A Brief History of Matayoshi Kobudo

The Okinawan kobudo are, essentially, an eclectic mix of armed civil fighting techniques that compliment the Okinawan karate systems. They cover a large selection of weapons, and are somewhat notable in that they neglect the knife, sword, and spear, which are primary weapons in the rest of Asia. They are also unusual in that they are often taught separately from unarmed styles. Most systems in China, Japan, and the rest of Asia teach weapon and unarmed techniques as part of a continuum of technical knowledge using the same principals of combat.

While there is little historical evidence to work with to date the origins of Okinawan weapon arts, there are references to staff techniques and weapon dances going back as far as the 1500’s. Many sources credit the weapon bans of king Sho Shin O (1507) with the impetus for the development of the current kobudo arsenal. It is said that due to this ban on the owning of swords and spears, the Okinawans developed local tools to use as weapons. Later, from 1609 onward, it is said these skills were further developed and used to combat the Satsuma invaders.

But while the current weapons used do resemble local agricultural implements, it is unlikely they originated from farm tools, or from peasants. The martial artists the weapon forms can be traced back to were not farmers, they were primarily of the shizoku or pechin, (lower or middle nobility) class, international merchants, and government personnel. The weapon techniques were, more likely, developed from mixed Japanese, South East Asian, and (primarily) Chinese and local sources, with techniques being adapted to local conditions and implements. Similar weapon techniques, including the use of the bo, sai, tonfa, kama, guwa (hoe), and eku (oar) are common in Indonesia and China, and are not primarily peasant arts in those countries. The Satsuma Jigen Ryu also has a record of teaching specially developed techniques for the eku, kama, bo, and guwa to locals for militia purposes during their occupation of Okinawa. So while the concept of secretly meeting to learn how to fight off the Japanese occupying forces is romantic, there is no record of armed insurrection in Okinawa during the Satsuma occupation. On the other hand, there is record of local martial artists studying in China and Japan, and passing this knowledge, as well as local traditions, on to their students.

For the most part, these weapon techniques have been passed down piecemeal, with one or two, or sometimes many more, forms being passed from teacher to student over generations; often a teacher would specialize in one particular weapon and teach it alone to his students. However, in the early part of the 20th century, a few teachers began collecting and organizing these forms. Among the schools that have collected and kept this knowledge is the Matayoshi ryu. This is the Kodokan style of kobudo.

The style has its origins with Matayoshi Shinko (1888-1947). As a young man he studied martial arts from his father, and studied bo, eku, kama, and sai with Agena Chokubo (also known as Gushicha Teragua or Gushikawa Tigagawa). He also studied tonfa and nunchaku with a teacher named Irei (also known as Jitude Moshigawa or Matsutaru Ire), and bo with Chinen Yamane and Shishi Ryoko. Later in life he took two trips to China. On the first, he traveled through Manchuria and it is said that in Saharin, Manchuria, he learned ba-jitsu (horse riding techniques), shuriken throwing, and nagenawa-jitsu (lasso techniques) from Manchurian nomads (possibly mounted bandits). On the second trip he went to Shanghai and studied tinbe (sword and shield), suruchin (weighted rope or chain), sansetsukon (three section staff), and nunti (a hooked polearm), along with Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture, from Kinkoroushi (Kingai). He also learned what was to become the family style of Chinese boxing, the Kingai ryu, from Kingai. On his way south, in Fujian province, he then studied Chinese Kempo before returning to Okinawa. He was very well known on Okinawa, taking part in a number of well documented demonstrations with other famous Okinawan martial artists, like Funakoshi Ginchin and Miyagi Chojun. He passed away in 1947, and his style was eventually formalized by his son.

