[4] After Chibana's death in 1969, Nakazato assumed the title of Vice President of the Okinawa Shorin-Ryū Karate-do Association.

[7] Both Smith and Bethea trained directly under Nakazato in the early 1960s, and have first-hand knowledge of his teachings, philosophies and concepts of karate.

In the early years, seven of Nakazato's black belts returned to the US to spread Okinawan Shorin-ryu to the States; they are referred to as the Original 7.

[8] This lineage only reflects the Original 7 black belts from Shugoro Nakazato and their Kyoshis: Tadashi Yamashita, Nabil Noujaim, Eddie Bethea, Pat Haley, Noel Smith, C.D.

Williamson, Neil Stolsmark, Sean Riley, Sam Ahtye, David Rogers, Robert Rowley, Claude Johnson, and Harunobu Chiba.