Chotoku Kyan: A ChronologicaI Look
The name of Chotoku Kyan is always included in historical
reviews of Okinawan karate. Kyan's contemporaries, such
as Chojun Miyagi, Kenwa Mabuni, Gichin Funakoshi and Choki
Motobu, lives have been examined closely but little is ever
written about Kyan. There is and have been claims by many
Okinawans to be the inheritor of Kyan's system of karate.
This article, which is an excerpt from a forthcoming book
" Kyan's Karate: A Unique Blend of Shuri and Tomari Te "by
Dan Smith will share a brief look into the research that
has taken many years to provide an in depth look into Kyan's
life.
1870 - Chotoku Kyan was born in the town of
Shuri. His father, Chofli Kyan, was an official of King
Shotai, the last king of Okinawa. Kyan's father was highly
educated and an adrninistered over the king's business affairs.
Chofli Kyan was an experienced martial artist and wanted
his son to follow in his footsteps. The young Kyan was a
sickly child and his father gave his physical training much
affention.
1882 - Kyan accompanied his father at the
age of twelve to Tokyo and stayed there for four years while
his father was representing the king. This was a critical
period in the history of Okinawa due to the fact that for
hundreds of years Okinawa had been in a unique position
of being a Japanese possession but being independent with
a close alliance with China and this era was coming to a
close. Okinawa was soon to become a prefecture of Japan
not just in name but in governance from Tokyo. The change
that Kyan's father was involved in would open the doors
for not only more influence from Tokyo but for Uchinandi
to spread to the mainland of Japan and the rest of the world.
During his stay in Tokyo Chotoku Kyan would study the Chinese
classics and participate in wrestling to strengthen his
body that was weakened from asthma.
1886 - Kyan returned to Okinawa at the age
of sixteen and continued his martial arts training with
his father
1890 - Kyan's father determined that his son,
now at the age of twenty needed more instruction than he
could give him. Chofli Kyan knew that his son had potential
to become a great fighter and he knew that he could not
give him the severe training that was necessary. Due to
his position with the king Kyan took his son to Sokon Matsumura,
the chief instructor to the king, for instruction. Matsumura
was at an advanced age at this time and shortly after Kyan
began training Matsumura retired from his position with
the king.
1892 - Sokon Matsumura was eighty-one years
old and held classes at his home dojo in Shuri village.
Due to Matsumura's age much of the teaching duties were
turned over to Anko Azato. Gichin Funakoshi was a student
at this time also. Many karate historians have reported
that Kyan studied with Anko Itosu, who was a contemporary
of Anko Azato and student of Matsumura but this is not true.
Kyan studied only with Matsumura and Azato in the Shuri
Te version of Uchanandi. Kyan learned the kata Seisan, Gojushiho
and Naifanchi from Matsumura and Azato. We cannot determine
for sure how much instruction Kyan received directly from
Matsumura because of his advanced age but when skeptics
state that he could not have learned very much I reflect
on the last two session I had with Shoshin Nagamine in December
of 1996.1 am still amazed at the vivid detail he shared
with me on the techniques of Chinto and his recollections
of my teacher Zenryo Shimabukuro.
The review of the Funakoshi kata Hangetsu
and Kyan's Seisan reveals the closeness of the kata and
that the origin of this kata is from Matsumura and Azato.
1896 - Kyan's father had arranged for his
son to study with all of the top instructors on Okinawa
and after he had a strong foundation in Shuri Te he began
studying with Kosaku Matsumora of Tomari. He learned the
Chinto kata from Matsumora. The Tomari version of the Chinto
Kata does not have the one legged stances that are prevalent
in the Matsumura version which would lead you to believe
that the Tomari version was an adaptation of the Matsumura
Chinto, that came from the White Crane style. The Tomari
version also is on a forty-five degree line of movement
which is different from the Matsumura version.
1899 - Kyan continued his study with Tomari
teachers and learned the kata Passai fromKokan Oyadomari.
I have found some historians that believe that Oyadomari
was the brother of Kosaku Matsumura. There is evidence that
there was a Kosaku and KokanOyadomari Tomari teachers but
I cannot state with authority that there is any connection.
