Category Archives: Misc

Long live the noodle soup: A cultural-historical slurp of Okinawa Soba

Posted on October 21, 2023 by Andreas Quast

Comparatively recent, on March 29, 2005, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly declared October 25th as “Karate Day.” The date was chosen in reference to October 25, 1936, when several leading karate practitioners of the era officially decided on the notation Karate … Continue reading →

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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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Example of Association Rules in Okinawa

Posted on August 5, 2023 by Andreas Quast

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 Motobu Udun Tomb

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Andreas Quast

In 2021, after several years of research and reconstruction, the Motobu Udun Tomb was designated a cultural property by Ginowan City. The tomb is of interest as a historical site, but it also has high value as a place related … Continue reading →

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Plots of land of unknown ownership in Okinawa

Posted on June 25, 2023 by Andreas Quast

Land registers are formal records kept worldwide by authorities or other government bodies according to specific rules that can differ regionally. They list all land, land rights, the existing ownership and associated rights and encumbrances. It is most often known … 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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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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Just one year of training

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Andreas Quast

After returning to Naha, which became a burnt area, Nagamine’s job was to manage Minato Village. At that time, the Kokuba-Gumi was in charge of unloading the goods at Naha Port. The Kokuba-Gumi is an Okinawan company that ran the … Continue reading →

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Männekes

Posted on January 16, 2022 by Andreas Quast

Die Männekes hab ich mal irgendwann in den frühen 2000ern gezeichnet. Jetzt lade ich sie hoch, wenn auch in schlechter Quali, da ich die Originale längst nicht mehr habe, aber immerhin, sie bleiben damit zumindest erhalten.

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160 Years of German-Japanese Friendship

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Andreas Quast

On occasion of 160 years of German-Japanese diplomatic relations, here’s a short overview of German influences on early Meiji Japan. The official relations between a German state (Prussia) and Japan started with a diplomatic mission led by Count Friedrich Albrecht … Continue reading →

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