This is a statement given by Feliciano “Kimo” Ferreira to Samuel Browning, a lawyer performing research for the site www.Bullshido.com (Caution, this site is lightly moderated, and contains strong language. ) Their mission: to fight ‘BS’ in the martial arts. This statement was notarized, and I have in my possession a notarized copy. Very simply, it describes the result when Kimo and Kiko travelled to Japan, to the Shaka-In temple in order to research the ‘history’ of James Mitose.
Statement of Feliciano “Kimo” Ferreira
My name is Feliciano Ferreira and I am over the age of eighteen and believe in the obligation of an oath. I am a resident of Hawaii and my mailing address is P.O. Box 15132, Honolulu Hawaii, 96830.
In 1998, I and my wife. Kiko Asai Ferreira went to Japan for the purpose of historical research. Kiko was born and raised in Nagoya and speaks fluent Japanese. She translated many of these conversations for me.
In Osaka, I met Chosei Motobu, who is the son of Choki Motobu. He was about seventy five when we met. During our conversation I asked if he was related to Mitose. He said no emphatically. I then asked Chosei if Mitose was a Black Belt of his father, and he once again replied no. I then asked him if Mitose was a Black Belt of any of the branch instructors of his father’s style and he replied no.
I located the shaka-in temple through information provided by Al Tracy. I and my wife traveled there. This temple is located in Izumi village which is in Kagoshima prefecture. I then went to visit the historical society of that town.
I interviewed the head of the historical society and the head priest of the shaka-in temple. The latter was named Mr. Aso, and he was not from Izumi village. As is common practice in some Buddhist sects, he took the same religious name as the priest that preceded him, much like a title or ‘confirmation name’. The priest from 1900 to 1939 was named Morikousen. (“The Guard of the Shining Mountain”) If Mitose was studying there at Shaka-in this would have been his teacher.
The name of the sect controling this temple is Hieizan Enkakuji. Martial arts were taught at this temple up until 1939. However the martial art taught there was a form of jujutsu with atemi (pressure point hits). Later in an advertisement in the Honolulu Star Bulletin on Monday, August 4, 1947 Mitose said he taught “Kempo Ju-Jitsu method (nerve system)”. Mitose did not use the word Kosho-shorei which Mitose claims to be the name of his family system. While there were patrons of the temple/ monastery it was not owned by Mitose’s family but by the above named sect.
However the temple is up on a mountain. It is cold, and at the time would have taken a several hour walk to reach it from the village. The monks were elderly and were not likely to take care of a five year old child who would have had real problems surviving the cold weather at this location so I am doubtful that he was raised there.
I and my wife then consulted the village registry which would have included the people living at the temple. Our search uncovered no Mitose or Kosho Buddhist name. While consulting the village registry we were helped by Mr Masakatsu Honda who was the Department Head of the Historical Records Department at the Izumi Village City Hall.
Based on my research, the absence of Mitose’s name in the register of that town, and the difference between how the temple was organized and how Mitose said it was organized , I do not believe he lived there, or trained there.
I have read the above statement consisting of two pages. The facts therein are true, correct, given voluntarily and I have reviewed this statement to verify its accuracy.
________________ Subscribed and sworn to me on January ____ 2007
Signature
________________ ___________________
Printed name Notary Public
