Category Archives: Prewar Okinawa Karate

Kaneshima Shinsuke’s Martial Curriculum Vitae

In September 1969, Kaneshima Shinsuke together with Nagamine Shoshin apperad in an Okinawa Times article about the “model demonstrations” to be held at Okinawa Times Hall on September 25th, and in preparation of demonstrations at Nippon Budokan on October 10. … Continue reading

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Periodization issues in budō

There is a terminological double-issue related to the periodization in Japanese budō. The first and main issue is the ambiguous definition of old vs modern schools using the Meiji restoration of 1868 as the reference point. The second issue is … Continue reading

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On the Photo of Kinjo Ufuchiku

In 2015 I wrote an article about the photo considered to show Kinjo Ufuchiku. In short, the original photo was taken by Edmund M. H. Simon in Okinawa in 1910. Here I will look at the copies of the photo … Continue reading

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The Mother of All Enbu Taikai

Expressions such aus budōsai, enbukai, enbu taikai etc. are regularly seen in Okinawa karate and kobudo today. They are derivates of an original terminology used in 1895 at what is now known as Kyōto Meet. Okinawans were dispatched to the … Continue reading

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Inheriting the essence

The following is from an article published in the Okinawa Times: “Inheriting the essence. Faithfully inheriting the ancestor’s kata. Nakazato Takeshi (60), 2nd generation Sōke of Shōrinji-ryū and Chairman of Zen Okinawa Shōrinji-ryū Karatedo Kyōkai. Inheriting the techniques of Chanmī’s … Continue reading

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Shitsuden and Shinden

The term shitsuden 失伝 means disruption; interruption; non-continuation; to fall into desuetude; the loss of a tradition, a practice, a custom, etc. It can mean the loss of a full tradition, such as a complete school or style (ryūha), or … Continue reading

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The karate of the “Pechin Class”

A colleague just argued that “karate” came from the Pēchin class of Okinawa. I think this is a oversimplification, and it is also one of those stories based on guesswork and premature conclusions. According to censuses of 1873 and 1880 … Continue reading

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Kuwae no Kon (a.k.a. Torisashi Umē no Kon)

Yesterday, I received note about a rare bō kata of Okinawa. It is almost unknown in both name and technique, let alone its history. Almost. Names The name of the kata is Kuwae no Kon, and it is also known … Continue reading

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Karate ni sente nashi

For Okinawa karate circles, imperialism and militarism are extremely difficult issues. This is because they are seemingly irreconcilable with Okinawa’s postwar karate narratives, its notional philosophies, related marketing campaigns in tourism, and most of all, the recent endeavors to list … Continue reading

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Ryūkyū no Fūbutsu (Scenes and Cus­toms of Ryūkyū) (1940)

The 1940 movie Ryūkyū no Fūbutsu (Scenes and Cus­toms of Ryūkyū) was planned by the Japan Folk Art Association (Nihon Mingei Kyōkai) and headed by Ya­nagi Muneyoshi (1889–1961), who acted as editorial supervisor. Yanagi was born on March 21, 1889, … Continue reading

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