The Chibana Project

Chibana Stories

2012-01-03T16:55:00.003-10:00

The following are stories from Katsuyuki Shimabukuro, a student of Higa Yuchoku who was a student of Chibana Sensei. Katsuyuki Shimabukuro claims that these are stories told to him by Higa Yuchoku. These are found on pages 14 and 15 of Gekkan Karatedo, August 2007, Vol 445. These translations are not entirely accurate due to my tenuous Japanese abilities:

Interviewer: If you have any legendary hero stories about Chibana Sensei, please share.

Katsuyuki: I first heard this story from Higa Yuchoku Sensei. One day after lunch, three gentlemen who were studying judo and kendo were on a world-wide martial arts pilgrimage and came to see Chibana Sensei (1). The three gentlemen had just come to Okinawa from Taiwan and asked Chibana Sensei, "Will you please have a match with us?"

Of course, in order to avoid a meaningless fight, Chibana Sensei courteously refused. However, the three gentlemen insisted that it was absolutely necessary. This troubled Chibana Sensei and he answered, "I don't care if you hurt or maim me, but if you're okay with getting hurt or maimed, please join my class" (2). With that, the three gentlemen departed (3).

To truly understand the story, let me explain. Okinawan Te (Ti) is a martial art. It took discipline to live a life with the purpose of kill or being killed. That's why researching hidden techniques that are forbidden in modern matches today was in vogue, and those who could uncover them were masters. It's impossible to use those techniques today without changing them to something completely different. Even kicking, researching the golden standard of kicking, and exploring hidden vital places including the most unpleasant vital spots (thrusting with your fist to a vital spot on the back of the head for instance) were practiced.

Of course, the main principle was to make your hands and feet weapons to defeat your opponent with a fatal blow. Since Okinawan martial arts were for the purpose of protecting one's life, dealing with any kind of weapon was a life and death situation one keeps in mind and devotes time to studying.

So with this understanding, when the gentlemen said, "Let's have a match. But, we know from our world travels about forbidden techniques, and because those techniques are dangerous, please don't use them," you can see how that troubled Chibana Sensei.

However, is there ever a time when you should use your fists? I remember Chibana Sensei saying that the answer was this: "This is when you should use karate. You should use it to save someone from misfortune or to protect the ones you love."

Interviewer: Do you have any other stories about Chibana Sensei?

Katsuyuki: Here's another story again from Higa Yuchoku Sensei. This story was when Chibana Sensei was in his 70's, that's to say after the end of the war. There was a request from the American military garrisoned in Okinawa to give a karate demonstration on one of the American military bases. At that time, I think little Chibana Sensei saw the request and considered it for a little while.

There were some skeptical individuals with submission wrestling experience in the audience. And so Chibana Sensei took one soldier on stage and with three fingers pointed at the soldier's chest said, "Come." If Chibana Sensei's tempered fingers moved before they were supposed to, the soldier could encroach. In addition, Chibana Sensei said, "You can tackle me or throw me too." The soldier started to savagely tackle him, but Chibana Sensei immediately repelled the soldier's arm with his forearm (4).

In those days, Chibana Sensei said, "Your arms must be like iron. If you don't train, even if you have fat arms, they will only be as hard as wood. But, if you train, even slender arms can become as hard as iron." Of course, I personally train to make my forearms like iron.

In the twinkling of an eye, the soldier's arm began to swell up. As the soldier stood in awe of such power, even as his hand turned purple, [Sensei] said, "I can teach you that technique," and invited the soldier to his dojo that evening.

Notes:
(1) The simplest explanation of 武者修行 or mushashugyou (what I've translated as "martial arts pilgrimage") was when an individual traveled to various locations to hone their fighting/warrior skills. Training, matches, and bodyguard or mercenary work were common facets of that lifestyle.

(2) I had a hard time translating this sentence into English, even with expert help (who had a hard time making it make sense in English). While I think I've captured the essence, here's the sentence in its entirety: "さすがの知花先生も困り果て、「あなた方は首を絞めても、何をしてもかまいません。しかし、こちらも同様のことを了解して頂ければ立ちを会いましょう」と答えました."

(3) The verbiage in the article was, "すると、三人組はそのまま帰ってしまった." Katsuyuki Sensei was trying to point out that the three of them promptly left when Chibana Sensei became serious.

(4) I suspect that the blow the soldier suffered was an uchi-uke, one of Chibana Sensei's alleged go-to techniques around that time. I've heard two stories of other individuals who, wanting to test Chibana Sensei, were rendered similarly helpless with an uchi-uke. Regardless, the most important things to take note of are (1) Chibana Sensei used a "block" as a strike and (2) his power was that of ippon kowashi - "one blow to destroy the opponent." Note how the soldier stopped attacking after his arm had been struck.

At It Again

2011-11-21T13:35:00.007-10:00

It's been a while since I've devoted time to The Chibana Project. Life happened these past three years. Digging through my files to answer a request, I discovered some additional unfinished translations. I've decided to finish them and resume posting them here. Other surprises may be in store over time as well.

There is a wonderful book written by Masahiro Nakamoto called Okinawa Traditional Old Martial Arts that has been translated into English and is available here. What is being sold is the second English edition. I have a copy of the first English edition, which was published and translated by Miguel de Luz in July 2008. While I haven't read this particular second edition, I have been informed that there aren't significant differences between the two in terms of what mattered most to me: information on Chibana Sensei and the 38 other bujin Nakamoto Sensei meticulously researched. There are two Japanese editions to my knowledge (I have copies of both) published in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Reading through the archive of comments over the years, I'd like to apologize to all the individuals who wanted to get in contact with me and were met without a response. To answer the most common unanswered comments:

- You can e-mail me at jonqpublic@lycos.com.

- Chibana Sensei's house has long been bulldozed and built over. I discovered this when I returned to Okinawa in 2007. Before I left Okinawa in 2009, there were a number of new apartment buildings being built in the Tori Hori neighborhood. It broke my heart not being able to see the house again, but I feel fortunate that during my 2006 trip I photographed the property when the house was still standing.

- If you find yourself in Naha, Okinawa, head south of Shuri Station along Highway 82 and then turn left once you've hit the Higa Apartment (比嘉アパート) complex and head east into the neighborhood. You'll find yourself in Chibana Sensei's old neighborhood. If you speak Japanese, you might be fortunate enough to run into an elderly person in the neighborhood who may have been a neighbor. That's how I found the Chibana property when I ventured by myself in 2007 to discover that it had been bulldozed over.

Chibana Sensei's address was Naha-Shi, Shuri Tori-Hori-Cho 2-40-1
(那覇市首里鳥堀町2-40-1)

A Work In Progress Part II - Not Really in Progress

2011-10-20T15:39:00.004-10:00

In August of 2006, I set out to translate Shuguro Nakazato's Okinawa Traditional Karate: Shorin Ryu Kata figuring there would be much about Chibana Sensei within the book. As I waded through an attempt at translation, I lost interest primarily because the book was - appropriately I would respectfully add - a mini biographical account of the life of Shuguro Nakazato. He begins speaking about Chibana Sensei on page 217 of the book. By page 220, the focus begins to return to him, and my translation ends.

I was recently contacted for the rest of my translation notes from the book. Rather than just sharing with one individual, I thought I would post it here. This fragment is interesting for a couple reasons: first, Nakazato Sensei's narrative brings out the true Uchinanchu essence of Chibana Sensei. Second, just as with that first fragment I translated five years ago, you see Nakazato Sensei's love and respect for his master.

What follows is pages 219 through most of 220 ( a direct continuation of my post from August 2006 ). Any errors in translation are mine.

Shortly thereafter, because Sensei had left Chinen to return to his birthplace of Shuri's Tori-Hori district, Sensei had opened his first dojo there in Taisho 7th year (1918). In the time when Chibana Sensei opened his dojo in Shuri Tori-Hori village, Funakoshi Gichin, Oshiro Chojo, Yabu Kentsu, Hanashiro Chomo, Tokuda Anbun, and others whose illustrious names carried weight in the karate world founded the Karate Research Club dedicated to furthering the research of karate ideas and technique training.

Chibana Chosin Sensei regularly said, "Karate is the way of cultivating the mind," and spoke of the essence of karatedo hidden in Okinawan song (1). Sensei used to say this old Okinawan saying, and would emphasize this with a thumping that resounded off his chest, renewing the importance of endurance and giving you something thoroughly to consider (2).

I intentionally learned the bokusho style of writing the character "endure" because I was so deeply impressed with my teacher's ways (3). I also frequently write another character: "knowledge." Karatedo's foundation is surely perseverance because I think in order to excel at the techniques, the way one must master is "endurance" and "knowledge" without conflict.

That's why I think these two characters "endurance" and "knowledge" are karate's ideal and practicing these characters expressed that sentiment.

The purpose of the pursuit of karate surely exists in "perseverance," and in order to "be absorbed in karate and risk life on karate" the spirit of "knowledge" is necessary and essential.

Master Chibana Chosin Sensei said very elegantly, "In karate I live, in karate I die." But, the ones supporting that kind of lifestyle are understanding families and respectful students. Everytime there was something needed, his students endeavored to meet that need as much as possible (4).

Two years after I began training in Showa 23d year (1948), Chibana Chosin Sensei founded the Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate Association and became its first president. When I began training, I soon became an uchi-deshi, and as such I soon underwent various hardships (5). After the war, when Sensei was building his home in Tori-Hori, there was a shortage of goods and supplies.

Notes:

(1) One of Chibana Sensei's five precepts from Karatedo no Kokoro e was "Through physical training, one can cultivate the mind."
(2) This is likely a reference to the proverb: 忍ぶで忍ばらんことあゆみ、忍ばらん忍びすしど忍び (Shinobu de shinobaran koto ayumi, shinobaran shinobi sushido shinobi). I cannot make this make sense in English.
(3) Bokusho (墨書) is an abstract, post-modern form of calligraphy from the post WWII era in Japan.
(4) Personal Note: After hearing his story with my own ears, Nakazato Sensei did much more than he would ever publicly acknowledge to support Chibana Sensei.
(5) Uchi-deshi is a live-in student. Requirements to become an uchi-deshi vary from instructor to instructor but they generally share the themes of loyalty to the teacher and dedication to karate.

Gekkan Translation III

2008-03-31T03:21:00.003-10:00

What follows is the next chunk of the Gekkan Karatedo article on Chibana Choshin. Pictured at right is a copy of Chibana's "Shinobi."

As a Teacher

After the end of the dark and long Second World War, Choshin returned to Shuri. And, he resumed karate instruction at Shuri's Gibo Village. In Showa 23rd year (1948), he founded the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Association and became its first president. In the five years between Showa 29th year (1954) and Showa 33rd year (1958), Chibana served as the instructor for the Shuri Police Department.

