of the letters asked me if I would consider writing about the lives of Okinawa’s old bujin. This, coupled with similar requests I had received over the years from both students and colleagues, prompted me to think seriously about such a project. Most of the historical documentation about such men is believed to be greatly embellished and uncorroborated. Examples of such things include stalwarts able to swing their way across the beams of a ceiling using only the fingertips; men able to, with a single blow, rip the flesh from the body of a living ox; a tiny man able to kick a barrel full of sugar up onto a cart with only his foot; and karate men able to splinter jumbo stalks of green bamboo by simply seizing them by hand.
Tales such as these are, at best, difficult to believe and cast doubt on the art. Moreover, the storytellers are themselves usually old men who either briefly learned karate in their youth, or never learned it at all! Having observed an impressive demonstration a long time ago, the feats tend to gain something each time the story is told. Long-winded old men often recount stories as if they had actually happened. This, unfortunately, has resulted in listeners misunderstanding the true value of karate-do. With this in mind, I believe that my first book has prompted many people, both at home and abroad, to petition me to describe the actual historical events, personalities, and abilities of Okinawa’s old bujin.
From 1969 to 1983 I travelled four times to Canada, the United States, Argentina, and Uruguay to teach and lecture on karate-do, its history, philosophy, and application. By doing so, I was able to strengthen Matsubayashi-ryu karate-do and expand the World Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) Karate-Do Association. Cradled in our tiny island, haphazardly enhanced by Chinese chuan fa, and then further cultivated before being introduced, and reinterpreted again, on the mainland of Japan, karate-do has enjoyed a fascinating evolution. In spite of the modern karate movement which started a mere half-century ago, karate-do has now found its way to the four corners of the world. When compared with Japan’s other cultural combative disciplines, karate-do has achieved a world-wide popularity which kendo, judo, or ever sumo has yet to realize. In all honesty, even having been a part of the pioneering process, I can hardly believe the magnitude by which karate-do has grown.
When I am asked about Okinawa, I often like to say that it is the island from which karate first surfaced, rather than describing it as the location that was decimated during the Second World War. I feel confident that most foreigners whom I have met are satisfied with my description. Yet, a question which remains unanswered is how karate achieved such international magnitude?
Considering its practical attributes, the ability “to kill with a single blow” or similar “supernatural powers of destruction,” were developed by learning to use the entire body as a weapon. It is not surprising, then, that such a practice spread so rapidly. However, the principal basis for karate’s world-wide popularity has to be the “anytime, anywhere, anyone” principle. Simply put, the practice of karate knows no limitations; there are no time, place, age, or gender restrictions. One can train any time, any place, and with anyone, or even by oneself. Moreover, one can practice for fitness, self-defense, recreation, competition, character development, or spiritual discovery. Especially in such a hectic modern society as ours, karate is an attractive and practical consideration.
In spite of this enormous popularity, we must not lose sight of that which the competitive element and commercial exploitation have generated. Ignorance and misunderstanding have fueled eclecticism in countries whose cultures are unlike that from which karate evolved. As such, karate has been popularized for its utilitarian and competitive elements and, for the most part, monopolized by young people. In so doing, the classical values on which the art rests have been ignored. Karate is a tradition which should be practiced by both young and old, male and female, and kata is the central vehicle of this profound discipline. I believe that without restoration of these values, true classical Okinawan karate will become extinct.
I do not mean to suggest that I have a totally negative opinion of karate’s competitive dimension, it is just that I feel it is too shallow. Regardless of whether it is in Okinawa, the mainland of Japan, or the world in general, jyu-kumite (free-sparring) ignores the principles on which kata is based. Simply put, jyu-kumite should in some way reflect kata, because kata is the origin of karate. If there is no kata, there is no karate, just kicking and punching.
Respecting the fact that kata is karate, one must embrace the dō mu gen proverb, which, simply stated, asserts: “There can be no end to learning.” Hence, karate begins and ends with the study of kata. Kata is the way through which the secrets of karate have been transmitted from the beginning. Moreover, the only way in which karate can be effectively handed down to future generations as a cultural inheritance, is by adhering to this tradition.
When I think about the international exposure which karate-do has received, I can not help but ponder the footsteps of our eminent predecessors and the devotion it took to forge this tradition. In spite of nearly three centuries of harsh living in the shadows of foreign military and political subjugation, our predecessors never lost their lively spirit. One notable aristocrat named Tansui Eekata (1623-82) composed an abstract poem which has become a classic among Ryukyu folk art.
Poem:
| Chunomiya muchai | Ashibushiya warate |
| Kunoyu furishite te | Ichayashigana |
Translation:
A human life span is like a fleeting drop of dew.
Renounce people who play. Yet, if possible, I wish
to go to Shangri-la.
Clarification:
“Renounce people who play” refers to Tansui Eekata revering music so much that other statesmen criticized his preoccupation and artistic achievements. The word “play,” in this case, implies his “taste for music.” Hence, Tansui was mistakenly thought to be lethargic, during a period of Okinawan history when men of his position were expected to use their influence and power in more productive ways. After returning from the countryside where he had spent considerable time composing music, he was finally recognized as a great musician, and regarded as the founder of Tansui-ryu (Tansui school). In the end, Tansui was considered a creative genius and an overachiever.
In my opinion, Tansui is a perfect example of one who deeply embraces the spirit of dō mu gen: there is no end to learning. In spite of adversity and misunderstanding, he devoted his entire life to artistic accomplishment. I was deeply moved with Tansui’s chimugukuru (devotion).
It was around my second year of junior high school, under the old prewar school system, that I started training in karate. In those days, everyone thought of a bushi as someone who was just a strong fighter. Yet, even as a child, I somehow perceived that this opinion was incorrect, and that being a bushi meant more than just being physically powerful.
As a lad, I was fortunate to have met a prominent teacher and his great senior disciple. Because of their profound understanding of karate, so too was I able to achieve a deep perception of budo (martial ways). In other words, I was able to confirm my childhood beliefs that a bushi was more than just a physically powerful person. I came to understand how devoting one’s life to karate develops an indomitable spirit and unshakable faith. This is necessary for a bujin to live a just life and is similar to Buddhist beliefs.
I became a policeman at the age of twenty-six because it suited me, and I kept enthusiastically practicing judo, kendo, and karate. During that time I often visited prominent senior bujin, not really caring whether they were from the Shuri-te or Tomari-te traditions. In addition to enhancing my understanding of karate in general, I also managed to pick up many descriptions of old bujin from the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Between 1940 and 1944, I researched the family lineages of Bushi Matsumura Sokon, Makabe Chaan (Makabe Choken), Mayaa Arakaki (Arakaki Seisho Tsuji) of Naha’s Kumemura, and Bushi Matsumora Kosaku of Tomari. After the war I supplemented this analysis by conducting more investigation into corresponding areas. Only then was I able to conclude my examination into the lives and times of those men who grace the pages of the book which lies before you. Together, these men represent some of the most prominent pioneers of karate