“When in May 1942 Nagamine Shōshin opened his first dōjō in Naha’s Sōgenji district, it was the only private karate school in Naha at the time. Kyan Chōtoku, his personal teacher, came all the way from Yomitan village, together with his assistant Arakaki Ansei – the brother of Ankichi. Chōtoku demonstrated his favorite kata Passai and Chintō as well as bōjutsu in the presence of guests of honor like rear admiral Kanna Kenwa, the publisher of the Ryūkyū Shinpō newspaper Matayoshi Kenwa, the dentist Hidehiko Tomoyose and others. The superb performance by 73-year-old Chōtoku was a demonstration of the very essence of karate that left the audience speechless. Unfortunately, this amazing, memorable performance was his last. On September 20, 1945 at the age of seventy-six, Chōtoku passed away in the northern part of Okinawa.”
Kyan Chotoku, teacher of Nagamine Shoshin.
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