As for Choshin's kata, he was noted for his Patsai and Kunsanku katas. In the 1938 publication Karatedo Taikan (edited by Nakasone Genwa), he is featured performing the Patsai kata (1).

"Beautiful techniques are sharp" and "Strong techniques are beautiful" were his favorite sayings. Chibana emphasized as important both learning kata without distraction and practicing and defining technique within kata. In those days his sayings were called "Chibana's Churadi" or Chibana's Beautiful Ti (2).

Chibana received praise for his beautiful martial exercises. As for his techniques, his kick was famous. There is an anecdote from around those times that he once kicked a boar, and afterward the boar couldn't move. When asked about this, he neither confirmed nor denied it. It seems as far as his kick was concerned that Choshin kept it a secret. Normally, you kick with the ball of the foot. However, Choshin used a "Tip of the Foot" kick where he kicked using the tips of his toes (he would overlap his big toe with the second toe to reinforce it) (3).

How did he develop so much power? One story has it that he would lightly crack two 7 bu (two 12 cm) pieces of cedar planks (4). There is another episode like this when he is a little over 60 years old. This is Nakazato Shuguro's story. At that time he says he saw Choshin hold and crush a 2 sun (5) (approximately 6 cm) diameter long jointed bambo pole. Nakazato tried to do it, but he found it impossible to split. He says he saw Choshin crush the bamboo very easily.

"Sensei's grip strength was an incredible thing. During a physical exam, the mercury in the hand dynometer seemed like it was going to burst" (Nakazato in "Okinawa Karate's Great Stars") (6).

Naturally, Choshin was of modest character, and he found it against his conscience to talk about his own martial prowess. Therefore, there is very little on his martial story. However, as far as his instruction goes personal opinion holds, and his life as a teacher is one-sided. When he spoke of Karatedo's true meaning, it is said that it was like he was speaking about Okinawan music. In 1957, in the Okinawa Times newspaper, the following speech remains:

"Young colleagues would break roof tiles and boast about it, but it was just frivolous thinking; if the practicioner of karate sufficiently drills kata, kumite, makiwara, and others (hojo undo), and when that power reaches a suitable limit, the power of karate will naturally emerge. Even people of weak constitution can do karate. Normal people can't make these kinds of people do karate. Like lightly getting someone to dance, when you make the mind cheerful, you will completely forget the illness. Karate teachers not only teach kata; they have a responsibility to make people's bodies splendid. With this work as my life's work, even now I continue to study karate."

The great number of students who adored Choshin beat down his gate. Choshin's students include Zanami Jiro (7), Higa Yuchoku, Miyahira Katsuya, Shimabukuro Katsuyuki, Nakazato Shuguro, Nakama Chozo, Arakaki Ankichi, Nakazato Akira (8) and a great many other superior disciples grew under his tutelage.

Notes
(1) These can be found on pages 28-34 of the 1991 reprint edition.

(2) This is my extrapolation. "Chura" or チュラ (美ら）is a Hogen word that means "beautiful."

(3) Chibana was probably embarrassed by the boar incident if it occurred, hence his reluctance to confirm or deny it. A related story told by Mr. Patrick Nakata is that when Chibana was demonstrating the proper way to execute a front kick using the tip of the toes, Chibana accidentally kicked the wall and cracked it. He was incredibly embarrassed by the accident. However, Hirokazu Kanazawa says that when he visited Chibana in 1964, Chibana demonstrated kicking a bundle of bamboo with the tips of his toes ("An Interview with Kirokazu Kanazawa Part II", Classical Fighting Arts, Issue 8, pg 26).

(4) Before conversion to the metric system in 1924, the Japanese adopted a measurement system from the Chinese Tang Dynasty in 701 and called it shakkanho (尺貫法) where length is based on the shaku. Most kobudo enthusiasts are familiar with the shaku in terms of bo length (e.g., the roku-shaku bo). The modern shaku is based on the measurement carpenters used where a shaku was roughly 30.3 cm or 11.93 in; this was approximately the distance between the bottom of the elbow and top of the wrist. A bu is roughly 1/100 of a shaku.

(5) A sun is roughly 1/10 of a shaku.

(6) According to Mr. Patrick Nakata, Chibana used to cut his lawn with a pair of household scissors. When asked why, he replied it was good training for his grip and his forearms. The Chibana lawn was at least 100 square feet.

(7) An extrapolation on this person's name that in the original text reads "座波二郎." Cursory research has not turned up anything on this individual.

(8) Nakazato Akira, unrelated to Nakazato Shuguro, was Chibana's grandson and Chibana's designated successor to his karate organization. Events following Chibana's death in 1969, however, led to the rise of Miyahira Katsuya as the successor.

Reprieve

2008-03-05T04:36:00.002-10:00

The restriction has been modified as we continue our "Period of Reflection." I am now free to move about the island with restrictions on off-installation activities and a strict curfew. Fortunately, the restrictions and curfew will have little effect on my research efforts; thus, the project resumes! Our status will be reviewed regularly, and as long as SOFA personnel conduct themselves properly, we will in a step-wise function be granted more of our original liberties until we return to status quo (no restrictions).

I am pleasantly surprised to see our lock-down end early. I only hope that events over the last month have not injured local relations to the point that they are detrimental to research.

An Extended Delay

2008-02-24T05:00:00.002-10:00

For those of you who have been following the news, a series of unfortunate events has occurred here in Okinawa that have become a significant detriment to my project. Two weeks ago, a US Marine allegedly raped a 14 year-old middle school girl. One week ago, a US Marine while in drunken stupor allegedly broke into the home of a Nago resident and passed out on her couch. That same weekend, another US Marine was stopped by authorities for allegedly driving under the influence. The culmination of these events and the political backlash (criticism from Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda) compelled the highest ranking military commander on-island, Okinawa Area Coordinator Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Richard Zilmer, to restrict all status of forces agreement (SOFA) personnel to military facilities - all those who reside off-post are restricted to their off-post residences. The intent of this restriction is to limit US military contact with the local Okinawan populace. This restriction, euphamistically referred to as a "Period of Reflection", is indefinite. In 1995, following the gang-rape of a 12 year-old girl by three US servicemen, a similar restriction stood for 6 months.

As a person with SOFA status, this means that I cannot leave base except to go directly home, and that I cannot leave home except to directly go to a military base. This bodes ill for a project that requires obvious travel to off-base facilities. With 6 months as the baseline for a restriction of this kind, I cannot help but feel pessimistic. Thus, there will be an extended delay on any research that is accomplished outside of document translation. I apologize to any regular visitors pining for updates on anything I have found. As infrequent as updates have been due to my hectic work schedule, they will probably become more artificially infrequent due to this recent restriction on my movement.

As I keep my fingers crossed that this limitation is short term (measured in weeks as opposed to months), I express sorrow and sympathy for those locals who have been victimized and solidarity with my fellow sailors, soldiers, marines, and airmen as we wait out this "grounding." We are truly blessed and fortunate to live on this beautiful island hosted by a long-time, staunch, forgiving, and strategically significant ally. Let us hope the ignorant actions of the few does not permanently damn the many.

Gekkan Translation II

2008-01-07T05:47:00.000-10:00

What follows is the next chunk of the Gekkan Karatedo magazine article on Chibana Choshin. Again, these chunks are not congruent with how the article is organized in the magazine. The picture at left is one of a series of photos of Chibana Sensei performing Naihanchi Shodan in October 1953 in his yard at his home.

The Birth of Shorin Ryu

Plausibly, at the Itosu home in Shuri's Ishimine District, for about two or three years, Chibana's episode with Itosu was kept a secret. Whenever there was a visitor to the Itosu home, Chibana would hide in the bushes near the Itosu mansion. Occasionally, he would continue hiding even if he got wet from rain, and he would accept instruction after the visitor departed. There was a reason to keep it that secret.

In those times, in general it was believed that karate was the means to fighting. So, if it was known that you were learning karate, you would be unknowingly set upon by a surprise attack. "At that time, Tori-Hori, Akita, and Sakiyama (Shuri districts) were full of thugs. Also, at my home, they would frequently come to try to duel with me, but they would leave quietly," Choshin said (1).

While Itosu taught P.E. style karate at school, at his dojo he taught Te that had the marked aroma of Bujutsu. Karate became a required subject at Okinawa First Middle School (2) and at the Okinawa Teacher's College. You could probably say that Choshin was part of the last generation to learn both P.E. style and Bujutsu style karate.

Chibana studied under Itosu until Itosu's final years, and afterwards in Taisho 7th year (1918) at age 34, he opened a dojo in Tori-Hori Village (the following year he established a dojo at Naha Kumoji Village. After this, he taught at both dojos). That same year, Chibana founded the Karate Research Club with Funakoshi Gichin, Oshiro Chojo, Yabu Kentsu, Hanashiro Chomo, and Tokuda Anbun. The Karate Research Club was held at Mabuni Kenwa's house, and the club served the purpose of researching karate ideas, and it created the field of technique refinement.

In Taisho 15th year (1926), Choshin participated in the Okinawa Tote (Karate) Club with Motobu Choyu, Hanashiro Chomo, Mabuni Kenwa, Teruya Kamesuke (3), and Gokenki (4). The Okinawa Tote club was a Te club that was formed in Taisho 13th year (1924) as a cooperative research group, and at that time many karate experts participated. Also, in Showa 4th year (1929), Chibana established the Tote Research Club at the courtyard of Naha Tori-Hori's Baron Nakijin (5). While continuing to teach with enthusiasm, in Showa 8th year (1933), he named his karate Shorin Ryu. This was the birth of Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo.

However, in that era, war was steadily approaching. In Showa 6th year (1931), on 18 September, the Mukuden Incident (6) signaled the beginning of the outbreak of the Manchuria Incident (7). With Manchuko established, and news received of Japan's withdrawal from the disapproving League of Nations, even on Okinawa the footsteps of war gradually swelled (8). Soon after, hostilities were opened. The long suffering of the Second World War began (9).

Notes:
(1) As mentioned previously, in Seikichi Toguchi's Goju-Ryu II Advanced Techniques of Shoreikan Karate, he says in his history section on karate that Chibana was a frequent target of kakidamashii or challenge matches. Chibana was being modest about the fate of his challengers when he mentions, "...but they would leave quietly."

(2) The kanji reads "Okinawa Ichi Chu", and for those with Japanese character capabilities on your web-browsers or computers, "沖縄一中." This is probably a reference to Okinawa Prefectural Public First Middle School or "Okinawa Kenritsu Dai-Ichi Chugakko" (沖縄県立第一中学校 for those able to read Japanese characters) from where Chibana dropped out to train full time with Itosu.

(3) I am not sure who this person is. Cursory research in both English and Japanese sources pulled up nothing on this individual.

