SHORT HISTORY OF OKINAWAN MATSUMURA SHORINRYU/HAKUTSURU KARATEDO

It is estimated that probably 90% of American karateka know little, if anything, about their art other than the physical aspects. Most of those karateka seem content merely to practice karate and have little interest in studying the origins of their art. At Northern Crane Martial Arts Association we are of a different mentality. While we enjoy the physical aspects of karate, we also have a burning desire to learn the history, philosophy, theory and origins of our art. Generations of secrecy have placed a veil of mystery around the history and origins of Okinawan karate. To a certain degree this veil of secrecy still exists. This, coupled with a general lack of written records, has created a void of information on the early days of RyuKyu martial arts. What little information we have has come to us through scattered bits and pieces that somehow have come into the possession of modern karate historians or from an Okinawan Sensei. Nevertheless, any attempt to write on Karate history will leave many stones unturned, and the following is no exception; a lot of questions are left unanswered.

EARLY HISTORY OF OKINAWAN KARATE

Early Okinawan karate or tode (tuide & suide) as it was called owes its origin to a mixture of indigenous Okinawan fighting arts and various “foot fighting” and empty hand systems of southeast Asia and China. The Okinawans, being a seafaring people, were in almost constant contact with mainland Asia. It is quite likely that Okinawan seamen visiting foreign ports of call may have been impressed with local fighting techniques and incorporated these into their own fighting methods. Interest in unarmed fighting arts greatly increased during the 14th century when king Sho Hashi of Chuzan established his rule over Okinawa and banned all weapons. More rapid development of Tode followed in 1609 when the Satsuma clan of Kyushu, Japan occupied Okinawa and again banned all weapons. Thus Tode or Okinawa-te, as the Satsuma clan soon called it, became the only means of protection left to the Okinawans. It was this atmosphere that honed the early karate-like arts of Okinawa into such a weapon that they enabled the island people to carry on a guerilla-type war with the Japanese Samurai that lasted unto the late 1800’s.

So, Tode or Okinawa-te developed secretly to keep the Japanese from killing the practitioners and the teachers of the deadly art. Tode remained under ground until early 1900 when it was brought into the Okinawan school system to be incorporated into physical education methods.

DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEMS OF KARATE

Chatan Yara was one of the early Okinawan masters of whom some information exists. Some authorities place his birth at about 1670 in the village of Chatan, Okinawa; others place his birth at a much later date. In any case, he contributed much to Okinawan karate. He is said to have studied in China for 20 years. His kata, “Chatan Yara No Sai,” and “Yara Sho No Tonfa,” and Chatan Yara No Kon” are still widely practiced today.

Most modern systems or styles of karate can be traced back to the famous Satunuku Sakugawa (1733-1815) called “Tode Sakugawa.” Sakugawa first studied under Peichin Takahara of Shuri. Later Sakugawa went to China to train under the famous Kusanku. Kusanku had been a military attache in Okinawa. Upon master Kusanku’s return to China, Sakugawa followed him and remained in China for 6 years. In 1762 he returned to Okinawa and introduced his Kenpo; this resulted in the Karate we know today. Sakugawa became a famous samurai; he was given the title of Satunuku or Satonushi; these were titles given to samurai for service to the king. Sakugawa had many famous students; among them were:

1. Chikatosinunjo Sokon Matsumura (Bushi Matsumura)

2. Satunuku Makabe (Mabai Changwa)

3. Satunuku Ukuda (Bushi Ukuda)

4. Chikuntonnoshinunjo Matsumoto (Bushi Matsumoto)

5. Kojo of Kumemura (Kugushiku of Kuninda)

6. Yamaguchi of the East (Bushi Sakumoto)

7. Usume (old man) of Andaya (Iimundun)

Sakugawa contributed greatly to Okinawan karate; we honor him today by continuing many of the concepts he introduced. Sakugawa’s greatest contribution was in teaching the great Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura. Bushi Matsumura (1797-1889) studied under Sakugawa for 4 years. He rapidly developed into a Samurai. He was recruited into the service of the Sho (king’s) family and was given the title Satunuku, later rising to Chikutoshi. At some time during his long career Bushi Matsumura was sent to China to train in the famous Shorinji (Shaolin Temple). He is alleged to have remained in China for many years. Upon his return to Okinawa, Matsumura established the Shurite that later became known as Shorinryu.

Shorinryu is the Okinawan pronunciation of the Chinese written picturegram characters (kanji) for shaolin in Chinese. In both languages shorin or shaolin means “pine forest.” Ryu simply means “stream” as in a mountain stream or a stream of though or method of teaching such as those of a school.

