Karate a Window to Okinawan Culture

8/8/2019 Karate a Window to Okinawan Culture

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Karate: A Window To Okinawan CultureBy Charles C. Goodin

What aspect of Okinawan culture has spread to more countries and is practiced by more peoplethan any other? The answer may surprise you: Karate.

In November, I gave a lecture about Karate history in Hawaii at the Ward Warehouse inconnection with a fundraising effort for the Bento To Mixed Plate Exhibit, which will be sent toOkinawa next year. After the talk, one of the Okinawan attendees confided that he had notknown that Karate was of Okinawan origin. Like many people, he thought it was Japanese.

In fact, Karate developed long before Okinawa became a Japanese prefecture (1879). What weknow as Karate today is the result of a combination of the unarmed Okinawan self-defense art ofOkinawa-Te (or Uchinadi) with the Chinese self-defense art of chuan-fa or kenpo. Many of thekata we practice in Okinawan Karate still bear the names of the Chinese teachers who broughtthem to Okinawa hundreds of years ago. The term Karate (or Tode) actually meant "China

Hand" until the mid-1930's, when prevailing sentiments in mainland Japan led to a change in thekanji used. As a result, Karate became "Empty Hand."

In the Shorin-Ryu lineage (principally from Shuri), we learn that a Chinese chuan fa expertnamed Kusanku arrived in Okinawa in the 1700's and taught an Okinawan named TodeSakugawa, who taught Sokon Matsumura, who taught Chotoku Kyan (among others), whotaught Shoshin Nagamine (among others), who taught several Hawaii Karate instructors. Myown dojo practices the style of Matsubayashi-Ryu which was founded by Nagamine Sensei in1942 and named in honor of Matsumura Sensei (of Shuri) and Kosaku Matsumora (of Tomari).And the most advanced kata we study is called Kusanku!

This is just one example of a Karate lineage. Other styles can trace their lineage to one or moreof the above teachers or to other Okinawan pioneers. In the Goju-Ryu system, for example, mostschools trace their lineage to Chojun Miyagi or Seko Higa, who in turn were students of KanryoHigashionna (of Naha), who learned chuan fa in China. Miyagi Sensei also took at least two tripsto China in order to study chuan fa and research the origins of the art.

Anko Itosu, a student of Sokon Matsumura, was the person most responsible for the introductionof Karate to the Okinawan school system. He taught a large group of students, some of whomwere instrumental in spreading Karate outside of Okinawa.

Karate in Japan -- 1920's.

Gichin Funakoshi, a highly respected school teacher in Okinawa, started teaching Karate inTokyo in the early 1920's as did Choki Motobu (or Motobu No Saru). They were quicklyfollowed by Kenwa Mabuni, Shinken Taira, Chojun Miyagi, Dr. Tsuyoshi Chitose (Chinen),Uechi Sensei, and other teachers from Okinawa. There should be no misunderstanding: theseteachers were spreading the Okinawan art of Karate ("China Hand") -- they were not creating anew form of Karate.


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Pressures were exerted in mainland Japan to make Karate more standardized and "Japanese." Inparticular, Karate was expected to fit into the mold of Judo and Kendo, which were alreadywidely popular. These arts had a competitive or sport aspect not found in Okinawan Karate. Thelarge university Karate clubs needed consistent rules for the judging of kumite (sparring) andkata (form) contests. Karate also adopted a lighter version of the white uniform used in Judo as

well as the kyu/dan ranking system. In the dan system, there are ten degrees of black belt. InOkinawa, there were no belts at all. A competent student might be given a license of proficiencyfrom his teacher, but even this was not always done. Okinawan and Chinese terminology wasalso largely abandoned, in favor of more acceptable Japanese names and terms.

Thus, many of the Okinawan teachers in Japan gradually, albeit reluctantly, adopted these"innovations." In time (mostly after the war), many of the changes were also adopted inOkinawa.