(4) Gokenki was a Chinese tea merchant named Wu Hsien Huei who was a praticioner of Hakutsuru or White Crane. His hand was felt across Okinawa karate circles through his collaboration and exchange with several Okinawan masters. He was an acquaintance of Uechi Kanbun while Uechi trained in China before his assignment to Okinawa as a representative of a Chinese tea company. Later, he reportedly traveled to China with Miyagi Chojun, and it is believed they were good friends. He taught White Crane katas to several Okinawan masters to include Mabuni Kenwa and Hohan Soken.*

*John Sells, Unante, 2nd Edition (Hollywood: W.M. Hawley Library, 2000), pg.67-69, 82, 92, 226

(5) As his title implies, Baron Nakijin was a descendant of Ryukyu Kingdom royalty. It is highly probable that he was descended from the King of Hokuzan who ruled from the castle bearing his family's name. Hokuzan competed with Chuzan - the kingdom that under the Sho dynasty would eventually unite all of the Ryukyus - for trade status with China, but maintained a tentative alliance with Chuzan due to a lack of Chinese translators in Hokuzan. It is possible that intermarriage occured while this alliance was maintained. Thus, on the Sho end of the spectrum, the Baron's bloodline runs to the third son of King Sho Iku. His ancestor, Nakijin Chofu, retained the title of Prince of Gushikawa, and his family were no less retainers to the king as bodyguards or warriors. Nakijin appears to have offered his property to several karate instructors in Shuri as it was a popular location for lessons and demonstrations. It was also no less a hearkening to his royal warrior ancestry.

As a descendant of a Sho king, it is probable that Baron Nakijin was in some way related to Chibana Sensei.

(6) At the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Japan emerged victorious and became the dominant foreign military power in northern China. The "Mukden Incident" is a reference to the event where on 18 September 1931 Japanese soldiers destroyed a portion of a railway near Mukden (present day Shenyang) in Manchuria, China owned by a Japanese rail company. Falsely accusing dissident Chinese, the Japanese Imperial Army used this incident as a pretext to invade and occupy Manchuria.

(7) "Manchurian Incident" is a euphemism for Japan's occupation of Manchuria following the Mukden Incident and throughout the Second World War.

(8) Manchuko was the name of the puppet state established in 1932 by the Japanese in place of Manchuria. The League of Nations, the predecessor of the modern day United Nations, condemned the Mukden Incident and refused to acknowledge Manchuko as a legitimate state, causing Japan to withdraw from the League of Nations and precipitating the war in the Pacific.

(9) And suffer Chibana did. He lost several students, several friends, his son, probably his first wife, and probably a significant portion of the wealth his family had built as sake brewers. Chibana would be homeless in an American refugee camp and a field laborer before resuming his instruction of karate.

Gekkan Translation I

2007-12-30T20:34:00.000-10:00

As the year draws to a close today, I want to wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year.

Before returning home for the holidays, I paid a second visit to Hokama Tetsuhiro's famous Karate Museum. With permission from my instructor, I gave him a copy of the following photo pictured at right. Featured in both Classical Fighting Arts magazine and Nakamoto Masahiro's Okinawa Dentou Kobudo, it is a picture of Chibana Choshin taken around the year 1913. Chibana Choshin gave this photo to my instructor around 1965 as a gift.

I've been working a translation of the August 2007 edition of Gekkan Karatedo magazine article I mentioned in "More Translation, Less Time." Again, it's the same story with me as always; time is a precious commodity. Most of the translation was accomplished in the mountain of free time I've had at home for the holidays away from my job.

The actual article in the magazine is four parts with the first part delineating some biography and history, the second part being an interview of the author of the article, the third part featuring photos of Chibana Sensei doing Naihanchi Shodan, and the fourth part being detailed bunkai based on the author's analysis of the kata. The author frequently refers to Chibana Sensei as Choshin. I do so where he is mentioned for consistency's sake. When Chibana Sensei is implied as the subject of a sentence when a subject is omitted I refer to him as Chibana rather than Choshin. I broke the article into chunks that will not be congruent with how the article is broken up in the magazine. I did take some liberties with the translation, and I humbly submit my translation for your review.

Born Into a Distinguished Family

Chibana Choshin was born a little over 120 years ago from today. It was the 18th year of Meiji (1885). His hometown was Okinawa's Shuri Tori-Hori Village (at present, Naha City, Shuri Tori-Hori Town). His family lineage originates from a branch of the Katsuren Court (via an udun royal family) descended from Choharu, Prince of Kochinta (the fifth son of King Shoshitsu [Tei](1)). During the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom, these distinguished family descendants were called "House of Chibana." Motobu Choyu and Motobu Choki are distant relatives of the same descendants of King Shoshitu (Tei).

Choshin's encounter with karate was when he was around 15 years old. It was August Meiji 32nd year (1899). As a descendant of a Shuri royal family and because his uncle the Chibana family patriarch Chibana Chosho (1847-1927, the first mayor of Shuri after the Meiji era transition from Han to Ken (2)) had studied under Matsumura Sokon, Chibana knew about Te (3). So, he beat down the gate of Itosu Ankoh, the man who introduced Te into physical education and worked diligently to modernize karate.

Applying Three Times

However, learning in the present day is different from learning in those times. Choshin was not easily allowed to study under Itosu. This was in order to ascertain Chibana's true feelings. Ancient bujutsu families who feared the use of karate for evil denied students many times, and in the many months after acceptance, students had to consistently clean and perform miscellaneous tasks. Of course, there was meaning in seeing an admirable youth with earnestness, perserverance, and a slow temper. In that era, Choshin was no exception. In the beginning, Itosu didn't teach him anything. Instead of teaching, Itosu first questioned Choshin.

Itosu asked "Why should you learn Te?"

At the time, Choshin was 15 years old when he answered, "Because my body is weak." (4)

"If that's the case, you can do gymnastics at school."

"I think karate is best for my health."

That day, they continued their dialogue and Itosu said, "Why don't you come back later?"

When Chibana returned some four or five days later, he again had a dialogue with Itosu.

"You aren't learning Te so you can go around picking fights are you?" Itosu asked.

Chibana's answer to this question from Itosu was, "No, it's for the purpose of making me more healthy."

After this, Itosu asked about Chibana's family. This was to investigate Chibana's background. However, at the end of the dialogue Itosu's vital answer was again, "Come back later." After this, Chibana said he became angry. However, when he was invited to Itosu's home on his third visit, things were different.

"Do you truly think you can improve your health? Can you do it with zeal?" When Chibana answered this correctly, Itosu accepted him as a pupil. The perserverant Chibana was allowed to train after his third visit. Afterwards, for 13 years until he turned 28, he learned under Itosu. Choshin was of weak constitution, but after passing through the raw karate training, his body later changed to become healthy and strong.

Notes:

(1) Again, the Okinawa history books I've seen in english read the character for this king's name as "Tei", but it can also be read "Shitsu." I include both readings.

(2) Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the eventual successor to Oda Nobunaga, succeeded in tentatively unifying Japan in the late 16th Century, and as kampaku, or imperial regent, de facto ruled Japan in the stead of the emperor and Ashikaga (Muromachi) shogun. During Toyotomi's term as kampaku, he organized Japan into a series of han, or fiefdoms, associated with the geo-political limits of a feudal lord's power. During the Meiji Restoration in 1868, han were quickly absorbed into the Meiji government as local arms of the central government. In 1872 the Meiji government replaced han with the current ken, or prefecture, system. At the time, there were more than 300 han. By the time the ken system was finalized and political boundaries redrawn, there were 47 prefectures.

The Satsuma clan invaded The Ryukyu Kingdom in 1609. In 1872, while all other Japanese districts were redrawn as ken, the Ryukyu Kingdom was renamed Okinawa and relegated to a feudal era han organization. It was during this tumultuous reorganization that Chibana Choshin's uncle, famed martial artist Chibana Chosho, became the first mayor of Shuri. Okinawa was not a prefecture until its formal annexation by Japan in 1879.

(3) Te is a reference to karate and is the Japanization of the Hogen term ti, which simply means "fist."

(4) In Patrick McCarthy's translation of "Converation" from the 24 and 25 September 1957 editions of Okinawa Times, Chibana Sensei complained of having chronic stomach problems as a child.

Field Trip in Brief

2007-09-22T03:03:00.000-10:00

I recently ventured to Nishihara and visited Hokama Testuhiro's famed Karate Museum. I was not disappointed by the trip. Hokama Sensei was busy painting the outside of his museum when I stopped by, and dropping what he was doing, he ushered me in and walked me through his museum. I found him to be extremely friendly, and his English was on par. I was accompanied by a Japanese friend of mine who he would ask about me in Japanese trying to figure out: how I knew about his museum, how I knew so much about Okinawan karate, why I was so interested. It's not the first time these questions have been asked in my quest, and I doubt that it will be the last. He did remark, however, that it surprised him that foreigners were more interested in Karate history than Okinawans were. He mentioned that the majority of visitors to his museum are gaijin, which is why he felt it was important for him to study English.

There are several prized artifacts that are a part of his collection, but a couple stood out in my mind. The first was an original copy of Chibana Sensei's Karatedo no Kokoro e. The second was an original copy of Chibana Sensei's Butoku. After asking permission and paying a nominal 100 yen fee, I went picture happy, snapping away inside and outside of his museum. He later asked me if I could help move a ladder for him which I happily did. He introduced me to a couple of his students who were helping him paint, and his granddaughter who speaks English pretty well for a 10 year old Japanese girl, payed him a visit as well.

An original copy of Chibana Sensei's Karatedo no Kokoro e framed in the center

An original copy of Chibana Sensei's Butoku framed in the center

My thanks go out to Mr. Joe Swift who suggested I pay a visit to the museum. Hopefully, I will be able to continue my relationship with Hokama Sensei and get more information on Chibana Sensei. After speaking with my instructor, I have decided to make a contribution to his museum that he will more than likely prize. I would also highly encourage anyone with a penchant for karate history to pay a visit to his museum.

From left to right: My friend Mayumi, Hokama Sensei's granddaughter Miyu, Hokama Sensei, Me

Road Blocks

2007-08-25T18:00:00.000-10:00

A friend and fellow karate history enthusiast has had an exchange with an unidentified karate history enthusiast named "Jim" regarding Chibana Sensei's succession (click here to read). This exchange seemed to highlight to me one of the major road blocks he and I face (aside from spare time); and as this project develops with feedback between me and all of you, I hope to preempt the same kind of venom that has been fired at my friend - I know in time someone will disagree with something I post here.

The problem with oral tradition is that it cannot be verified. It must be credible, aka believable, in order to be adapted as authoritative. Unfortunately, much of the research I do relies on oral tradition that has simply been put in print. For example, in Hokama Tetsuhiro's 100 Masters of Karate, he mentions that when Motobu Choki first began teaching in Japan, he called for Chibana Choshin to join him. Chibana Sensei did not want to leave Okinawa and politely declined. Mabuni Kenwa went instead. This is attributed to oral tradition as told to Hokama Sensei by his father. At present, I have no way of verifying this piece of information; what makes it credible is whether or not it is believable. (As an aside, I personally I think it is.)

