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.
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