Why were changes made in Japan? First, Japan had recently fought wars with China and tensionscontinued during this time period. The name "China Hand" was therefore considered

unacceptable, as were other Chinese names and terms. In addition, Okinawan culture was likethe proverbial "protruding nail" to most Japanese. According to this saying, anything differentshould be hammered down (made to conform). From the time of Okinawa's incorporation as aprefecture, there was a systematic attempt to eliminate its "native" language, religion, arts andcustoms. Prejudice against Okinawans was common and widespread.

I spoke to Kiyoshi Aihara, who studied Karate in mainland Japan under Gichin Funakoshi. Whilehe was aware of the prejudice many people had against Okinawans, he stated that he and theother students had the highest respect for Funakoshi Sensei and his Okinawan culture. Amid aswirling storm of prejudice, Karate provided an important window for cultural understanding.

Karate in Hawaii -- 1900.

Kentsu Yabu and studentsHonolulu, 1927

Karate arrived in Hawaii in 1900 with the very first Okinawan contract workers. As early as1910, Karate demonstrations were being given in connection with bon dances and sumotournaments. By the 1920's, Karate was being taught openly. Another of Matsumura's (andItosu's) students, Kentu Yabu (Yabe) visted Hawaii in March 1927, and stayed until Decemberof that year. He taught classes in Honolulu, Waipahu and on Kauai. He was followed in 1932 byChoki Motobu, in 1933 by Zuiho Mutsu (a Japanese university professor) and Kamesuke


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Higashionna (an Okinawan educated at Toyo University), and in 1934 by Chojun Miyagi.Several Karate clubs were established on Oahu and the outer islands by the 1930's.

Hawaii was a far different environment than mainland Japan. Prior to World War Two, there waslittle or no pressure for the teachers to adopt Japanese "innovations." For the most part, the

Okinawan community kept to itself and Karate was taught to Okinawans only. As a result, theKarate taught in Hawaii was the "old way." The term "China Hand" was used up to and evenafter the war, as were the old kata names and terminology.

One Karate or Many?

While the above is a very brief historical background of the spread of Karate in the early part ofthis century, it does show that Karate is from Okinawa, where it had developed for hundreds ofyears with a heavy Chinese influence. What then is Japanese Karate, Korean Karate or AmericanKarate? For that matter, is there such thing as Hawaii Karate?

An art is heavily influenced by the culture in which it developed. Karate naturally reflects theOkinawan culture -- or more correctly, the old way of Karate reflects the Okinawan culture. AKarate student is taught about the life and deeds of his teachers and all those teachers who camebefore. Okinawan students learn about such pioneers as Matsumura, Matsumora, Itosu,Higashionna, Yabu, Hanashiro, and Kyan, and their place in Okinawan culture and history. Itwould be expected that students in Japan, Korea, America and other parts of the world also learnabout these meijin (famous or accomplished people), but this is not always the case. In moderntimes, little emphasis has been placed on looking back to the roots.

On several occasions, I have met students of Karate styles derived from Funakoshi Sensei whowere adamant that Karate developed in mainland Japan. They were surprised to learn that

Funakoshi was an Okinawan and that he taught an Okinawan art. In fact, some would not believeme! I assured them that we were cousins in the art since our lineages converged with ItosuSensei (one of Funakoshi's primary teachers, along with Anko Azato).

American Karate gets even more confusing. With the links to Japan and Okinawa faded by time,a new martial arts culture has developed which bears little or no resemblance to the "old way."Most Americans do not recognize a distinction between the Okinawan and Japanese cultures.Grasping for some culture, some Americans have mistakenly adopted the samurai mold forKarate.

I visited the website of one such Karate student who proclaimed that his students "were samurai"and "followed the code of Bushido." I asked this student where he obtained such information andproceeded to explain how Karate was more influenced by unarmed Okinawans having to learn toprotect themselves against armed Satsuma (Japanese) samurai occupiers. Karate was a civilianart of self-defense rather than an institutionalized system of armed warfare. But again, manypeople incorrectly assume that the assimilation of Karate into the Japanese mainstream meantthat Karate's history was somehow rewritten in the samurai mold.