Another problem with oral tradition is the agenda of the orator. Only a neutral, or at least less interested third party can convey oral tradition in a manner free of politic. A karateka who spent his life studying Goju Ryu under, say, Seikichi Toguchi who learned under Miyagi Chojun will speak of Toguchi Sensei as the avatar of Goju Ryu. He has an emotional and egotistical investment in his tradition; and thus he will benignly neglect Higa Seko who studied first under Kanryo Higaonna and then under Miyagi Chojun as the avatar of Goju Ryu. Perhaps a judoka intimately familiar with karate history will have no problem acknowledging Higa Seko's place in the annals of Goju Ryu history. (This specific example is illustrative only; my Goju Ryu circle is small and I know of no one who says this).

I promise to do two things when presenting information here based on oral tradition. First, I will vette it for credibility of the person passing the tradition and the believability of the oral tradition. Second, I will consider the agenda of the person passing the tradition as well as spell out my own. My agenda is simple: I wish to uncover as much information about Chibana Sensei as possible. I am biased positively towards him because the sum total of my karate experience has been dedicated to studying a form of his Shorin Ryu, either from the Shorinkan derivative of Nakazato Shuguro or the karate of Pat Nakata the youngest recipient of a shihan teaching license from Chibana Sensei.

When presenting information here as feedback, I ask that you do as I have promised to do. Let's keep it civil, shall we?

More Translation, Less Time

2007-08-22T18:05:00.000-10:00

It's been a while since I've been able to free up some time and update everyone on my research efforts. Truth be told, my job keeps me far too busy to research, and developments in my private life have started to eat away at what little free time I have.

The good news is that there was a recent magazine article in Gekkan Karatedo magazine on Chibana Choshin. I am working on translating the article, and to the right is a picture of the magazine featuring Chibana Sensei on the cover. If you are interested in acquiring a copy of this magazine and can navigate Amazon in Japanese, follow this link to purchase a copy:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%9C%88%E5%88%8A-%E7%A9%BA%E6%89%8B%E9%81%93-2007%E5%B9%B4-08%E6%9C%88%E5%8F%B7-%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C/dp/B000RW6Q2M/ref=sr_1_3/249-3904133-4006717?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183349466&sr=8-3

In other translation work, a friend of mine referred me to a Japanese Wikipedia article on Chibana Choshin which draws largely from Murakami Katsumi's Okinawa Karatedo to Ryukyu Kobudo. I have since roughly translated the article on the website and present it below for your review.

Chibana Choshin

Chibana Choshin was from just before and just after the war a celebrated karate master on Okinawa. He was the founder of Shorin Ryu.

Personal History

Chibana Choshin was born in Meiji 18th year (1885) at Shuri Tori-Hori Village (at present, Naha Shuri Tori-Hori Town). His uncle, the Chibana family patriarch, Chibana Chosho (1847-1927) served in a political role as a founding Shuri head ward man and learned tote from Matsumura Sokon. The Chibana family was a royal Shuri warrior family from the Katsuren Court (1), descended from King Shoshitsu’s (Tei)(2) fifth son Choharu, Prince of Kochinta (3), and in the era of the Ryukyu Kingdom they were a distinguished family know as Chibana-dunchi, or “House of Chibana.” Motobu Choyu and Motobu Choki are distant relatives as the House of Motobu is of similar descent from King Shoshitsu (Tei) (4).

Martial History

In August of Meiji 32nd year (1899), when he was 15 years old, Chibana began learning tote from a Shuri-te expert, Itosu Ankoh. According to Chibana, at first he was not permitted to train; but after pleading three times he received Itosu’s approval to train. This was Itosu’s deliberate plan to test the young boy Chibana’s spirit. Under Itosu, Chibana studied tote for 13 years until age 28. Afterwards, for 3-4 years, Chibana went on a characteristic martial pilgrimage training in isolation (5), and in Taisho 7th year (1918) at age 34, he opened a dojo in Shuri, establishing a dojo in Naha’s Kumoji Town the following year.

In October of Taisho 15th year (1926), he established the “Okinawa Tote Brotherhood” where Hanashiro Chomo, Motobu Choyu, and Kenwa Mabuni all participated. The Okinawa Tote Brotherhood was established with the aim of becoming a joint research organization, and in that time many of Okinawa’s various tote experts participated in the organization. In Showa 8th year (1933), Chibana christened his karate Shorin Ryu.

After the war, Chibana immediately returned to Shuri’s Gibo Town and resumed karate leadership (6). On Showa 23rd year (1948), he formed the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Association and assumed office as its first president. In the four years between Showa 29th year (1954) and Showa 34th year (1958), he was also an instructor for the Shuri Police Station.

Final Years

On Showa 31st year (1956), he established the Okinawa Karatedo Federation an assumed office as its first president. In Showa 39th year (1964), he conducted the 50th anniversary memorial of Itosu Ankoh’s death, and played a pivotal role in erecting the Itosu monument at the Itosu family gravesite; in Showa 43rd year (1968), he was awarded the Kunyontouzuihousho (7). In Showa 44th year (1969), he died at age 83. He was noted for his Patsai kata. Choshin Chibana’s students include Katsuya Miyahira, Nakazato Shuguro, Higa Yuchoku, Nakama Chozo, and Murakami Katsumi.

Now, Wikipedia is not the most scholarly or reliable of source as it is subject to edit by anyone with access to the internet. Still, this article is an interesting addition to what little literature exists on Chibana Sensei.

Notes:
(1) More research is needed on my part, but from what little I understand Katsuren was the wealthiest province of the Ryukyu Kingodm. In the mid Sixteenth Century, Amawari, Lord of Katsuren, conspired in a plot to overthrow the Ryuyku King. He was discovered and exposed. As members of the Katsuren Court, where did the Chibana family loyalties lie during this plot, and what part did they play remains unknown, but an interesting question.

(2) Upon looking up the kanji for this king's name, I discovered it can be read as shitsu, but in the Okinawan history books I've encountered, it is read tei. I include both readings.

(3) Kochinta was the ancient name for present day Chatan.

(4) There is a theory that the Motobu family was a descendant of one of Choharu's older brothers.

(5) Chibana Sensei's family was a wealthy sake brewing family, and there is speculation that during this time he served as a yojimbo, or bodyguard, for his family business.

(6) Following the end of World War II, Chibana Sensei was the most senior karate practicioner left alive. The others had been killed or died before the war.

(7) Fourth Order of the Imperial Sacred Treasure. See the notes in "Some Preliminary Translation Work."

Progress Report

2007-04-02T17:56:00.000-10:00

Fortune has given me the great opportunity to live in Okinawa for at least the next two years. This gives me the unprecedented chance to really dig into my research on Chibana Sensei. Unfortunately, the nature of my work has kept me extremely busy...so busy that I haven't had the time to research as much as I'd like.

In spite of the limitations on my free time in Okinawa so far, I have managed to make some limited progress. My translation of the section on Chibana Sensei in Nakazato Shuguro's Okinawa Traditional Karate: Shorin Ryu Kata has neared completion. Unfortunately, it has not been as fruitful an endeavor as I imagined it would be; very little information on Chibana Sensei can be gleamed from this section of Nakazato Sensei's book. I can post my translation of the section upon request, but most of the biographical information on Chibana Sensei appears in the section that I previously translated.

I also made a somewhat sheepish pilgrimage to Chibana Sensei's house in Tori Hori. The Okinawans looked surprised and confused to see a gaijin roaming the back alley streets of Shuri Tori Hori in the mid-day as opposed to gallavanting on Kokusai Dori at night like they're used to seeing. I received quiet smiles and even spoke with an elderly lady in my butchered Japanese, enlisting her aid in helping me locate Chibana Sensei's house.

Progress stops for nothing, apparently. Following the general direction she pointed, I discovered to my horror an empty, bulldozed lot where the Chibana home used to be. Directly across from the lot was a brand new apartment building. I had actually spotted several new apartment buildings during my trek in the back alleys, silently praying that none of them stood in the spot Chibana Sensei's house once stood. I left and returned the next weekend, thinking and hoping that I found the wrong place and that I just didn't know where Chibana Sensei's house was. However, passing by the empty lot several times the following weekend, I began to recognize landmarks and terrain features from the very first time I had visited the Chibana home, chronicled in my previous post, "Tadaima!" A sinking feeling settled.

The nail in the coffin was when I met with my karate instructor, Nakata Sensei, in Naha this last weekend. Hearing my panicked rumor, one of his first orders of business upon his arrival was to trek to Chibana Sensei's house. Disappointed, he confirmed what I had long suspected. The Chibana home stands no more.

In terms of more upbeat, interesting information, I have discovered three new pieces of data concerning Chibana Sensei that will require some further investigation. First, according to Mr. Nakamoto Masahiro, Chibana Choshin and Chibana Chosho don't have the same family name written with the same kanji by pure coincidence: Chibana Chosho was Chibana Choshin's uncle (1). Second, the Chibana family are descendants of the fifth son of Ryukyu King Shoshitsu, confirming their keimochi status. This last bit actually appeared in a recently released karate book in Okinawa that I am currently trying to track down. Third, the relationship between Tawada Shimbuku, Itosu Ankoh, and Chibana Choshin is not how I originally interpreted in my previous post, "A Family Affair." The disconnect concerns Tawada Shimbuku's younger sister (new information suggests that probably a cousin of Tawada married Itosu's chonan - again imouto and itoko sound the same if you say them fast enough...) and Chibana Sensei's older sister. These pieces of information will be investigated.

My instructor has returned to Okinawa and is graciously opening doors for me to establish invaluable contacts for my research, which I am forever grateful. Without his personal knowledge, impeccable memory, skill, and the friends he has made over his four and a half decade karate career, scholarship on the life and karate of Chibana Sensei would more than likely have died with Chibana Sensei.

So, while little has transpired on The Chibana Project website, my research continues. If I had to give myself a progress report, I'd give myself a B-.

I apologize for any inconsistencies or contradictions one may encounter parousing some of the "articles" I've written. Two things must be taken into consideration: first, the majority of karate is oral history that when passed on and retold differs depending upon whom you speak with and what sort of "agenda" (if any) he or she may possess. Second, in terms of written data, some of it is just plain wrong. Karate history is not suspect to the same kinds of scrutiny and vetting traditional academic history is suspect to, and depending on who writes what, that information becomes canon. I urge you not to take anything I may "publish" here as gospel truth and encourage you to investigate for yourself if you feel so inclined.

