Category Archives: Fundstücke

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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On Sēpai (1986)

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Andreas Quast

Not too long ago communication between Okinawa and the world as well as between sensei and students was slow. Things would sometimes take months if not years to reach anybody, if ever. My colleague Filip Konjokrad just provided his translation … Continue reading →

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Inutabu Riot (Inutabu Sōdō 犬田布騒動)

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Andreas Quast

The Inutabu Riot occurred on April 23, 1864 (old lunar calendar: March 18, Bunkyū 4) in Inutabu Village, Tokunoshima. From the peasant’s point of view it is also called Inutabu Crusade (Inutabu gisen 犬田布義戦), emphasizing the righfulness of the action. … Continue reading →

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Soeishi no Kon

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Andreas Quast

A number of recent articles about Soeishi-ryū bōjutsu raised a lot of interest in bōjutsu circles. One of the schools which have a kata by the name of Soeishi is the Matayoshi Kobudō. The following is a written description of … Continue reading →

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The Significance of Wankan

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Andreas Quast

Like most karate people, I have studied a number of kata directly from various secondary and tertiary sources (people) as well as from media (books, videos) but continued to seek out primary teachers. There are many qualified teachers out there … Continue reading →

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