Category Archives: Fundstücke

Kobudo kata list – then and now

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Andreas Quast

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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Kaneshima Shinsuke’s Martial Curriculum Vitae

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Andreas Quast

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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Original Karate mentioned in 1873. No, wait: 1850!

Posted on June 17, 2023 by Andreas Quast

Ernest Mason Satow (1843–1929) was a British diplomat, scholar, Japanologist and a key figure in Anglo-Japanese relations. He is best known in Japan as Satō Ainosuke (佐藤/薩道愛之助). As many people from Okinawa karate circles might know, Satow published his “Notes on … Continue reading →

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Porto Maurizio

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Andreas Quast

In 2019 I went on a road trip through Switzerland, Italy, and France. After passing through Port-Maurice in June, I thought it has a great history to tell. This was originally a Facebook post from that time, but I think … Continue reading →

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Taira Shinken 1964 copied from Yun Heui-byeong 1948

Posted on August 20, 2022 by Andreas Quast

Taira Shinken’s Ryūkyū Kobudō Taikan (1964) is considered the first monography on Okinawan weapon’s arts. In it, he included a chapter called “The History of Ryūkyū Kobudō” with descriptions of various masters from the past. However, more than fifteen years … Continue reading →

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The First Western Eyewitness Account of Okinawa

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Andreas Quast

[This article was first published in: Quast, Andreas: Karate 1.0. 2013] The first Western eyewitness accounts of Okinawa originate from Richard Wickham and William Adams (1564–1620).[1] The latter was later provided an estate and samurai status by shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu, … Continue reading →

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Fifteenth Century: Chatan Nakiri

Posted on May 30, 2022 by Andreas Quast

The Chatan Nakiri is one of the three treasured swords handed down within the royal family of Ryūkyū. It has an unsigned blade and its sword mountings include mother-of-pearl inlays, dust-coated sheat, pure gold fittings and hilt. Being an unsigned … Continue reading →

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Sai, Tinbe and the “Expedition to the Southern Islands” 1893

Posted on April 10, 2022 by Andreas Quast

As previously mentioned, in 2021, a list of “100 Footprints of Modern Karate” was published in the Okinawa Times. I have already written about Footprint No. 1 and Footprint No. 2 and today will turn to Footprint No. 3. Footprint … Continue reading →

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Okinawa Kenpo – Viewed from a different angle

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Andreas Quast

Jūjutsu and jūjutsu-like systems were known since feudal times in Japan under a multitude of names. The two most common of which were yawara and jūjutsu. Others were: kenpō, hakuda, hade, shubaku torite, taijutsu, kumiuchi, kogusoku, koshi no mawari, wajutsu, aikijūjutsu, aiki no jutsu, aikijutsu … Continue reading →

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Kampfkunst in Siam (Thailand), 1899

Posted on December 19, 2021 by Andreas Quast

“Neuerdings nehmen sogar die Vornehmen nach dem Vorbild des Königs, der bekanntlich vor kurzem erst die europäischen Länder besuchte, europäische Kultur an, und Volksspiele und Sports aller Art stehen bei den heiteren, stets zu Scherz und Kurzweil aufgelegten Siamesen seit … Continue reading →

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