The History of Ryukyu Kempo Karate

The history of Ryukyu Kempo, and of all martial arts, is traced back to the early martial arts of China. Ryukyu Kempo though has a direct connection with the Chinese art of Chuan Fa. The art of Chuan Fa was transported to Okinawa by two gentlemen. The first person to expose Okinawa to Chuan Fa was Chatan Yara and the second was Kusanku.

Chatan Yara was a man of Okinawan descent who traveled to China to live on his brother’s farm. During his 20 year stay in China, Chatan Yara trained in Chuan Fa in monasteries across that nation and developed his own style of empty hand combat. Upon Chatan Yara’s return to Okinawa he decided to take on a student and train the student in his new style of martial art. That student was a man named Peichin Takahara. Peichin Takahara learned everything that Master Yara knew from his study in China. Master Yara taught Peichin Takahara the principles that would soon lay the foundation for countless styles of martial arts across Japan and Korea, including Ryukyu Kempo.

Peichin Takahara became well versed in the art and began to take students of his own, one of those being “Tode” Sakagawa. Tode Sakagawa showed great passion and enthusiasm for the art and had a desire to learn all he could. Rumors reached Tode Sakagawa of a Chinese envoy to Okinawa that was well versed in Chinese martial arts and particularly in Chuan Fa! This envoy’s name was Kusanku. Tode Sakagawa sought out Kusanku and asked permission from Master Takahara to train under Kusanku. His wish was not only granted by Master Takahara but he encouraged Sakagawa to train under Kusanku.

Kusanku remained in Okinawa for four years and trained Tode Sakagawa in the style of “China Hand,” which later Mr. Sakagawa would incorporate with his previous instructor (Master Takahara) style to create his own style called Tode. Tode Sakagawa became the first Okinawan master to teach martial arts to the public. He is also one of the most pivotal Masters due to his knowledge from not one master but two that specialized in the Chinese art of Chuan Fa. Like all great masters before Sakagawa, he decided to take on students and pass on what he had learned in all of his studies. Sakagawa’s greatest student was “Bushi” Matsumura.  

Bushi Matsumura went to great lengths to spread the style of Tode. “Bushi” taught many of the forefathers of Karate including: Kentsu Yabu, Gichin Funakoshi, as well as Yasutsune “Ankoh” Itosu.

Ankoh Itosu further developed the style and created many of the Kata used today including the Pinan (or Heain) kata, the Naihanchi (or Tekki) kata, Bassai, and Kusanku (Kanku) kata. Another of Itosu’s greatest legacies was the systemization of rules for a dojo: the Ten Precepts of Tode as well as the Niju Kun (20 rules-which later was developed into the dojo kun.)

Itosu had many widely renowned students and peers including Choki Motobu as well as Gichin Funakoshi. Gichin Funakoshi took the art and presented it to the Japanese Emperor at the time and revolutionized martial arts by implementing a school physical education program that taught Karate.

After standardizing the main principles of Karate and Kempo, both Gichin Funakoshi and Choki Motobu taught a plethora of students and encouraged them to travel the world and promote their respective arts.

One of Choki Motobu’s most influential students in the art of Ryukyu Kempo is a man named Taika Seiyu Oyata. Taika Oyata is the living authority on Ryukyu Kempo Karate and is responsible for largely promoting it and preserving it in the United States.

Through the diligence and passion of countless influential masters, Ryukyu Kempo is still alive today and is a popular art across the globe.