Category Archives: Theories of Historical Karate in Comparative Perspective

In this category I look into the theories and perceptions of historical Karate. Is there a causal relation that can be verified from existing historical sources?

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

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Andreas Quast

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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The karate of the “Pechin Class”

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Andreas Quast

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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Maintaining the Unaltered Technique

Posted on June 5, 2022 by Andreas Quast

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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Jiganemaru @50th anniversary of the return of Okinawa

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Andreas Quast

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the return of Okinawa, the special exhibition “Ryukyu”, which reveals the history and culture of Ryukyu with more than 700 exhibit items, has opened at the Tokyo National Museum. The exhibition runs from May … 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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Tode, Karate in the Tafaku 1867

Posted on April 10, 2022 by Andreas Quast

Yesterday I wrote about the written notation of tōde 唐手 as found in the play Nizan Waboku (The Reconciliation of Nanzan and Hokuzan) in 1867 and 1891. While it used the same original notation as karate / tōde, it turned … Continue reading →

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Karate, Tōde, and “The Reconciliation of Nanzan and Hokuzan”

Posted on April 9, 2022 by Andreas Quast

As mentioned previously, in 2021, a list of “100 Footprints of Modern Karate” were published in the Okinawa Times. Of course, “Modern Karate” here refers to the period since the establishment of Okinawa Prefecture in 1879. In this list, footprint … Continue reading →

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Was soll das heißen? – Terminologische und technische Implikationen des Nagahama Bō

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Andreas Quast

Eine Terminologie bezeichnet die „Gesamtheit der in einem Fachgebiet üblichen Fachwörter und -ausdrücke“ oder einfach „Nomenklatur.“ Innerhalb der Entstehung von Karate- und Kobudō-Terminologien gibt es einige Punkte zu beachten. Erst einmal entwickelten sich die modernen Karate- und Kobudō-Terminologien erst im … 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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Torite (continued)

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Andreas Quast

As has been noted previously, it was no less than Itosu Ankō who “said that karate was introduced by Chin Genpin.” As regards the art taught in Japan by Chin Genpin, it has been described as the “art of torite” … Continue reading →

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