Notes:
(1) I highly doubt I was the first to ask this question, especially when I got a look at the kanji for their names. Chibana Chosho was a student of Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura and born within the same time period (~1839), making him a probable contemporary of Itosu Ankoh. A superficial study of karate history indicates that karate was a family affair. While Itosu Ankoh undoubtedly tested Chibana Sensei before accepting him as a student, I postulate that there were likely family connections that made Itosu more willing to accept Chibana. The first involved the Itosu-Tawada-Chibana triad of intermarriage; the second probably involved Chibana Chosho. Perhaps there is a third I have yet to uncover.

Hold, Please

2007-01-05T15:52:00.000-10:00

I realize that it has been a while since I have published any information or translation work on here. My time has been hard pressed to continue on this project in a timely fashion. However, as fortune would have it, I am moving to Okinawa. Updates will follow. Thanks!

A Work in Progress, Part I

2006-08-23T14:06:00.000-10:00

I have been translating some text from Nakazato Shuguro's new book Okinawa Traditional Karate: Shorin Ryu Kata. While most of the book contains pictures of Nakazato Sensei performing kata, there is an extend section on his views of karate, his life, and more important for my research, on Chibana Choshin. My grasp of Japanese is loose and slipping fast having been away from the country and its language for a while, so what follows is a rough, paraphrased translation of the first major section in his book on Chibana Sensei. Everything about the translation is not very precise. This translation encompasses pages 217-219.

Meeting Chibana Sensei

On August 15 in Showa 20^th year (1945), I met the end of the war in Osaka. At that time, I worked in a military production factory called Osaka Light Alloy, and I was the person in charge of heat treatment (1). I had 36 subordinates, but at the end of the war it was decided that the factory would be closed, and all the workers at the factory would be let go. In the middle of the chaos following our defeat in the war, there was no work or food supply; and at that time, the conditions were such that everyone had lost their way.

At that time, the suburban residents of Kansai (2) who were originally from Okinawa banded together and formed the Nansei Shotou Federation (3); I, who had become the youth department manager for the federation, was in Osaka urban and city public office, and I toured police related offices in Amami (4) giving out petitions to return to Okinawa. I daily made efforts to negotiate for boats for our return to Okinawa. Finally, when it was possible to return to Okinawa, I went by boat and made landfall at Cape Kuba in Nakagusuku in the following year, March Showa 21^st year (1946).

I returned to my hometown of Chinen Village (5) and applied for a position at a soy sauce company. The soy sauce company president was a Shuri sakeya family heir named [?](6), and with me being a repatriated Okinawan from mainland Japan, he cheerfully ushered me in. Soy sauce was a quick and easy substance to manufacture because it was concentrated seaweed that only required boiling; however, because of the lack of other food seasoning in those times, those few who made soy sauce prospered. One day, I went to Yanbaru (7) by car to look for some fuel to boil the seaweed. On that day, unexpectedly, I met Chibana Sensei. Sensei was living in a four tsubo (8) area on the soy sauce company site belonging to the Totan family.

Chibana Sensei was wearing an HBT (9) uniform he had received from the military garrison, and he also wore big shoes. But, my very first impression of him was the feeling of a man from a stern karate family who was also a gentle gentleman. He was considerably older than me, but his manner of speech was polite, his demeanor was soft, and you intuitively knew that he was worthy of respect. Knowing that I had been learning karate in Osaka, he mentioned that he believed karate was a way of cultivating the mind, and he recommended that I become his student. “You do not have to finish halfway. By all means, learn from my beginnings. I live and continue to remain because of karate,” he said. With Chibana Sensei’s brimming self-confidence and the deep words he had spoken, I intuitively knew that there was no other teacher like him, and I immediately resolved to become his apprentice. In June of Showa 21^st year (1946) Chibana Sensei was 61 years-old and I was 25 years-old. Shortly thereafter, I quit my job and left with Sensei as Sensei had left Chinen and returned to his birthplace in Shuri Tori Hori village. At Tori Hori, Sensei had opened his first dojo in Taisho 7^th year (1918).

Chibana Choshin Sensei was born in Meiji 18^th year (1885), and his family was a Tori Hori sakeya family (10). He was an apprentice of Itosu Ankoh, who was a personal pupil of Matsumura Sokon; and even while still Itosu’s student, he was known as a karate expert. When Chibana Sensei opened his first dojo in Shuri Tori Hori Village, Funakoshi Gichin, Oshiro Chojo, Yabu Kentsu, Hanashiro Chomo, Tokuda Anbun, and others whose illustrious names carried weight in the karate world founded the Karate Research Club (11) dedicated to furthering the research of karate ideas and technique training.

Notes:

(1) Nakazato Shuguro served in the Imperial Army as a member of the cavalry.

(2) Kansai is the southern-central region of Japan featuring the prominent cities Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara. The region has a distinctive group of dialects known as Kansai-ben with Osaka-ben being one of the most notorious of the Kansai dialects; it is an informal equivalent of a Southern accent. Okinawans from Kansai must have stuck out amongst other Japanese like sore thumbs, futher marginalizing them from the rest of mainstream Japanese society.

(3) Nansei Shotou literally means “Southwestern Island People.” This is obvious reference to their geographical location relative to Japan. Other references Okinawans make to themselves include Uchinanchu (“Okinawa people”) and Uminchu (“People of the Sea”).

(4) Amami is a city on Amami Oshima in Kagoshima prefecture in the Kyushu part of Japan. Amami Oshima was an island of the Amami Island Chain belonging to the Ryukyu Kingdom until its annexation by the Satsuma clan in 1624. Because of this storied history, Nakazato Sensei probably exploited a shared sense of solidarity with the Amami people. Okinawa was under U.S. military control following the end of World War II, and in the years after 1945 there was hope that at the end of U.S. occupation, Okinawa would regain its independence from both Japan and the U.S. and become a sovereign nation again. In 1972, events did not play out as hoped following reversion of governance of Okinawa to Japan.

(5) More than 10,000 Okinawan civilians fled to or were escorted by the U.S. military to the Chinen peninsula during the Battle of Okinawa; the U.S. military established camps in Chinen to treat injured civilians, recruit labor, and relocate displaced Okinawans. According to John Sells’s Unante, Chibana Choshin was at such a camp in Chinen harvesting sugar cane (pg. 176).

(6) I have not been able to find the kanji for this gentleman’s name in any dictionary at my disposal, nor have I been able to figure out the proper reading.

(7) Tsubo refers to the area encompassed by two tatami mats laid side-by-side. One tsubo is approximately 3.3 square meters or 35.6 square feet.

(8) Yanbaru is an area on the northern part of Okinawa renowned for its forest.

(9) HBT is the acronym for herringbone twill, the uniform initially utilized by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) for field work in 1941; in 1942 it had become the USMC battle dress uniform. Below is a photo of the HBT uniform from http://www.olive-drab.com.

(10) With the abdication of the Ryukyu king in 1879 and the effective dismantling of the monarchy and caste system, all former royal families and nobility lost both their titles and their means of employment. According to Mr. Masahiro Nakamoto, while former nobility were awarded modest stipends from the remains of the royal treasury, they still had to find work. Many peichin families of Shuri became sake brewers; most of the peichin families lived in Tori Hori. The Chibana family wealth is assessed as moderate judging from the site and size of the plot of land near the present day residence that belonged to Chibana Choshin – a four story apartment building now stands on the land.

(11) More than likely refers to the Tode Research Club founded in 1918 by Chibana and the others listed.

A Little Help Please?

2006-08-20T13:42:00.000-10:00

I've been translating some things for an upcoming post, and I've come across an Okinawan proverb that I'm having the darnedest time translating into something that makes sense in English.

Shinobu de shinobaran koto ayumi, shinobaran shinobi sushido shinobi.

Can any skilled linguist enlighten me on a translation?

Chibana Sensei in Classical Fighting Arts II

2006-07-20T14:34:00.000-10:00

Be on the lookout for an article about Chibana Sensei in the September issue of Classical Fighting Arts co-authored by Mr. Charles Goodin and Mr. Patrick Nakata.

I apologize for the lack of updates. I've been far busier than I thought possible at my new job, and precious spare time is spent sleeping, eating, or training. I continue research on a haphazard basis at the moment, but hopefully I will be able to develop a routine and dedicate more time to this project.

Chibana Sensei in Classical Fighting Arts

2006-06-02T12:22:00.000-10:00

I have been away for a while in transition moving from Hawai'i as I have recently graduated from the University of Hawai'i with my masters degree. I apologize for the lack of updates. My Chibana research continues piece-wise in the mean time, as I am doing some background reading on Okinawan history in general with an emphasis on peichin. According to Mr. Masahiro Nakamoto, Chibana's family are descendants of satunushi-peichin, the highest class of the royal bodyguard caste. I am interested in investigating their traditional role in Okinawan society and their role after the abdication/overthrow of the Ryukyu King in 1879. I think this will provide valuable background information on the heritage of the Chibana family and explain their transition from being the highest of the warrior class to becoming a wealthy sake brewing family in the village of Tori Hori.

The main point of this post is to announce that there will be an article on Chibana Sensei by Mr. Charles Goodin and my sensei Mr. Patrick Nakata in an upcoming issue of Classical Fighting Arts that deals with Chibana's Karatedo no Kokoro e. As a result, I have edited some of the content I have posted earlier as they will be discussing some of it. I look forward to its release.

Another exciting development is that I was recently contacted by a martial arts newspaper in Okinawa called Okinawa Karate News. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to respond to them in a timely manner as again, they caught me in the middle of my move. Hopefully, however, this will turn out well.

Karatedo no Kokoro e

2006-05-06T09:45:00.000-10:00

In his latter years, as he took more and more to calligraphy, Chibana Choshin began giving away some of his work to friends and students. Jokingly, when he gave a copy of "butoku" to Mr. Masahiro Nakamoto, he commented, "I want you to have this. It is not worth much now, but when I die it might have some value."

To my sensei and three others, Chibana gave a document he penned in shoudo entitled "Karatedo no Kokoro e." A rough translation is "To the Heart of Karate" or "To the Essence of Karate." It was first translated into English by Mr. Sam Kitamura, an American linguist who worked for the United States-Ryukyu Relations before the reversion of Okinawa to Japan in 1972. It is Chibana's five precepts of karate. All begin with hitotsu, indicating that all five carry equal importance. It is brief, and all precepts are terse fragments, some just single words.

Karatedo no Kokoro e

--Courtesy

--Through physical training one can cultivate the mind

--Maximum effort

--Avoid unnecessary fights; martial arts are to defend against unexpected calamities

--Chivalry

Whoops!

2006-05-01T17:41:00.000-10:00

I feel incredibly embarrassed. Visiting the E-budo message forums, I happened upon what I thought was karate historian Mr. Patrick McCarthy's e-mail address. Figuring that it wouldn't hurt to ask (the worst that could happen would be that he completely ignores me), I sent him an e-mail asking if he had any information on Chibana Choshin or if there were certain print sources he recommend I look up. I included a link to this blog.

