Category Archives: Kyan Chotoku

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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Shimabukuro Eizō (*1924)

The following informations are from: Takamiyagi Shigeru, Shinzato Katsuhiko, Nakamoto Masahiro: Okinawa Karate Kobudo Jiten 2008, pp. 435-37. In 1937 Shimabukuro Eizō studied Shōrin-ryū under Kyan Chōtoku and Gōjū-ryū under founder Miyagi Chōjun. For the following 70 years he walked … Continue reading

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Shimabukuro Zenryō (1909–1969)

Shimabukuro Zenryō (1909–1969) was born in 1909 in the Kubagawa village of Shuri. It was the same year that Uechi-ryū founder Uechi Kanbun returned from Fujian, China. It was around his secondary school years when Zenryō with sparkling eyes listened … Continue reading

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Sign of the Times – Chatan Yara no Kusanku

To be honest, I personally like the sport version of Chatan Yara no Kūsankū. I also support “sport” as one of the three pillars of modern budō. But here’s why everyone needs to stop calling “Chatan Yara Kūsankū” a “Shitō-ryū … Continue reading

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Kyan Chotoku, teacher of Nagamine Shoshin.

“When in May 1942 Nagamine Shōshin opened his first dōjō in Naha’s Sōgenji district, it was the only private karate school in Naha at the time. Kyan Chōtoku, his personal teacher, came all the way from Yomitan village, together with … Continue reading

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Kyan Chotoku’s wife, Kama

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Tokumine no Kon (Bojutsu Kata Series)

According to various Okinawan karate and kobudō sources the following can be said about the bō-kata called Tokumine no Kon. Tokumine no Kon is pronounced Tukunmī nu Kun in Okinawan dialect. The creator of this kata was Tokumine Pēchin Seifu … Continue reading

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On the distinction between Shuri-te and Tomari-te

Translator’s note: The Japanese language version of this article published on the Motobu-ryū website has sparked a lot of interest among the international karate and Ryūkyū bugei community. In addition, there was a request for a translation. For this reason I translated it here with … Continue reading

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Arakaki Ankichi (1899-1929) – budoka, businessman, artist

his article describes the life and impact of Arakaki Ankichi (1899-1929). Ultimately it aims at determining the meaning of a hanging scroll bearing a poem and a depiction he created in 1928. It took me nearly seven years – more … Continue reading

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1872, Ryūkyū kingdom

n January 1872, the Ryūkyū kingdom was informed that it had been affiliated as the Ryūkyu fief to newly established Kagoshima Prefecture. According to the regulations determined in a letter by Ōyama, the chancellor of Kagoshima Prefectural at the time, “Congratulatory Envoys for … Continue reading

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