Monthly Archives: March 2020

Context is king: Chibariyo!

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Andreas Quast

So I looked up the Okinawan word ‘chibariyo.’ ‘Chibariyo’ is usually explained by comparison with the Japanese ‘ganbare’ 頑張れ, i.e. to ‘hang in there!,’ to ‘never give up!,’ ‘Please do your best!’ etc. Read as ganbaru 頑張る, btw, it means … Continue reading →

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Gerhard Ulrich Anton Vieth (1763-1836)

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Andreas Quast

Vieth, Gerhard Ulrich Anton: Versuch einer Encyklopädie der Leibesübungen. Quellenbücher der Leibesübungen (1795), Band 2, Teil II. Herausgegeben von M. Schwarze und W. Limpert. 8 in 9 Bänden. Dresden, Verlag W. Limpert, 1928-1934. Vom Ringen und Faustkampfe Von der Ringekunst, … Continue reading →

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German-Ryukyuan Contacts in the 19th Century

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Andreas Quast

There were only few contacts between Germany and Ryukyu in the 19th century. The first German to reach the Ryukyu Kingdom was probably missionary Dr. Karl Friedrich August Gützlaff (1803–1851), who reached Okinawa in 1832 on a British ship. The … Continue reading →

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Nakamura Shigeru: “Karate is also to be unified”

Posted on March 22, 2020 by Andreas Quast

“Karate is also to be unified”“Unification with wearing protective gear” Nakamura Shigeru, Chairman of the Okinawa Kenpō Karate-dō Renmei Born on January 20, 1893, he entered the Karate Club of the Shuri Prefectural Middle School in Shuri at the age … Continue reading →

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Tunchi (Okinawa)

Posted on March 10, 2020 by Andreas Quast

(from Japanese Wikipedia, translation by Andreas Quast) Tunchi is a honorary title referring to the Uēkata families from among the Ryūkyū samurē class (shizoku) who are in the position of a sōjitō (estate steward-general). In a broader sense, it is … Continue reading →

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Udun (Okinawa)

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Andreas Quast

(from Japanese Wikipedia, translation by Andreas Quast) Udun is a term mainly used as a name for the residences of Ryūkyū royal family members, or otherwise as a honorary title for the people who live there. Overview Udun generally refers … Continue reading →

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Yoshimura Udun

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Andreas Quast

(from Japanese Wikipedia, translation by Andreas Quast) Real family name Shō(2nd Dynasty of the Royal Shō-clan) Progenitor Yoshimura Ōji Chōgi Classification Ryūkyū royal family Birthplace Ryūkyū Kingdom, Shuri Main home Ryūkyū Kingdom, Shuri Prominent figures Yoshimura Ōji Chōken, Yoshimura Aji … Continue reading →

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Yoshimura Chōmei

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Andreas Quast

(from Japanese Wikipedia, translation by Andreas Quast) Yoshimura Chōmei (October 10, 1830 – January 9, 1898) was the 3rd-generation head of the Yoshimura Udun and a government official and politician during the closing days of the Ryūkyū kingdom. He is … Continue reading →

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Yoshimura Chōgi

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Andreas Quast

(from Japanese Wikipedia, translation by Andreas Quast) Yoshimura Chōgi  (1866-1945) was born in the closing years of the Ryūkyū Kingdom as a member of the royal family of Ryūkyū. He was the 4th head of the  Yoshimura Udun. He is known … Continue reading →

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Tōma Jūgō – Karate as a Physical Education Subject in Secondary School

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Andreas Quast

In my last post I established that judge and politician Tōma Jūgō (1895-1971) must have attended his four-year course at Shuri Middle School between 1908-1913. At this time, karate was a mandatory school subject at Shuri middle school. So I … Continue reading →

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