iju, and Seikichi Uehara. Seidokan emphasizes tai sabaki (body movement), Tuite (joint manipulation), and traditional kobudō, aiming to preserve the classical spirit of Okinawan martial arts with practical, flowing application.
A Living Bridge: Koei Takaesu and Walter Van Gilson
Hanshi Koei Takaesu, a senior student of Seiki Toma, played a key role in spreading Seidokan outside Okinawa. In the early 1970s, while Walter Van Gilson was seeking deeper understanding of Okinawan martial arts, it was Koei Takaesu who introduced him to Seiki Toma. This introduction marked the beginning of a lifelong connection.
Walter Van Gilson trained directly under Seiki Toma and became one of the early American practitioners of Seidokan Karate. In 1974, he founded the Hunterdon Karate Club, now recognized as Hunterdon County’s oldest karate school. Through his training with both Takaesu and Toma, Van Gilson helped preserve and share the legacy of Okinawan karate with future generations in the United States.
Together, the paths of Shimabuku, Toma, Takaesu, and Van Gilson illustrate the living legacy of Okinawan martial arts—deeply rooted, globally shared, and carried on with respect, tradition, and purpose.
Koei Takesu
Seidokan
CONTACT US
New Location 908-892-8003 | hunterdonkarateclub@gmail.com
623 County RD 519 Frenchtown, NJ 08825