History

Most American karateka know little, if anything, about their art other than the physical aspects.  They are content merely to practice the physical aspects of karate and have little interest in studying the origins of their art. Those of us in the Okinawa Matsumura Orthodox Karate and Kobudo Federation are of a different mentality. 

While we enjoy the physical training of Matsumura Orthodox Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo, those in our association have a burning desire to learn the history and the origins of our art.  Generations of secrecy, limited written histories and the destruction of records in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945 have shed a veil of mystery around the history and origins of Okinawan karate.  To a certain degree this veil exists.  This, coupled with the general lack of written records, has created a void of information on the early years of Ryu Kyu martial arts.  What little information we have has come to us through oral traditions scattered bits and pieces of information that somehow have come into the possession of modern karate historians. 

Nevertheless, any attempt to write on karate history will leave "many stones unturned," and the following attempt is no exception; a lot of questions are left unanswered. Grand Master Fusei Kise has written an autobiographical account of his training and our style, The Spirit of Okinawan Karate, first published in 2003.  Additional information concerning our style – its origins, history and the status of our Association in this century, is provided in his 2nd book, Okinawa Karate-do: A Selection of Readings and Documents in the History of Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Seito. 

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan consisting of a string of 66 islands; the main island is also called “Okinawa”.  Before it became part of Japan, the islands were called the Ryukyu Islands and were governed by an Emperor.  Due to Okinawa’s position east of Taiwan and south of mainland Japan, it was a frequent stopping place for European explorers, trade ships and military vessels. The Okinawans worked at fishing and farming and their culture is rich in tradition that includes - in addition to karate and kobudo – dance, pottery, glass making, music, bingata (a form of fabric dying), as well as a culture of great respect for family and their ancestors.

Okinawa was the location of a pivotal battle of World War II.  The Japanese army took up positions in caves throughout the hilly main island and the Okinawan people fled their homes and hid in caves as well.  The onslaught that came from the sky in the form of bombs from American planes is known as the “Typhoon of Steel”.  Hanshi Fusei Kise was 10 years old at the time.  After the war, the U.S. maintained a presence there and Okinawa is currently a strategic location of American military bases, including Army, Navy, Air Force and a large contingent of Marines.

Early Okinawan karate or Tode (Tuidi) as it was called owes its origin to a mixture of indigenous Okinawan fighting arts and various  "foot-fighting” systems and empty hand systems of Southeastern Asia and China.  The Okinawans, being a seafaring people, were in almost constant contact with mainland Asia.  It is quite likely that Okinawan seaman visiting foreign ports of call may have been impressed with local fighting techniques and incorporated these into their own fighting methods. 

Interest in unarmed fighting arts greatly increased during the14th century when King Sho Hashi of Chuzan established his rule over Okinawa and banned all weapons. More rapid development of Tode followed in 1609 when the Satsuma Clan of Kyushu, Japan occupied Okinawa and again banned the possession of weapons.  Thus, Tode or Okinawa-te, as the Satsuma Clan soon called it, became the only means of protection left to the Okinawan.  Thus it was this atmosphere that honed the early karate-like arts of Okinawa into such a weapon that they enabled the island people to carry on a guerrilla- style war with the Japanese Samurai that lasted into the late 19th century. 

So, Tode or Okinawa-te developed secretly to keep the Japanese from killing the practitioners and the teachers of the deadly art.  Tode remained underground until early 1900 when it was brought into the Okinawan school systems to be incorporated into physical education methods. 

Chatan Yara was one of the early Okinawan Masters of who some information exists.  Some authorities place his birth in about 1670 in the village of Chatan, Okinawa; others place his birth at a much later date.   In any case, he contributed much to Okinawan karate.  He is said to have studied in China for 20 years.  His techniques with the Bo and Sai greatly influenced Okinawan Kobudo.   His kata, "Chatan Yara no Sai",  "Yara Gua no Tonfa", and "Chatan Yara no Kon" are widely practiced today.

Most modern styles of karate can be traced back to  Satunuku Sakugawa   (1733-1815) called  "Tuidi” Sakugawa.  Sakugawa first studied under Peichin Takahara of Shun.  Later Sakugawa went to China to train under the famous Kusanku.  Kusanku had been a military attaché in Okinawa.  Upon Master Kusanku's return to China, Sakugawa followed him and remained in China for 6 years.  In 1762 he returned to Okinawa and introduced his Kempo; this resulted in the karate we know today.  Sakugawa became a famous Samurai; he was given the title of Satunuku or Satonushi; these were titles given to Samurai for service to the King.

Sakugawa had many famous students; among them were: 

1. Chikatosinunjo Sokon Matsumura 

2. Satunuku Nakabe (nickname:  Mabai Changwa)

3. Satunuku Ukuda (Bushi Ukuda) 

4. Chikuntonoshinunjo Matsumoto (Bushi Matsumoto) 

5. Kojo of Kumemura (Kugushiku of Kuninda) 

6. Yamaguchi of the East (Bushi Sakumoto) 

7. Usume (aged man) of Andaya (Iimundum) 

Sakugawa contributed greatly to Okinawan karate; we honor him today by continuing many of the concepts he introduced.   Sakugawa’s greatest contribution was in teaching the great Sokon "Bushi” Matsumura.