In preparation to compose a "sorry-I-haven't-posted-anything-in-a-long time-but-I'm-really-busy-preparing-for-final-exams" post, I discovered I had roughly 100 unique hits today. I usually average 10. Excited, (I am a little bit of a geek) I was curious as to what could have possibly happened for me to have attracted so many visitors - I don't really advertise the site, but I've noticed if you Google "Chibana Choshin" this shows up as one of the first few selections (second from the bottom of the first page).

As it turns out, I appear to have sent my inquery to Mr. McCarthy over an entire e-mail listserve - all the referrals to my blog today originate from e-mail addresses. If you were one of the unintended recipients and have followed the link here, I apologize for polluting your inbox with my nonsense. I feel so sheepish that's it not even funny. I would send another e-mail apologizing to everyone on the listserve, but I don't want to fill their inboxes with my nonsense again.

For those of you who do frequent here, I'm still working the Okinawa Times translation. I should have part of it presentable later in the week. Please understand that my final exam (I only have one!) takes priority.

Again, if you have any comments, feedback, or references you can point me to, please leave a comment for me. Thank you!

Who am I?

2006-04-11T01:03:00.000-10:00

My instructor thought it was inappropriate that I post all this information on Chibana and that my name doesn't appear anywhere on this blog. His concern is that people will start to "borrow" information from here without giving me any credit for any of the research I've been doing. I'm also sure there are those who visit and say, "Who is this guy? Who does he think he is? He's no (insert famous karate historian's name)." There's hardly anything about myself on this site.

Well, my name is Terry Garrett, and I've been attempting to do karate for approximately 6 years (emphasis on attempting). I have a long way to go before I'm even 1/10th as good as those who have taught me - this isn't modesty, unfortunately, but truth. I'm that bad. I practice Shorin Ryu, and I was (am?) a member of the Shorinkan Shorin Ryu organization under Nakazato Shuguro; my first instructor was Mr. Mark Staal, a good man and a great teacher. Mr. Staal is a behavioral psychologist and Air Force officer. For the last 2 years I have been a student of Mr. Patrick Nakata, an extraordinary instructor. Mr. Nakata had the fortune of being a student of Chibana Choshin in 1962, becoming a virtual uchi-deshi for a year - he trained 14 hours a day, six days a week at Chibana's home and at the Yamakawa Dojo. Chibana thought him worthy of a shihan teaching license and awarded it to him in 1965 (he's the "American student" I refer to in the post "A Family Affair"). My interest in Chibana stems largely from Mr. Nakata's voluminous stories of him.

As a descendant of Chibana's karate lineage, I have a vested interest in finding as much information about him as I can and making it public for other members of his karate progeny. I believe that only by understanding the past can we look forward to the future of karate - okay...this statement is trite, but it's true.

Recently, I have also developed a keen interest in exposing overlooked masters. Itosu, quite frankly, was THE MAN, and his students were the vanguard of Okinawan karate to the world. However, besides Funakoshi Gichin and Mabuni Kenwa, how much information is out there on Itosu and his disciples? Hanashiro Chomo and Kentsu Yabu were, along with Chibana Choshin, Itosu's top students. Yet hardly anything in print exists on these men who were the dai-sempai of Itosu's dojo. Thanks to the efforts of people like Mr. Charles Goodin who recently wrote an article on Kentsu Yabu in Classical Fighting Arts (1), we are beginning to find out more about these karate legends. Hopefully, more information will become public; and as we dig deeper, karateka world-wide will realize that there's more to karate than jumping around, screaming, and breaking boards. That there's a rich history waiting to be discovered.

Hopefully, I'm playing a small part in uncovering said history. Then again, what the heck do I know? I'm an economist.

(1) See his article, "Kentsu Yabu's Senior Students in Hawai'i" in Classical Fighting Arts, Issue 8, 2006, pg. 15-21.

A Family Affair

2006-04-09T13:41:00.000-10:00

Karate was a family affair.

In the late 19^th Century, two eminent disciples of Matsumura Sokon became fast friends – Tawada Shinkazu and Itosu Ankoh. Both became prominent men. Itosu – a peichin – rose to soushi koori, personal secretary to the king and administrator of udon, the class of wealthy landowners who were equivalent to daimyo on mainland Japan (1). A karate expert of noble blood, Tawada also became peichin, a royal bodyguard to the King of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Both men were educated and scholarly. Itosu was trained in the Confucian classics. Tawada was most likely a product of bun bu ryoudo. Both men became legends. Itosu was famous for both his karate and his barrel-chested strength. Funakoshi Gichin raves in his Karatedo: My Way of Life of Itosu’s ability to crush bamboo stalks in his bare hands (2). Tawada was famous for both his karate and his prowess with the sai (3). With a thick mop of long hair that shagged over his eyes, he was affectionately called “Megantu”, the hogen word describing his hair style (4).

With so much in common, it should come as no surprise that these men were related to each other. Born between 1830-1832, Itosu was Tawada’s senior by approximately 20 years (5). Itosu’s chonan or first born son, therefore, would have been approximately the same age as Tawada or perhaps slightly younger. Tawada introduced his younger sister to Itosu’s chonan, and the two later married. While both were peers under Matsumura, it was this introduction and subsequent marriage of Itosu’s chonan that led to Itosu and Tawada’s fast friendship.

While the time frame is unclear, Chibana’s oldest sister caught Tawada’s eye, and the two married. Perhaps after some friendly nudging from his new wife, Tawada took his new brother-in-law, Chibana, under his wing and also began to train him.***

Chibana must have made an impression; between 1899-1900, Chibana was introduced to Itosu through Tawada. At age fifteen, Chibana left Okinawa Kenritsu Dai-ichi Chugakko and with a recommendation letter from his brother-in-law, became a full-time disciple of Itosu. While Itosu became Chibana’s main instructor, with the encouragement and approval of Itosu, Chibana continued to see and train with Tawada.

Chibana’s sai-justu was undoubtedly strong as he learned the use of the sai from Tawada. But, the most famous of Tawada’s teachings to Chibana was matsumura patsai. Itosu had created his own patsai kata, which is preserved today as patsai sho amongst most Shorin schools and derivatives. A popular story circulates that when Chibana wanted to learn the Matsumura version, Itosu sent him to Tawada. Chibana learned matsumura patsai from Tawada, returned to Itosu, and demonstrated the kata. Chibana’s performance of matsumura patsai impressed Itosu so much that Itosu encouraged Chibana to retain the kata and preserve it for future generations.

Chibana must have impressed both masters greatly. One of Funakoshi Gichin’s instructors, Azato Ankoh, said, “From ancient times, people appreciated the difficulty of being a teacher to one’s own child, and so it was common practice to exchange children, letting others look after the education of one’s children and vice versa.” (6) This was not, however, something taken lightly. Tawada sent his son to Chibana to learn karate, indicating a great degree of trust and respect for Chibana’s skills and prowess. Chibana became the dai-sempai of the Itosu dojo in Itosu’s latter days, somewhere between 1910-1915. As mentioned in the previous article, “Busy, Busy, Busy,” dai-sempai-ship in the Itosu dojo was also not a matter taken lightly. Chibana assumed teaching duties in the dojo by running classes and handled all would-be challengers.

Both masters also must have made a deep impression on Chibana. Chibana diligently preserved the patsai kata he learned from Tawada, specifically selecting and revealing this kata to mainland Japan and the world in Nakasone Genwa’s 1938 Karatedo Taikan (7). In 1964, to galvanize a community destroyed by war and honor the memory of his master, Chibana erected a monument to Itosu (8).

The Itosu monument in Makabe, Naha, Okinawa.

In his last days, Chibana chose his grandson, Nakazato Akira, to succeed him as ato-tsugi and continue his Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Kyoukai. Chibana sent both Akira and Akira’s elder brother, Jiro, to train under one of Chibana’s American students whom Chibana had just awarded a shihan teaching license in 1965. Though Akira did not become the successor as planned following Chibana’s death in 1969, Akira continued to train his grandfather’s karate until between 1979-1981 when he passed the mantle to an Okinawan named Higa. Higa trained and passed on his teachings to an Okinawan named Isa. Isa continues to propogate a version of Chibana karate to this day (9).

Isa

Chibana was laid to rest in the Tawada family plot where he remains to this day. Throughout his life, karate had been a family affair; from his beginnings with his brother-in-law Tawada to his succession of karate from Itosu, his master and relative from intermarriage.

The final resting place of Chibana Choshin...and to the immediate right....

the final resting place of Tawada Shinkazu "Megantu" Peichin

Notes:
(1) Nagamine Shoshin, Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, (Boston: Tuttle Martial Arts, 2000), pg. 47.
(2) Funakoshi Gichin, Karate-Do: My Way of Life, (Tokyo: Kodansha Int'l, 1975), pg. 10.
(3) John Sells, Unante, 2nd Edition (Hollywood: W.M. Hawley Library, 2000), pg. 56.
(4) Talk with Mr. Masahiro Nakamoto, head of the Bunbukan Dojo and Karate Museum in Tori Hori, Shuri, Okinawa. "Megantu" is hogen for "hair over eyes" (a very rough translation) in reference to long bangs that completely cover the forehad and hang down close to or over a person's eyes (see some of Jackie Chan's first movies to get an idea of what I'm talking about). Tawada is also known as "Ta-ta" or "Ta-da", a hogen nickname from his students and peers who favored abbreviating his name by saying it quickly. "Shinkazu" is also most likely a Japanization of "Shimbuku."
(5) Hokama Tetsuhiro, Karatedo Rekishi Nenpyou, (Okinawa: Okinawa Book Center, 2001), pg. 24.
(6) Gichin Funakoshi, Karatedo Nyumon, (Tokyo: Kodansha Int'l., 1988), pg. 32.
(7) Pgs. 28-34 are pictures of then 53 year-old Chibana performing "kata patsai (matsumura-ha)." Pgs. 239-264 are detailed sketches of the kata with bunkai of the movement. Sells argues that the patsai Chibana learned from Tawada is properly Tawada-patsai, suggesting significant differences from the true Matsumura-patsai. These differences may not be deliberate or intentional as in Itosu's creation of his own patsai, but are probably due to habits, individual body mechanics, and different preferences between Matsumura and Tawada.
(8) Nagamine, pg. 45
(9) Isa began training shortly after Chibana's death, but he first met Chibana as a boy. Isa recalls his encounter with Chibana vividly: he was playing outside in the front yard of his home when Chibana stopped by to visit his father. Chibana wore a suit with a hat, and he stopped at the gate near Isa, removed his hat, and bowed to him. He humbly asked Isa's permission to enter and then asked Isa's permission to speak to his father, keeping his head lowered in a formal fashion. Isa was awed that such a man would lower his head and bow to him, a mere boy, and ask his permission. Isa says, "I knew I was in the presence of greatness."