MATAYOSHI SHINKO SENSEI

Matayoshi Shinko Sensei or "Kama nu Matehi" (Matayoshi the Kama) as he was often called, was born in the city of Naha, Okinawa in 1888. As the third son of Matayoshi Shinchin, a wealthy businessman, Shinko was the only member of the family to become involved in the martial arts. Although Matayoshi Shinko Sensei grew up predominantly in Okinawa, he traveled later on in his life around different areas of Japan and China. It was in Okinawa, Hokkaido, and China that Matayoshi Shinko Sensei received the majority of his exposure and training in various weapon arts. Matayoshi Shinko Sensei would later incorporate many of the weapons and styles of his instructors to form the foundation of what we know today as the Matayoshi Kobudo System.

Matayoshi Shinko Sensei had the opportunity to experience the art of weapons from many different instructors. During his teens, Matayoshi began his training in Kobujutsu, under the instruction of Agena Chokuho Sensei of Gushikawa Village. From Agena Sensei, Matayoshi learned Bo-jutsu, Sai-jutsu, Kama-jutsu, and Ueku-jutsu.

Matayoshi Shinko Sensei then became the student of Irei Sensei of Nozato, Chatan Town, from whom he learned the arts of Tonkua-jutsu and Nunchaku-jutsu.

Not long after, at the age of 22, Matayoshi Shinko Sensei left on an adventure to Manchuria where he joined a mounted nomadic tribe, from whom he gained exposure in the arts of Ba-jutsu (bow and arrow while riding a horse), Shuriken-jutsu, and Nagenawa-jutsu (rope throwing).

Shinko Sensei continued in his travels to expand his knowledge of the art of weaponry, arriving in Shanghai where he learned the arts of Nunti-jutsu, Timbe-jutsu, and Suruchin-jutsu. While in Shanghai, he began to develop interests outside of Kobudo, yet still within the realm of the martial arts. Matayoshi Shinko Sensei became involved in the study of Chinese acupuncture and herbal medicine under the instruction of Kinkoroushi. He furthered his studies in China, learning Chinese boxing and Shorinji Kempo in Fuchow, China.

Because of his abilities and knowledge, windows of opportunity were opened to Matayoshi Shinko Sensei, and he was able to participate in two very notable moments in the history of the martial arts. In 1915, during the Imperial Memorial Budo Demonstration Festival at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Shinko Sensei demonstrated Tonkua-jutsu and Kama-jutsu, while Funakoshi Gichin Sensei (the founder of Shotokan) demonstrated Karate. This was the first time that Okinawan Kobudo was publicly demonstrated in mainland Japan, and remains a very important event in the history of Kobudo. Later, in 1921, during the honorable visit of Prince Hirohito (Showa) to Okinawa, Matayoshi Sensei demonstrated Kobudo, and Miyagi Chojun Sensei (the founder of Goju Ryu) demonstrated Karate for the distinguished guest. It was not until 1935 when Matayoshi Shinko Sensei returned to Okinawa, settled in the city of Naha, and shaped his experiences to the point of developing the Matayoshi style of Kobudo. Matayoshi Shinko Sensei passed away in 1947 at the age of 59.

MATAYOSHI SHINPO SENSEI

Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei, son of Matayoshi Shinko Sensei and successor to the Matayoshi line of Kobudo, was born in Okinawa in Yomitan Village, located in the Kina District on December 27, 1921. Shinpo Sensei was introduced to the martial arts by his father at the very young age of 6. However, Matayoshi Shinko Sensei did not limit his son to the practice of Kobudo; he also exposed Shinpo Sensei to Kingai Ryu, a White Crane open hand system. In 1937, Shinpo Sensei's father also introduced him to the open hand system of Hakaku Kempo, which he learned from Gokenki Sensei. Although Shinpo Sensei would have various instructors throughout his life, his father remained his lifelong instructor and mentor.

Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei remained in Okinawa until 1938, when he moved to Kawasaki-Shi in Kanagawa-Ken. He spent 19 years in the city of Kawasaki teaching and training. The year 1957 brought Shinpo Sensei back to Okinawa, where he taught kobudo predominantly in Goju Ryu dojos, namely that of Higa Sensei. While teaching Kobudo in various Karate dojos, Matayoshi Sensei realized that Karate was growing in popularity, where as Kobudo was not. Matayoshi Sensei wanted to increase the exposure of Kobudo among the people of Okinawa, so he decided to form his own dojo.

