Timeline of Okinawan Martial arts preview

This is an excerpt from my upcoming article; Timeline of Okinawan Martial arts. In my upcoming article, I will be covering the history of Karate from an indigenous martial art called Ti to modern Karate. This excerpt gives a short preview of what will be contained in the article. As an added bonus, I added in a section exclusive to this excerpt comparing Naha te and Shuri te. The content in this excerpt and much more will be in the full article.


Ti 手 - No exact year

Martial arts on Okinawa began with Ti, the martial art of Okinawan kings and nobles. The origin of Ti does not have an exact date, so it's safe to say that it's been around for a long time (way before 1300's). Unlike Karate, Ti is an unrooted and "liberated" martial art.


Chinese hand 唐手 (Toudi)

Ti would later on combine with Kung fu and become Toudi. According to oral history, Toudi originates from Kangi Sakugawa who studied under Peichin Takahara (Ti) and Kusanku (Kung fu) then taught his son Kanga. Kanga then taught Matsumura and Tachimura who then taught other people. 


Introduction of Naha te 那覇手

Naha te was brought to Okinawa by a few people. One of these people was a man named Kanryo Higaonna. Kanryo travelled to Fujian, China in 1870 and trained with various masters like Kojo Tatei (cousin of Kojo Isei). Kanryo Higaonna also trained under a local master named Ru Ru Ko (being a title and not a name). 

Kanryo taught a few people, his most popular students were Juhatsu Kyoda, Miyagi Chojun and Mabuni Kenwa

  Kanryo Higaonna


 Shuri te 首里手 vs Naha te 那覇手

Back then, these styles were not named, so it was all Toudi. Later one these styles would be classified. But generally Naha te and Shuri te are not only from different times (with different kung fu influences) but they also differ significantly in techniques and footwork. 

Below is an example of a technique from Toon Ryu and a demonstration of Shuri te. Toon ryu is passed on from Juhatsu Kyoda, a senior student of Kanryo Higaonna (who learnt kung fu in China). Toon ryu passes on old style techniques from Kanryo Higaonna, such as Tomoe uke and Nidan geri. Shuri te is passed on in various lineages, Tachimura style, Hanashiro Chomo style and Motobu Udundi (Ti but still related to Shuri te) are likely the most known.  

An application for Tomoe uke from Bechurin performed by Mario Mckenna



A demonstration of Motobu Udundi




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