Category Archives: Postwar Okinawa Karate

NEW RELEASE: Bo – Techniques, Forms, and Partner Practices of Ancient Okinawan Fighting Traditions. Volume 1: Bo-odori.

Softcover edition: US | UK | DE | FR | ES | IT | NL | JP | AU | BR | CA | MX | SE | IN | PL Bo Techniques, Forms, and Partner Practices of Ancient Okinawan … Continue reading

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The discovery of a photo of Zhou Zhihe as described in “Recent Contacts of Martial Arts Between Fuzhou And Okinawa” (1988)

Note: The following is is from a 1988 paper that recorded the early exchange between Okinawa and Fuzhou. Recent Contacts of Martial Arts Between Fuzhou And Okinawa (1988) To promote the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Japan, the … Continue reading

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Reasonable expectations

Previously, I wrote about “The Four Outer Forms of Postures Discovered by Matsumura” as described and taught by the late Kinjō Hiroshi sensei. These Four Outer Forms are the result of Kinjō’s inductive reasoning and empirical argumentation. Obviously, in Okinawa … Continue reading

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Tsuken was neither known for Tsuken-bō nor Jigen-ryū, but for horsemanship

As mentioned before, today Tsuken Uēkata Seisoku is considered the originator of Tsuken Bō and an expert in Jigen-ryū swordmanship. Even an English Wikipedia entry says he “was good at riding horses and Jigen-ryū,” presenting the Kyūyō as the source. The Kyūyō … Continue reading

Posted in Bojutsu Kata Series, kobudo, Kyūyō, Matayoshi Kobudo, Postwar Okinawa Karate, Prewar Okinawa Karate, The Technique of Okinawa Karate and Kobudo, Translations, Tsuken | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Tsuken was neither known for Tsuken-bō nor Jigen-ryū, but for horsemanship

Tsuken Akan’chū and the impossibility of a direct personal instruction by Tsuken Uēkata

In my previous article I shared the story of Tsuken Uēkata. At the end of that story, Tsuken Uēkata was interned in Kagoshima after his political intrigue was discovered. So, how, and when did he create Tsuken-bō, and how was … Continue reading

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Tsuken no Kon

(Note: The following is the translation of the abstract of Yoshifumi Hayasaka’s “Martial arts of the Satsuma Domain that influenced the martial arts of Ryūkyū (Tsuken no Kon)” presented at the 55th Conference of the Japanese Academy of Budo in … Continue reading

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The Four Outer Forms of Postures in Contexts Other than Karate

In my previous article I presented a chapter from Kinjo Hiroshi’s last book. In it he describes “The Four Outer Forms of Postures Discovered by Matsumura.” These four outer forms of postures simply describe how two opponents can face each … Continue reading

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The Four Outer Forms of Postures Discovered by Matsumura

(Note: The following is a partly abridged translation of a chapter from Kinjo Hiroshi’s last book. It is presented here for discussion und research purposes for those with ties to Okinawa Karate, particularly those of the Shurite genus.) The Four … Continue reading

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Naihanchi of Tomari-te

There is a interesting detail to Nagamine Shōshin sensei‘s Naihanchi, which has rarely been adressed, if ever. Namely, each step in this kata is performed with the leg raise referred to as nami-gashi (lit. returning wave). This continuous nami-gashi is … Continue reading

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Getting a grip: Positioning of the Tinbē

Before I talked about the disadvantages of the single grip of the Taira tinbe. To give you an impression, I assumed a two-sided lever with the formula F1 · l1 = F2 · l2. As a comparison, the punching forces … Continue reading

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