In 1960, Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei founded his Kobudo dojo in the city of Naha, and he called it the "Kodokan" in memory of, and as a dedication to his teacher and mentor Matayoshi Shinko Sensei. The significance of "Kodokan" is based on the kanji "Ko" (meaning "Light"), and is a tribute to the "Ko" from Shinko; for what Kodokan translates to the "Hall of the Enlightened Way".

Once Matayoshi Sensei opened his dojo, he focused on contacting Kobudo instructors and students all over Japan. His intention was to unite Kobudo practitioners under one goal; to not only to spread the art of Kobudo, but also to try to maintain the traditions that had been passed down from Kobudo Sensei's of earlier days. Matayoshi Sensei had a strong interest in promoting Kobudo among young students to help make them better citizens and contributors to society.

As a result of this interest, Matayoshi Sensei formed the Ryukyu Kobudo Association in 1960. This association became the foundation of the Zen Okinawa Renmei or All Okinawa Kobudo League, which formed in 1972 and still exists today.

Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei passed away in Okinawa on September 7, 1997, at the age of 76.

Matayoshi Shinpo (1925-1997) studied with his father when he was young. He was heavily involved in the martial arts, and in addition to kobudo also studied Shorin ryu under Kyan Chotoku, his father’s Kingai Ryu, what was to become Goju Ryu under Miyagi Chojun, and the white crane system of Gokenki, a Chinese tea merchant living in Naha. He moved to Kawasaki city in 1945, and for many years taught there. He returned to Okinawa in 1960, and began teaching his father’s art, first at the Higa dojo, but in other places as well. A few of his father’s other students, among them Kakazu Mitsuo, were still active at that time, and Matayoshi sensei also practiced with them. After teaching out of various karate teachers’ dojos for a while, he felt that while karate was becoming more popular, kobudo was not, and was in danger of dying out on the island. To help forestall such an event, he decided to establish his own kobudo school, which he called "Kodokan," taking one kanji, "Ko" (meaning light), from the "ko" in his father’s name. After establishing the Kodokan dojo, and organizing the material he had learned more carefully, he contacted other kobudo instructors and students and together they organized the Ryukyu Kobudo Association in the late 1960’s. Their purpose was to keep the traditions and spirit that had been passed down alive, and to make Kobudo more popular. In 1972, this association became the All Okinawa Kobudo Federation (Zen Okinawa Kobudo Renmei).

Matayoshi sensei continued to teach kobudo, and practice and occasionally teach Kingai Ryu and Gokenki’s Hakutsuru Kempo, throughout his life. He is remembered as one of the foremost Okinawan martial artists of his day. He taught many of the premier kobudo instructors of today, and his system is alive and well in Okinawa.

His former dojo, the Kodokan, is currently headed by his son, Matayoshi Yasushi, who does not train due to a physical handicap; the head teacher is Itokazu Seisho. Many of the other top students of Matayoshi sensei have gone on to form their own organizations or to work with the Renmei, the most notable being Gakiya Yoshiaki, who assumed the position of chief instructor of the Kodokan on Matayoshi sensei’s death in 1997, and formed the Okinawa Kobudo Doshi Renseikai in 2002.

The system itself includes a vast number of weapons and kata. The kata taught come from various sources, both in Okinawa and China. A few of the kata were created by Matayoshi Shinko from techniques he learned from his teachers. Some were also created by Matayoshi Shinpo, and a couple by senior students in the dojo. The paired forms are also the creation of the Matayoshi family, though in general the paired forms were specific to the students, created by them in collaboration with Matayoshi sensei. Together they form a system that is as in-depth for each weapon as a karate system is for unarmed combat.