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Sensei Chotoku Kyan
Founding Member of
Karate Do in Okinawan,
Japan - 1937. |
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"NEVER SAY YOU ARE
THE BEST. THERE COULD
BE SOME ONE WHO IS
EVEN BETTER." |
Kyan Chotoku Sensei was born in 1870 to a
very wealthy family in Shuri / Okinawa, the cradle of Karate. At the tender
age of five he was taught the empty hand of self-defense from his father
Chofu Kyan and his grandfather.
Every morning Kyan was required to perform specific exercises by his
grandfather, who had a very discerning eye and required nothing else than
perfection. Being born in a rich family he was able to devote all of his
time studying the martial arts and was sent to the best Okinawan Karate
teachers available.
Those days a Karate Sensei had only three or four Katas, therefore Kyan went
to many teachers in hope of getting a more rounded outlook of the art,
Kyan’s father was an official of the King and this enabled Kyan to gain
instruction from many of the great teachers in Okinawa. Sokon Matsumura of
Shuri was that time Karate teacher of the King. From Matsumura he learned
the Kata “Seisan” and “Gojushiho”.
Kyan learned the most from Matsumura the Shorin-Ryu teacher of Tomari
including the “Chinto”.
Another great teacher of Tomari was Pechin Maeda. Kyan
studied quite a while under Maeda Sensei and learned the Kata - Wansu. He
learned the Kata “Passai” under Pechin Oyademare Kokan of Tomari. Pechin was
a title, given to one in the employment of the King. The next teacher Kyan
looked for was the small 4 ft, 10 inches tall Yara of Chatan, a power packed
dynamite of a man. Chatan Yara Sensei taught Kyan the longest and most
beautiful Kata “Kusanku”. Some times known as “Yara no Kusanku”. His last
teacher was Tokumine, who was reputed to be the best Bo (Staff)-man on
Okinawa. Sensei Kyan went to the island of Yaeyama and studied the only
Weapon Bo and Bo-Kata “Tokumine no kon”.
After completing his apprenticeship under the six famous Okinawa Shorin-Ryu
masters, Kyan started to teach the art at his home. In the 1920’s Kyan
traveled to mainland Japan to promote the art. On his way back he visited
Taiwan on a martial arts exchange tour on Okinawan and Chinese Martial arts.
Having an all round knowledge of both arts, Kyan invented his own Kata “Ananku”.
In the late 1920’s Kyan moved to the village of Kadena from Shuri, due to
personal and financial problems. There he taught a hand full of devoted
students, who were introduced by friends or city officials. One such student
was Zenryo Shimabukuro of Chatan, who was introduced by a school headmaster.
Zenryo Shimabukuro studied 10 years under the tutelage of Kyan Sensei until
Kyans death. During the war there was little food for the Okinawan’s.
Whatever food master Kyan obtained, he gave it to the children. He felt it
was his duty to take care of those who couldn't take care of themselves.
In 1945 at the age of 75 grand master Kyan passed away from hunger. Leaving
his disciple Shimabukuro Zenryo as the foremost authority to carry on the
teachings of Sukunaihayashi Shorin-Ryu.
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