Okinawans researching Fuzhou Martial Arts

[Gojumaster]

There are a number of people in Okinawa that are still keeping the torch lit, either by continuing relations with Fuzhou, or by making research trips.

Some that I know of:
Ohtsuka Tadahiko
Nakamoto Masahiro
Tokashiki Iken
Uehara Ko
Kinjo Akio
Takamiyagi Hiroshi

I have a book from Ohtsuka Sensei that discusses his research in Hequan, Tai Tzu quan, and Wuzuquan, among others. He has also done a great deal of research into the Bubishi, and has published several books on his findings.

Nakamoto Sensei is going to Fuzhou again in 2005 for a cultural exchange.

Tokashiki Iken has been to Fuzhou several times and has also done some significant research into the Bubishi.

Takamiyagi Hiroshi has been researching and training Wuzuquan for some time.

Best Regards,

Russ

[Suhana LIM]

Gojumaster ni hao
Interesting to know that until to date, some people from Okinawa still keep the bond to their source of arts.
Maybe you can tell us a bit more about their research trips results.
Cheers.

[pitbull]

not only martial arts di they share link but also culture etc...so many things in common. and okinawa is a friendly state to the chinese...i actually dont consider okinawans to be japanese..i consider them to be of another ethnic group.

some interesting links from NCK to okinawan brethren
master Lokinghui went to okinawa i think.what i know is that he went to japan. he also have a red belt given to him as a gift
alex co also tought an okinawan sometime ago.
and we also have okinawas going to quanzhou for friendly visits...its funny..even thugh they arent NCK or even shaolin i feel they are like family

[CStephens]

pitbull said:

i actually dont consider okinawans to be japanese..i consider them to be of another ethnic group.

Not to take this thread OT, but one of my friends from college, his father was born on Okinawa. He said once, when he and his father were in a K-Mart, there was a man wearing a jacket with a dragon on the back, and the words "Okinawan, Japan" under the dragon (it also said the part of the armed forces the man was in). His father went and talked at length with this man about how Okinawa was just "in relation" with Japan, and wasn't a part of it.

Looking forward to Gojumaster's research.

[pitbull]

thank you very much for that info...its 'solidified' my beleif...thanks again

[Seeker]

You should check out the connection it has with the Nahnchi Kata, ill post it up in a minute

[Seeker]

The History of the Nahanchi kata is that of karate itself. The Nahanchi Shodan kata is considered to be a kata of the Shuri Te lineage of karate. Shungo Sakagawa is considered to be the first true practitioner of karate, particularly Shuri Te. His art was a mixture of Shuri Te, the native Ryukyu fighting art, and Chinese Kempo. Shungo Sakagawa was a student of the Chinese Kusanku. After training with Kusanku. After training with kusanku sakagawa also became known as Tode Sakagawa, Tode refering to Chinese Kempo.

Shungo Sakagawa became the teacher of Shoken Matsumura. Sokon Matsumura became a well known and highly skilled martial artist. So revered for his kill was Matsumura that he serverd as the personal bodyguard for the 17th, 18th, and 19th Kings of the Ryukyu Islands and as the Chief Martial Arts Instructor as well. Matsumura was also called Bushi Matsumura. Bushi meaning warrior.

Matsumura studied with other martial artist of the day as well. This included Chinto, Iwah & Wai Shin Zan all Chinese martial artist living on Ryukyu. Matsumura also travelled to China and studied martial arts in the city of Foochow, in the Fukien province. It is from here he brought back the Nahanchi Shodan kata which is believed to be from the Shouting White Crane Style of Kung Fu.

Soken Matsumura passed on the Nahanchi Shodan kata to his grandson Nabe Matsumura and Chomo Hanashiro. Although Nage Matsumura was probably the major teacher of Hanishiro. Nabe was also later known as Old Man Nabe.

Chomo Hanishiro then passed the Nahanchi Shodan kata to his student Shigeru Nakamura. Nakamura was founder of the Okinawan Kempo Association. It was while studying with Nakamura that Taika Seiyu Oyata learned this kata.




SHOUTING WHITE CRANE KUNG FU
CITY OF FOOCHOW
FUKIEN PROVINCE, CHINA
.
.
.

SOKEN (BUSHI) MATSUMURA
(1796-1889)
.
.

NABE (OLD MAN) MATSUMURA
(1860-1930)
.
.

CHOMO HANASHIRO
(1871-1945)
.
.

SHIGERU NAKAMURA
(1892-1969)
.
.

TAIKA SEIYU OYATA
(1927- )