Category Archives: New Developments

Taketomi’s “Arm Stick” – Ancient Jūjutsu-like techniques embodied in a harvest dance

One of the performing arts of Taketomi Town is the “Arm stick” (udibō), a dance that includes the use of arms and forearms like a bō, i.e., a weapon. It is performed by women of Nakasuji hamlet. The performing arts … 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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Kobudo kata list – then and now

There has always been some confusion as to why the Taira-Inoue lineage of Kobudo practices more kata than the Taira-Akamine lineage, this even more since a comprehensive kata list written by Akamine Eisuke is found hanging at the Shimbukan that … Continue reading

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Example of Examination Regulations in Okinawa

Previously I presented an Example of Association Rules in Okinawa. It describes the exact rules and how Okinawan karate kobudo associations are organized. From it, it can also be seen what distinguishes Okinawan associations from associations in other countries. Over … Continue reading

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Example of Association Rules in Okinawa

How are Okinawan karate kobudo associations organized? What distinguishes them from associations in other countries? What are the exact rules? Over years, karate kobudo practitioners around the world have asked these and similar questions. Therefore, to give you a reliable … Continue reading

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The story of “Maezato no Nunchaku Dai” and “Akamine no Nunchaku”

In connection with Okinawa karate and kobudō, questions often remain answered unsatisfactorily, or unanswered at all. This may have different reasons. For example, people have long since forgotten what exactly happened several years or decades ago, or they were not … 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 History and Contents of Matayoshi Kobudo as of 1999

Grandfather Shinkō was born on May 18, 1888, in Kakinohana Town, Naha City as the third son of great-grandfather, Shinchin. Raised in Senbaru, Chatan Village, he learned kenpō (empty-handed martial arts) and bukijutsu (martial arts with weaponry) handed down as … Continue reading

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Taira Shinken 1964 also copied designs from Yun Heui-byeong 1948

In the last article, I notified that Taira Shinken copied important parts of text from Yun’s research published in 1948. Besides text, Taira also copied designs from Yun. Here I would like to particularly point out the makiwara design. The … Continue reading

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Maintaining the Unaltered Technique

In today’s Okinawa Times is an article on Mr. Nakazato Takeshi, 2nd generation Sōke of Shōrinji-ryū and Chairman of Zen Okinawa Shōrinji-ryū Karatedo Kyōkai. I would like to shortly share some parts of it. As for the context, the founder … Continue reading

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