Bushi Matsumura lived a long and colorful life. He fought many lethal fights; he was never defeated. He contributed greatly to Okinawan karate. He brought the “Hakutsuru” (White Crane) concept to Okinawa from the Shorinji in China. He taught many students and indeed many modern karate systems trace their lineage back to Matsumura. He passed on his Menkyo-kaiden (Certificate of Full Proficiency), the complete secret Hakutsuru style only to his grandson, Nabe Matsumura.

Nabe Matsumura brought the old Hakutsuru secrets into the modern age. His name does not appear in many karate lineage charts. He was alleged to be very strict and preferred to teach mainly family members. Not much information on him is available; his date of birth and death are unknown. He must have been born in the 1850’s and died in the 1930’s. He was called “Old Man” or “Nabe” and is said to have been one of the top karate masters of his time. He passed on his Menkyu-kaiden to his nephew Hohan Soken.

Hohan Soken was born in 1889; this was a time of great social changes in both Okinawa and Japan. The feudal system was giving way to modernization. The aristocracy was forced to work beside the peasantry. Hohan soken was born into a Samurai family; at an early age he chose to study his ancestral art of Shorinryu under his uncle, Nabe Matsumura. At the age of 13 young Soken began his training. For the first 10 years Hohan Soken practiced the basics of Shorinryu. At the age of 23, Soken began learning the secrets of Hakutsuru. So proficient did Hohan Soken become in the art that his uncle, Nabe Matsumura passed on the Matsumura Shorinryu style’s Menkyu-kaiden to him.

In the 1920’s Hohan Soken emigrated to Argentina. He remained there until 1945. It is not clear why he moved there but while in Argentina he made a living as a launderer and photographer. Upon his return to Okinawa, the Matsumura Seito (Orthodox) Shorinryu Karatejutsu and Kobujutsu style returned also. Soken saw that karate had greatly changed; sport karate had all but replaced the ancient methods. Soken did not change; he valued himself as the last of the old masters. He refused to join some of the more fashionable karate associations. He stayed with the old ways and did much to cause a rebirth in Kobudo and the old Shorinryu ways. Master Soken retired from karate in 1978. For many years he was the oldest living and active karate master.  Master Soken passed away in 1983.

MATSUMURA SEITO SHORINRYU KARATE'S CURRENT STATE AND ITS FUTURE AT NORTHERN CRANE:

Since the death of Soken Sensei there has been a lot of controversy as to whom he left to carry on his family system into the next generation. Although Fusei Kise was undoubtedly one of his most senior of students, Soken Sensei however had other very senior students. He died without passing his Menkio Kaiden (Certificate of Full Proficiency) to anyone. There is speculation that Kise Sensei would have received it but due to some financial malfeasances on the part of Kise Sensei regarding Soken Sensei's retirement funds this never happened. It must be stressed that this is speculation only. It is however the opinion of many who have had personal relationships and dealings with Kise Sensei and or his organization over many years that this may indeed have been the case.

Recently Sensei Kise has received the permission of the Japanese government to pronounce himself as the "official" heir to the Matsumura Seito Shorinryu Karate System. This "official" permission however may have more to do with the size and financial acumen of his international organization than with the actual wishes of Sensei Soken. In fact, in his last interview, given just weeks before his death Sensei Soken gave a radically different opinion on this topic. His wishes were, from what he actually stated in this interview, for all his senior students to carry forth together his family heritage as he had, without any hierarchical structure whatsoever.

Sensei Perez left Sensei Kise's organization in 2000 to search out and become the student of other senior students of Sensei Soken in order to continue his education in and achieve a better perspective on this eclectic and rather secretive art form.

In summation, the future of Matsumura Seito Shorinryu Karate is in the hands of all its senior practitioners, not any one man. No one organization has a lock and key on the information, heritage and legacy of Soken Sensei. He had more than a few senior students and they are all endeavoring to bring his legacy to the next generation. Any organization claiming to be the one and only authorized and exclusive heir to Soken Sensei's system is, to use a common American phrase: "Full of crap!"

SATONUSHI “TODE” SAKUGAWA (1733-1815). Studied in China under Kusanku. Early founder of Tode

SOKON “BUSHI” MATSUMURA (1797-1889). Founder of Shurite (Shorinryu)

NABE MATSUMURA (1850’s-1930’s). Grandson of Bushi Matsumura

HOHAN SOKEN (1889-1983). Great grandson of Bushi Matsumura. In 1955 Changed name of style from Matsumura Shurite to Shorinryu Matsumura Seito

Copyright © 1998  By Phil Perez [Northern Crane]. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 01, 2007.

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