Post script:
I've decided to go with the Asian way of names with family name first followed by first name. Trying to transform everyone's names western style with all of the stuff I'm reading is a bit of a headache. I've also decided to go with Chibana Choshin instead of Chibana Chosin for similar reasons.

Edit and Post Post Script:
Tawada introduced his younger sister to Itosu's chonan, NOT his cousin. Imouto and itoko sound similar if you say them fast enough... I've since corrected the mistake above.

***This paragpraph has been edited from a previous version since I have been unable to relocate the source from which I drew previous facts concerning Chibana and his sister learning under Kiyuna Taro.

Tadaima!

2006-03-31T15:48:00.000-10:00

After nearly a week long sojourn to the birthing grounds of karate, I have returned a bit jet-lagged, tired, but overall a happy person. My research, however, did not go as well as I hoped it would. Mrs. Chibana, some 90 years old today, is in a prefectural nursing home, suffering from advanced Alzheimers along with another ailment where she is unable to breathe properly. She is in a quasi-vegetative state and recognizes no one. My instructor, whom she had treated like a son, was visibly hurt reporting the information to me. Mr. Masahiro Nakamoto, whom I would later meet, was also very saddened when he had given the news to my instructor.

Mr. Katsuya Miyahira suffered a stroke last fall and is still in a clinic recovering; Mrs. Miyahira is also in the hospital. Outcomes for both are unknown. The Miyahira dojo has been closed since his stroke (understandably so since the dojo is at his home), and we were unable to even at the very least visit and observe their karate.

While I did meet with Shuguro Nakazato, he was very old school and formal. For more than three-fourths of the time as I sat in his home drinking tea with him and his wife, he spoke to my instructor, never addressing me directly. Questions or references about/to me were funnelled to my instructor ("Ano hito wa..."). I had caught on about 10 minutes into our visit that I was not to speak unless spoken to, so I smiled and nodded for most of the time until Mr. Nakazato looked at me, looked back at my instructor and said, "Oto nashi desu ne?" While peeved that I was unable to speak directly to him for the first three-fourths of our time and irritated that he kept referring to me as "Ano hito" instead of asking me what my name was, I later learned after our tea with the Nakazatos that "Oto nashi" (literally, "no noise") was a very high compliment. I showed respect and deferrence to my instructor by not saying a word unless spoken to, and in a culture where face is important, I had made my instructor look good. Mr. Nakazato started speaking directly to me after the "Oto nashi" comment and even warmed up to me toward the end of our tea. Once warmed up, both he and his wife are nice, gentle, gracious people.

Unfortunately, with the little time I was able to actually speak to him directly, I was unable to speak to him about Chibana's background. Mr. Nakazato and my instructor spent most of the time reminiscing about Chibana's final days and the aftermath of his death, and the conversation took a nostalgic but depressing turn.

In hindsight I should have anticipated not making too many inroads into my research about Chibana's background. First, I'm American. I noticed for the duration of my trip that Uchinanchu are wary of us, especially if we look like soldiers - Americans mistake me for a marine all the time (even though I'm in the Air Force) both at home and abroad so I knew I was handicapped in that department with the Okinawans. They are still much more friendly and open than Naichi you would meet in Tokyo.

Second, no one in Okinawa karate circles knows me. All of the instructors we met on the trip (Mr. Masahiro Nakamoto, Mr. Zenpo Shimabukuro, Mr. Kosuke Yonamine, Mr. Shuguro Nakazato, Mr. Katsuhiko Shinzato) while friendly and familiar with my instructor from "the old days" eyed me a little warily. Only after my instructor introduced me as his student and explained my background did they begin to warm up to me to varying degrees (Mr. Shinzato was in particular the most friendly to me while Mr. Shimabukuro kept me at arms' length). I do think, however, if I were to make a second trip in the future or perhaps be fortunate enough to work for Uncle Sam over in Okinawa, I would probably make much more significant progress. My instructor has graciously opened doors to me at the top of the Okinawa karate world that I would never have imagined or been capable of doing myself. How many of the legions of Shorinkan members (the organization in which I began my currently brief karate career) can claim they had tea and talked to Shuguro Nakazato in his home at his dinner table with his wife? Not many.

Inspite of my research roadblocks, I'm still a happy person. Why? I visited this "hallowed" ground:

My instructor walked me to this as a surprise one evening on the way to visit Mr. Nakamoto's home. Never before have I been so excited and felt connected to a piece of history. Drop me off anywhere near Shuri Station, and I can this place. Old, and abandoned now, this was the home of the man himself, and the latter picture is a shot of the famous yard overrun with grass and vines now. This yard is where still shots of Chibana performing kata were taken and 8mm video of him performing kata was captured.

And I saw much more...

Okinawa e

2006-03-22T17:44:00.000-10:00

Life as a graduate student is unkind, and updates unfortunately suffer as a result. The good news is that I'm headed to Okinawa in a couple days. I will be visiting Mrs. Chibana (presuming she's still in good health), and hopefully will be able to engage her in a conversation about Chibana. Akira Nakazato, Chibana's ato-tsugi, has a dojo that I will also visit. Hopefully, I will also get a chance to meet Shuguro Nakazato and Katsuya Miyahira, two of Chibana's senior students, granted these two are also in good health and actually in Okinawa when I arrive (as opposed to globetrotting and giving a seminar somewhere). I'll also be visiting a number of dojos. Wish me luck! Hopefully, I'll be able to get some really good information.

Some Preliminary Translation Work

2006-03-03T17:49:00.000-10:00

Unfortunately, this is not of the Okinawa Times article, as that has proven to be much of a challenge. This is a translation of a one-paragraph blurb about Chibana at the end of the 1991 reprint of Karatedo Taikan, the 1938 karate encyclopedia cataloging kata, techniques, history, a reprint of Itosu's Ten Precepts, and the first publication of Funakoshi's 20 Precepts. The paragraph was written in fragments with verbs in non-past affirmative dictionary form (or omitted altogether). These verbs were conjugated into past tense. In cases of verb omissions, the verb is interpolated based on the nouns. Names are arranged Japanese style with family name first.

Chibana Choshin (1) (Meiji 18^th year [1885] – Showa 44^th year [1969]) 85 years old (2)

Was born in Shuri’s Tori-Hori district. In Meiji 32^nd year (1899) (3) became a disciple of Itosu Ankoh. In Taisho 7^th year (1918), opened a dojo in Shuri. With Funakoshi Gichin and Ogusku Chojo (4) founded the Tode Research Club in Shuri. In Showa 8^th year (1933), registered Shorin Ryu (5). In Showa 23^rd year (1948), was first president of the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Kyoukai (Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Association). In Showa 31^st year (1956), was first president of the Okinawa Karatedo Renmei (Okinawa Karatedo Federation). In Showa 43^rd year (1968), was awarded the Kunyontozuihoushou (Fourth Order of the Imperial Sacred Treasure) (6).

Notes
(1) "Chibana Choshin" is the Japanese reading of the kanji for Chibana's name. The kanji for "Choshin" can also be read "Asanobu" which means "trust in the morning" or "to rise with the dawn."
(2) Japanese include the year of birth as the first year - by Western counting, Chibana was 84 when he died.
(3) It is generally accepted amongst most sources that Chibana became a disciple of Itosu in 1900.
(4) Also known as "Oshiro Chojo", he was one of Itosu's top students during Kentsu Yabu's tenure as dai-sempai.* He was also a noted bo-expert under Chinen Sanda, father of Chinen Masami (founder of Yamani-Ryu kobujutsu). He worked closely with Funakoshi Gigo, Toyama Kanken, and Chibana on some of their kobudo training; his expertise with the bo suggests he probably focused on this weapon with them.

*John Sells, Unante, 2nd Edition, (Hollywood: W.M. Hawley Library, 2000), pg. 147

(5) Refers to registration with the Dai Nippon Butokukai.
(6) The Zuihoushou (Imperial Sacred Treasure) was an award established in 1888 by Mutsuhito, the Meiji Emperor, to recognize exemplary Japanese citizenship - individuals who contributed to and embodied Japanese society and culture.

Education....?

2006-02-25T00:02:00.000-10:00

Was Chibana an uneducated man? Chibana’s formal education ended when he dropped out of an Okinawa prefectural junior high school – Okinawa Kenritsu Dai-ichi Chugakko – at age fifteen and became a student of Ankoh Itosu in 1900. Karate historian John Sells notes in his book, Unante, “Although Chibana was highly regarded as a karate senior, he was also a very blunt, essentially uneducated man” (1). Chibana did have a way of being direct – a popular story circulates that while teaching a group of students about uchi-waza during an examination, he asked one of them to strike at him. When the student moved to strike Chibana did nothing, complaining that the strike was not worth blocking if the student was not going to attack him seriously. While there is no record of Chibana’s return to school to complete a formal education, there are mitigating factors to suggest that in spite of his perceived bluntness, Chibana was not as uneducated as is commonly believed.

First, Chibana’s teacher, Itosu, was a scholar and bureaucrat. As a youth from a reputable and well-to-do family, Itosu was schooled in the Chinese classics, Confucianism, and calligraphy. His writing abilities, scholarship, and character earned him the position as soushi koori, Secretary for the Ryukyu Kingdom – the highest administrative position in the kingdom (2). Itosu served directly under the king as a scribe until the Ryukyu Kingdom was disbanded in 1879 by the Meiji emperor - or, depending one's interpretation of events, when King Shotai abdicated. Shoshin Nagamine suggests that Itosu’s duties as soushi koori also included overseeing the wealthiest landowners in the kingdom (3). Itosu also held positions as a karate instructor at a prefectural college and at a teacher’s training school.

Having been schooled in Confucian thought, Itosu would naturally be respectful but demanding of his relationship as a teacher with his students. In researching Itosu’s character, karate historian Mark Bishop notes, “[Itosu] had been a kind but stern father figure to his students” (4). Shinpan Shiroma reports that Itosu was cautious and strict (5).

Given these characteristics of Itosu – an educated, classically trained scholar and bureaucrat who devoutly subscribed to Confucian thought, and was thus a strict father figure to his disciples – it is very difficult to accept that in the fifteen years Chibana spent with him as his disciple that Itosu would not have somehow completed Chibana’s schooling at least informally. As a product of a well-to-do family, Itosu was raised on the mantra of bun bu ryodo – culture/philosophy, martial arts, calligraphy. He would have likely passed this on to the fifteen-year-old Chibana. While possibly unrelated, some evidence of this can be seen in Chibana’s fondness for practicing calligraphy.

