It
is very difficult to tell the true
story about the development of the
Okinawa Kobudo because almost all
written documents about it were
destroyed in the hard fightings,
bombings and the outbreaks of fire
that followed during the second world
war.
However, it seems that in the 12th
century, regional lords called aji
emerged and exerted power from their
fortified manors called gusuku.
Soon power was divided among three
small kingdoms in 1326, which led to a
lot of internal and continuous warfare
until 1429.
This was the best period to
develop and perfect martial arts
combat techniques.
In
1429, Sho Hashi united the island and
founded the Kingdom of the Ryukyus. During
the 14th to 16th centuries, a period known
as the "Golden Age of Trade", the
Kingdom flourished as a trade center for
China and other nations. However, trade
vessels were constantly threatened by
Japanese pirates and the Okinawa sailors
needed to protect themselves while in
foreign lands.
Around 1580, Toyotomi
Hideyoshi stated laws again that prohibited
the possession or the carrying of weapons,
in order to restore peace and bring some
sort of prosperity to a resource poor
Ryukyuan kingdom. It helped to prevent
unnecessary loss of life among the people
and was a deterrent to insurrection and
civil wars. But that left the peasants of
Okinawa more or less defenseless against the
Samurai, which were the only ones allowed to
carry weapons.
Althought the empty hand
techniques developped on the battlefields
were very effective and refined, they were
not so for use in massive defense or offense
operations. In 1609, the Satsuma Samurai
Clan attacked and swept the Okinawan
defenses. The islanders used turtleshields
and shortstrabbing daggers, but they were of
very little use against horsebacked,
swordcarrying samurai or bows.
The only instruments the
farmers had were their simple farmingtools.
The unique martial arts of Okinawan karate
and kobudo were born from this background.
Over long years, the techniques of Chinese
and South East Asian martial arts were
incorporated into Okinawa Karate and Kobudo
to establish the forms known today. The
chinese methods were a combination of
techniques with empty hands and with weapons
like the San-Ku-Chu, ancestor of the Saï.
The stick techniques were
already used by some okinawaian peasants who
had to protect themselves against pillagers.
Some new weapons were made using as example
tools used from peasants, for instance the Nunchaku
and the Tonfa
or the Kama
which was the unique tool with a metal part
used at that time.
Varied distinct styles
emerged during the heyday of the Ryukyuan
kingdom: Shuri-ti forms were centered in the
Ryukuan capital of Shuri, Naha-ti in the
commercial center of Naha, and Tomari-ti in
the Tomari district located between the
first two. Each style had its distinguished
masters who established the traditions
preserved to our present day. The techniques
of Karate and Kobudo were, by their nature,
to be kept from the uninitiated.
Thus, there are but few
historical records and the arts were
conveyed almost entirely through personal
oral transmission from master to disciple.
Since the invasion of the Satsuma Samurai
Clan, Okinawa was ruled by a weak government
under orders of the Shogun, until the
upcoming of the Meiji restoration, halfway
the 19th century where, following the
dissolution of the kingdom and the 1879
annexation of Okinawa as a prefecture, new
institutions came into effect and Karate and
Kobudo were incorporated into the Meiji
public education system. There followed a
movement to present these arts to the
general public: during the Taisho Era (circa
1910-1926), demonstrations were made
throughout mainland Japan, and in the early
Showa years (circa main schools - ryu):
Shorin-ryu, Gojyu-ryu, Uechi-ryu and
Matsubayashi-ryu. Today, there exist many
more sub-schools (ryuha) and factions
(kaiha). Each boasts its own distinctive
kata derived from the basic movements (kihon
kata) common to all schools as the
systematization of techniques of attack and
defense.
Rigorous training over
years cultivates both physical and spiritual
strength. Thus these traditional arts
contribute to building character, to
fostering a sense of social responsibility,
and to the healthy development of
youngbodies and minds. In offering the
disciplines of both martial arts and sports,
Okinawa karate and kobudo today give
inspiration to people throughout the world.
Modern
Kobudo was founded by Shinko Matayoshi
(1888-1947), born in the Naha region from a
wealthy family. His kobujutsu training began
in his early teens and included kobujutsu,
kamajutsu, ekujutsu, tonfajutsu and
nunchakujutsu. At the age of 22, he ventured
into Manchuria by way of northern Japan.
There he joined a team of mounted bandits
and learned several other weapons arts,
including the bow and arrow, all from
horseback making them unique from other
Okinawan Kobujutsu styles. Later, after
returning to Okinawa, he traveled to Fuchow
and Shanghai were he learned even more
weapons arts in addition to acupuncture,
herbal medicine and another form of Shaolin
boxing.
Shinko Matayoshi, along
with Gichin Funakoshi, was the first to
publicly demonstrate Okinawan kobudo to
mainland Japan in 1915. With the 1921 royal
visit of Emperor Hirohito on Okinawa,
Matayoshi performed kobudo at a
demonstration with Naha-te master Chojun
Miyagi.
Shimpo
Matayoshi (1922-1997), Hanshi 10th Dan, son
of Shinko, started his martial arts training
at age 8 under Chotoku Kyan. Upon his
father’s return in 1934, began to train in
karate and kobudo under his father’s
tutelage. In 1935, he began studying with
Gokenki, learning the same Hakutsuru (White
Crane Chaun' fa) that his father had been
taught. Upon his father’s death, he
continued the legacy and assumed the
teaching responsibilities.
In 1970, he formed the
All Okinawa Kobudo Federation (Zen Okinawa
Kobudo Renmei) and until his untimely death
in 1997 was the technical advisor for all
Okinawan Kobudo styles. He was also one of
the last surviving students to learn to rare
Hakutsuru directly from an authentic Chinese
master. In his travels demonstrating his
unique style of Kobudo, he was constantly
besieged to demonstrate the Hakutsuru, which
he never taught openly to anyone. His
knowledge of the elusive Crane was
unparalleled.
Modern
Kobudo was founded by Shinko Matayoshi
(1888-1947), born in the Naha region from a
wealthy family. His kobujutsu training began
in his early teens and included kobujutsu,
kamajutsu, ekujutsu, tonfajutsu and
nunchakujutsu. At the age of 22, he ventured
into Manchuria by way of northern Japan.
There he joined a team of mounted bandits
and learned several other weapons arts,
including the bow and arrow, all from
horseback making them unique from other
Okinawan Kobujutsu styles. Later, after
returning to Okinawa, he traveled to Fuchow
and Shanghai were he learned even more
weapons arts in addition to acupuncture,
herbal medicine and another form of Shaolin
boxing.
Shimpo
Matayoshi (1922-1997), Hanshi 10th Dan, son
of Shinko, started his martial arts training
at age 8 under Chotoku Kyan. Upon his
father’s return in 1934, began to train in
karate and kobudo under his father’s
tutelage. In 1935, he began studying with
Gokenki, learning the same Hakutsuru (White
Crane Chaun' fa) that his father had been
taught. Upon his father’s death, he
continued the legacy and assumed the
teaching responsibilities.