The Passal kata that Kyan learned became the favorite kata
of Kyan in his later years.
1901 - Kyan leamed the Tonarri kata Wansu
from Maeda, a student of Matsumora.
1910 - Kyan traveled to Yaeyama Island to
leam the Tokumine No Kun. Upon arriving on the island Kyan
found that Tokumine, who had been exiled to the island for
fighting the police with his Bo, had died. The land lord
where Tokumine had lived offered to teach the now famous
Chotoku Kyan the Bo kata of Tokumine.
1918 - Kyan was living in Shuri and became
a member of the Tode Research Club that most of the prominent
instructors of the time belonged to. Kyan was not as active
as the other members due to his belief that Uchinandi should
be kept as it had been and should not be for the general
public. Up until this time Kyan had only taught a few deserving
students. The students of record at this time were Ankichi
Arakaki and Taro Shimabukuro. The members of the research
club were actively demonstrating and sharing techniques
with one another. Kyan played and important role at this
time in keeping the "Sukunaihayashi", small forest way in
the original form as it was taught to him. He did not change
the technique to make it more appealing to the general public.
Kyan did not take any new kata into his repertoire. He did
not swap kata with the other members and he did not remain
an active member but for a short time.
1920 - Kyan suffered ecOnomic and domestic
troubles during this period of time in his life. He left
his wife and family in Shun and moved to the Kadena area
on the Yomitan Peninsula ( all of the area from Kadena to
Suikeran is referred to as the Chatan district). Kyan lived
on land owned by his mistress's f~rnily by the Hija river.
This domestic situation along with the change in the status
of his family brought about a great financial burden on
Kyan. Ankichi Arakaki followed Kyan to this area and continued
training.
1922 - Kyan learned the kata Kusanku from
a man by the name Yara. The kata is often referred to as
Chatan Yara Kusanku. This is to designate this particular
version of Kusanku. Peichin Yara had been a student of Sokon
Matsumura at one time before he moved to the rural area
of Chatan during the change of the political landscape of
Okinawa. Even though Kyan was fifty-two years old at this
time it is said that he had lightening fast kicks in the
Kusanku kata. He performed the sidekicks that Yara specialized
in his version of the kata in deference to the Matsumura
version with front kicks. Kyan may have learned the Malsumura
version of Kusanku before he learned from Yara but the kata
that he passed on to his studenis was the Yara version.
1927 - Shoshin Nagamine is stationed as a
police officer to the Kadena police station and receives
instruction from Ankichi Arakaki. He was instructed in the
kata; Passal, Chinto, Gojushiho and Kusanlru. I asked Sensei
Nagamine in 1996 why he did not learn the kata Seisan and
he replied that he already had karate experience and the
Seisan kata was a basic kata. He told me that he did not
study directly with Kyan but did go to his house for kata
corrections during the six months that he was stationed
at Kadena.
1928 - Ankichi Arakaki dies of a stomach illness
at the age of twenty-eight. The stories surrounding the
death of Arakaki range from his being killed in a fight
by a very strong fighter from Nago to being shot in a barroom
fight. Shoshin Nagamine returned to the Kadena again for
a short time and trained with Arakaki before his death.
1929- Kyan along with Ryusei Kuwac and Siechi
Kudaka go to Taiwan to attend a martial arts event. The
economy on Okinawa suffered after the Japanese regulated
the trade with China due to the political unrest and eventually
war with China. Many Okinawans relocated to Taiwan to find
work. Kyan knew many Okinawans that had moved to Taiwan
and stayed there for approximately one year. He is said
to have studied the bo with Chinen Sanda of Yamane Ryu,
who was also living on Taiwan at this time. If this is true
he did not pass on any kata of this style although there
are some similarities in the Tokumine No Kun Kata. On his
return Kyan created the kata Anaku, which means light from
the south, to commemorate his tripto Taiwan.
1938 -Zenryo Shiinabukuro becomes a student
of Kyan. Sliiinabukuro lived in the Jagaru village of Chatan
Son. He was a baker by trade and had just recently moved
from Shuri. Upon finding Kyan living in this area he becarne
his student. Zenryo Shimabukuro remained a constant student
until Kyan's death. He learned the kata; Seisan, Anaku,
Wansu, Passai, Gojushiho, Chinto, Kusanku, Naifanchi and
Tokumine No Kun.