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Please don't misunderstand. I have great respect to the Japanese culture and also practicedJapanese martial arts from childhood. My mother is from Fukuoka and I lived in Misawa inNorthern Honshu for several years. But it is simply wrong to think that Karate originated inmainland Japan or that it reflects the samurai or military tradition. Karate reflects the uniqueOkinawan culture.

What Can Karate Sensei and Students Do?

1. Learn About the Okinawan Culture. First and foremost, those of us who study the art havea responsibility to be good examples. This does not only mean developing superior technique. Itis essential for us to learn the history and traditions of the art and this means learning aboutOkinawa itself.

When I started my research on the development of Karate in Hawaii, my sensei's wife loaned mea copy of Uchinanchu: A History of Okinawans in Hawaii. Later, when I interviewed Mrs. HelenMiyashiro (the wife of Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro) she gave me her copy of Uchinanchu, along

with all of her husband's religion books. Everywhere I've gone, senior members of the Okinawancommunity have taken the time to sit down with me and explain various aspects of the Okinawanculture and the place of Karate in it. I was fortunate to meet Dr. Mitsugu Sakihara (by accident)and just yesterday completed A History of Early Okinawa Based on The Omoro Shoshi. I alsoread George Kerr's Okinawa: The History of An Island People. When I could, I reviewed thecommemorative journals for the various Okinawan clubs, which often contain short biographiesof prominent members.

My point is that I found it impossible to write about Karate in Hawaii without first researchingthe history of Okinawans in Hawaii. In turn, I could not begin to understand Okinawans inHawaii, unless I also researched the history of Okinawa. In particular, I have tried to learn what

it was about Okinawan culture, history and geography that lead to the development of thepeaceful art of Karate.

2. Teach Your Students About the Culture. It is not enough to learn yourself. You must alsoteach your students about the Okinawan culture and the development of Karate in Japan, Hawaiiand around the world. Make time in your classes to include stories about the old masters,particularly those in your own lineage. When you know more about your own style, you will findthat it is intimately interwoven with many others.

Teach courtesy and etiquette and make sure that your students observe them at all times.Encourage your students to read about the early days of the art. Breaking bricks and boards isfine. Breaking down the barriers of misunderstanding and ignorance is far better.

3. Spread the Art. Karate is a "living" tradition. It lives in its practitioners and in their dailylives. It is essential for seniors to pass on what they know to the next generation of students, whowill in turn carry it on. We often say that Karate can give you a good life but it is not a goodlivelihood. In Hawaii, very few teachers make a living teaching Karate. Most of us have full timejobs and teach because we love the art. My of the "old time" teachers never charged a pennyduring their entire lives.


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In the islands of what we now know as Okinawa Prefecture, the art of Karate was developed overmany generations. Taught in secret from father to son, from master to disciple, it becameaccessible to the public only this century. Now it is practiced worldwide.

A person can put on a tinsel grass skirt and shake their hips -- that does not make it hula.

Similarly, a person can put on a gi (uniform) and execute a series of punches and kicks -- thatdoes not make it Karate. Like hula, Karate reflects the rich culture and traditions of the land of itsorigin.

At the beginning and end of each Karate class, we bow in respect to the sensei who came beforeus. In each class, we feel the eyes of these elders watching us, and in our lives we try our best tolive up to the standards they set. Through the window of Karate, we have an opportunity to learnabout the rich culture of Okinawa and to spread a message of understanding and peace.

Do you have a story or photographs of Hawaii's early Karate students or sensei? If so, pleasecontact the author.

Charles C. Goodin98-211 Pali Momi Street, Suite 640CAiea, Hawaii 96701

Telephone: (808) 488-5773 FAX: 488-5778E-mail: [email protected]

Karate a Window to Okinawan Culture

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