Taira Shinken, depending on which book you read was born in 1897 in the village of Nakazato on the island of Kumejima. After graduating from school, Taira went to Minami Jima to work in the mines. After working as a miner for several years he was involved in a cave in and buried alive but managed to dig himself out after sustaining an injury to his right leg. He returned to the mine briefly but found he could not work, due not only his injury which left him with a permanent limp but the constant taunts from his co-workers which left him embarrassed and ashamed and it was then he vowed to become stronger and so turned to the martial arts.
He decided he would go to Japan and study Judo but an encounter with Gichin Funakoshi who at the time was in Japan trying to promote Karate changed that. Taira was so impressed with what Funakoshi had to offer he changed his plans and entered Funakoshi's dojo as a uchi-deshi (live in student), where he remained for the next eight years.
He then decided to study the art of Kobudo under the instruction of Yabiku Moden. While studying under Yabiku Moden, Taira mastered the Bo, Sai, Tonfua, Nunchaku and Eku. After completing his instruction he opened his own Dojo in 1933 where he taught Karate and Kobudo and up until his death in 1970 he systemised and classified approximately forty katas of eight Okinawan weapons after drawing on the masters, the likes of Aburaya Yamaki, Matsu Higa, Sueshi, Shikiya Chinen and Yamane Chinen. He also established the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko-Kai, the association for the promotion and preservation of Kobudo.Many believe that Taira Shinken was to Kobudo as Funakoshi was to Karate.