1931- Kyan began teaching karate publicly
at the Kadena Agricultural High School. Kyan had come to
the realization that he needed to teach karate so that he
could supplement his financial needs. He taught the kata
as he had learned them. One change in his teaching was a
flill twisting punch versus the three-quarter twist punch
that allows the punch to penetrate into vital area. He did
not teach the Pinan Kata that was developed for the school
systems but he did teach.
1932 - The approximate date that Tatsuo Shimabuku
began his study with Kyan is not verified by reliable sources.
This date is as close as can be determined. It is known
that Tatsuo Shimabuku did study kata with Kyan for about
three years before going on to Chojun Miyagi. He learned
the kata Seisan, Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku and Tokumine No
Kun.
1933 - Joen Nakazato arrived at the Kadena
Agriculture School at the age of thirteen from Chinen village.
He began his training at the school but after he graduated
from high school and began in the teachers college he trained
with Kyan at his home. Nakazato trained with Kyan until
he was drafted into military service in 1940. He was stationed
in Manchuria during the war. He was captured at the end
of the war and was delayed in his return to Okinawa by staying
in mainland Japan until 1947. Kyan had been deceased by
two years at this point. Nakazato learned all the kata that
Kyan taught and specialized in the Tokumine No Kun.
1943- Kyan and Zenryo Shimabukuro demonstrated
kata at the opening of Shoshin Nagamine first dojo in Naha.
This was the last public demonstration of karate by Kyan.
The occupation of the Japanese army on Okinawa had taken
a severe toll on Okinawa. Many of it's young men had been
drafted into the Japanese army to fight in Indochina and
the Pacific.
1945- Kyan died after the battle of Okinawa.
He is said to have died from starvation and a weak physical
condition. He had suffered from Asthma most of his life.
He had to flee to the northern end of the island when Okinawa
was attacked and lived in caves along with other war refugees.
The landing of the U.S. troops was in the general area where
Kyan lived along with most of his students in the Chatan
area. The Okinawan people suffered greatly not only during
the invasion but for the three years previous due to the
Japanese army's occupation.
Kyan only taught four students his complete
system of karate. Two of the four Taro Shimabukuro and Ankichi
Arakaki died at early ages. Zenryo Shimabukuro taught until
1969 when he died at the age of sixty-one and Joen Nakazato
continues to teach in Chinen village, where he has taught
since 1947 to a small group of students. The impact of having
so few qualified students to carry on his teachings resulted
in Kyan not having a distinct style or school of karate
that is remembered by the minority of the karate world.
Kyan was remembered by many of the Shuri and
Naha karate men as practicing a rough, rural style of karate.
The karate in Shuri and Naha developed during the years
he was living in Kadena to be a more stylized, physical
improvement activity. He did not move forward with his karate
into the twentieth century and for this I am grateflil.
We practice this unique style of Uchanandi to have a firm
hold on the old so we can reflect on the past and leam how
a culture created this fighting form that has stood not
only the test of time but the test of modernization.
Kyan only referred to his karate as" Sukunaihayashi"
which is the Okinawan term that refers to the Shaolin temple.
Nakazato's school still refers to the style as Shorinji
ryu. Zenryo Shimabukuro also used the Shorinji ryu for a
number of years but later chose Shorin Ryu. Sukunal, means
small or few, and hayashi, means forest The reference could
mean a small forest or a few forest. It could be interpeted
to be a few forest temple ways or the small forest temple
way. Regardless it is a reference to the Chinese influence
that was included in Kyan's karate.
Anyone reading this article may wonder why
there some obvious names missing from Kyan's lineage or
perhaps their roles in Kyan's karate have been minimized.
I also wondered while I was doing the research. By knowing
when someone was born and by doing simple arithmetic you
can determine that some were not old enough to have trained
with Kyan or that they simply did not stay with hint long
enough to learn his karate.
Chotoku Kyan was one of the last great Okinawan
karate men that came from an age of where karate was what
it was supposed to be, not what it could be.