Second, John Sells notes that Toyama Kanken claimed to have been awarded the privilege of bestowing rank in any martial art by the Ministry of Education, and the only other person to share the privilege was Chibana (6). If this is so, it may be reasonable to posit that the ministry responsible for the education of Japanese children would not want to honor or elevate an individual who had not at least demonstrated some competence in a basic Japanese education; in his dealings with the ministry, Chibana must have shown that he had at least the equivalent of a high school education. Even if his influence was restricted purely to physical education, it is not logical for a school system to honor a junior high school dropout if that is as far as his education appeared to have gone.

Third, for an uneducated man, Chibana seemed to have a very academic perspective on karate. According to Chibana, Itosu did not just train karate. “Sensei Itosu studied very hard at karate” he remarked to Katsumi Murakami, author of Karate-do to Ryukyu Kobudo (7). Chibana was a principal member of the Ryukyu Tode Kenkyukai, or the Ryukyu Tode Research Club. In 1929, he christened the dojo he opened at Baron Nakijin’s courtyard in Gibo Village as “Tode Kenkyu Sho”, or Tode Research Hall (8). Chibana and other early karate legends collaborated with Genwa Nakasone, a scholar and schoolteacher, in the publication of Karate-do Taikan in 1938, a veritable karate encyclopedia. In November 1963, Chibana said, “When you train you have to devote yourself only to the way of karate - think of nothing else.... You must not only learn body movements but also research and study the art.” (9) Commenting on kata, Chibana remarked, “The study of kata is kata training” (10). His affinity for research and study in his diction and his association with early karate organizations suggests that Chibana, while not a man of letters, must certainly have been a non-traditionally learned man.

Was Chibana an uneducated man? Formally, yes. However, given these three factors, it becomes increasingly difficult to blindly embrace the concept. It is troublesome to envision a disciple of a learned scholar, a darling of the Ministry of Education, and a man with a hunger for study and learning as a crude simpleton who spoke his mind and thought nothing of it.

Notes:
(1) John Sells, Unante, 2nd Edition (Hollywood: W.M. Hawley Library, 2000), pg. 189
(2) Shoshin Nagamine, Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, (Boston: Tuttle Martial Arts, 2000), pg. 47
(3) Ibid
(4) Mark Bishop, Okinawan Karate, 2nd Edition, (Boston: Tuttle Martial Arts, 1999), pg. 90
(5) Ibid
(6) Sells, pg. 109
(7) Graham Noble, "Masters of the Shorin-Ryu: Part II", Fighting Arts International (Issue 51, Volume 9, No. 3 pg. 32-35), available online (http://seinenkai.com/articles/noble/noble-shorin2.html), par. 23
(8) Bishop, pg. 91
(9) Noble, par. 32
(10) Patrick Nakata, "Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate", (introductory handout), pg. 1

Busy, Busy, Busy

2006-02-09T22:52:00.000-10:00

I have found myself recently swamped with work as I edge closer to graduation, so my work on this project has been somewhat neglected. I anticipate completing my other tasks soon so that I can continue to focus on researching the life and karate of Chosin Chibana.

I would like to express heartfelt thanks to Mr. Ernest Estrada for sharing some of his knowledge with me as well as for volunteering to help research pre-1930's information on Chibana - information I have found in short supply.

I have decided to proceed with attempting to translate the two 1957 articles from Okinawa Times myself, and judging from some of the kanji, it looks to be a daunting task. I have the good fortune of having several Japanese friends, and most of the kanji in the article are in their modern form (though a handful are written in the classical manner). Interestingly enough, I can read the kanji of all the names of the karateka mentioned in the article, while my Japanese friends cannot make heads or tails of them (e.g., my friends were wide eyed when I easily spotted "Itosu Ankoh", even though I couldn't read the kanji for "Shuri").

I would be completely remiss without writing a little something about any research inroads I have made so far, so here is information I have recently uncovered.

Kakidamashii - "Fighting Spirit" (a loose translation)
or
Chibana, the Fighter

In "the old days", before the onset of sport and competitive karate in Okinawa and Japan, famous praticioners of karate or their dojos were often subject to kakidamashii, or challenge matches meant to test their skills. Stories abound of infamous, sometimes mythical battles between karate legends and random ruffians where the karateka is either challenged openly to fight, or suddenly set upon. Enough of these stories exist, however, to corroborate the fact that "a karate match [was] a matter of life and death" (1), as many fighters became seriously injured and/or died as a result of these. In Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, for example, Shoshin Nagamine details the story of a ruffian who set upon Ankichi Arakaki - a student of Chibana - in a tea house; the attacker grabbed Arakaki's arm, but Arakaki yanked his assailant's arm and toe kicked the him in the armpit, rendering him unconscious. The assailant died six months later, reportedly of injuries suffered from "a karate expert" (2).

Given the seriousness of kakidamashii, and the fact that one could suffer grievous bodily harm or die as a result of a challenge match, choosing an individual to defend the reputation of a dojo was not a decision taken lightly. In the Itosu dojo, the dai-sempai or chief assistant instructor was typically the disciple who rose to meet challenges of the dojo's strength. Throughout his teaching career Itosu had three dai-sempai: Kentsu Yabu, Chomo Hanashiro, and...Chosin Chibana (3). Thus, Chibana's fighting career begins at least before 1915 before Itosu's death when he is the dai-sempai of the Itosu dojo. In the historical introduction to his instructional book Okinawan Goju Ryu II: Advanced Techniques of Shoreikan Karate, Seikichi Toguchi - a student of Chojun Miyagi - mentions that among Okinawan practicioners of karate, Chibana was one of the most frequent targets of kakidamashii. Given how well his students fared (Arakaki's ability to fell opponents with a single blow was not unique to him; other Chibana students were also famous for their "ippon kowashi") , the results of Chibana's challenge matches do not appear to leave much to speculation.

Notes
1. Quote attributed to Sokon Matsumura, Gichin Funakoshi, Karate-Do: My Way of Life, (Tokyo: Kodansha Int'l, 1975), pg. 23.
2. Shoshin Nagamine, Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, (Boston: Tuttle Martial Arts, 2000), pg. 106.
3. Interview with Mr. Patrick Nakata, a student of Chosin Chibana, by Terry Garrett

God Bless Microfilm and Mr. Larry Kientz

2006-01-27T18:59:00.000-10:00

I scoured the microfilm collection at my library and found these:

These are articles from Okinawa Times, 24 and 25 September 1957 entitled "Conversation" (or "An Interview With...", depending on how you translate "taidan"), featuring Shoshin Nagamine and...yep...Chosin Chibana. A translation of both articles is forthcoming.

Update: It appears that Mr. Patrick McCarthy beat me to it nearly 6 years ago, publishing a translation of these articles in Koryu Journal in the fourth quarter edition in 2000.

Why Chosin Chibana?

2006-01-22T11:29:00.000-10:00

Why would any karateka or Okinawan historian be interested in an old and long since passed Okinawan named Chosin Chibana? Three reasons come to mind which make him an interesting karate and historical study.

First, Chibana was the last of the pre-World War karate masters. And, he was a master in every since of the word. Awarded the Fourth Order of Merit by the Emperor of Japan for his devotion to karatedo in 1968 (1), Chibana had been one of the most senior and respected karate instructors on Okinawa since at least 1929 (2) and had been teaching in karate master Itosu Ankoh's dojo since before 1915. Karate legends such as Ankichi Arakaki, Chojun Miyagi, Eizo Shimabuku, Tatsuo Shimabuku, Zenryo Shimabukuro, Kyoda Juhatsu, Yuchoku Higa, Kanei Uechi, and others frequented Chibana's dojo to train directly under him or in search of friendly company and/or correction on their kata and techniques.

Second, Chibana was the progenitor of Itosu Ankoh's karate, Itosu being one of the most famous 19th Century karate masters and the instructor of Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan), Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shito-Ryu), and Chotoku Kyan. At the dawn of the 20th Century, Chibana worked directly with Itosu to help implement karate into the physical education curriculum of Okinawan public schools. Chibana was the "dai-sempai", or "chief assistant instructor" in Itosu's dojo before Itosu's passing in 1915; in Itosu's latter days, he referred all his students or any newcomers to Chibana. Described as "one of Itosu's last and most loyal students" (3), some say that Chibana was unequivocably the "ato-tsugi" or successor to Itosu even though he was one of the youngest of Itosu's students at Itosu's death (4). Chibana was the first to christen an Okinawan karate style with a Japanese ryu name, calling Itosu's karate "Shorin-Ryu" in 1928 (5). His mark on karate as Itosu's martial progeny cannot be erased as his touch is seen in many karate styles: Isshin Ryu (through Tatsuo Shimabuku, a frequent visitor to Chibana's dojo), Kushin Ryu (through Kinjo Kensei, a student of Chibana), Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu (through Ankichi Arakaki who influenced Shoshin Nagamine), Sukunahayashi Shorin Ryu (through Zenryo Shimabukuro, a frequent guest at the Chibana dojo), and others.

Third, Chibana was a product of the Meiji Era and the World Wars. Born into a former shizoku (noble) family in 1885 in Tori Hori, his family lost their titles and status years before his birth when Mutsuhito, the Meiji Emperor, banned the caste system that had ordered Japanese and Okinawan societies for hundreds of years. To maintain themselves, the Chibana family had turned to field work, and later they banded together with other former nobility in Tori Hori to become sake brewers (6). Certainly, this upbringing and the legacy of a noble bloodline shaped him into the man he was to become. In the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, Chibana lost his family, wealth, dojo, several students, and nearly his life. Chibana would remarry, rebuild, and resume teaching and training, emerging from the aftermath of World War II to become one of the most senior and revered karate legends on Okinawa until his death in 1969. His story would certainly be the story of an island chain ravaged by war and imperialism from Japan and militarism from the U.S. and its road to recovery.

These three reasons make the life and karate of Chosin Chibana an interesting study for the historian and the karateka.

*Notes:
(1) "Chibana Chosin-Sensei" by Ernest Estrada (http://www.ihadojo.com/Origins/chibana.htm)
(2) John Sells, Unante, pg. 107
(3) Sells, 92
(4) Interview with Patrick Nakata, a student of Chosin Chibana, by Terry Garrett
(5) Sells, 106
(6) Interview with Patrick Nakata

*Yeah, yeah, not the most academic of citations.

UPDATE: I'm new to blogger. com, so I didn't realize that the whole comments thing was set to only registered users. I've now allowed comments for all users. Comments are very much appreciated as a means of sharing feedback with me, pointing out sources I should go look up, or just information you happen to have on Chibana that I don't.

Dipping my toe in the water

2006-01-14T10:31:00.000-10:00

I have decided to wade out into the water and start a project researching the life and karate of Chosin Chibana. I have no idea how this is going to go, but I've established this little site as a place for me to publish information as I find it for anyone interested in the acclaimed "Last Warrior of Shuri" as well as for people who might have information that I don't know and would like to share with me.