The Influence of Motobu Chōyū
Translated by Andreas Quast
The following passage is found in an article by Sakaguchi Kenfū (Mie Prefecture Kobudō Promotion Association, Shōrin-ji-ryū of the lineage of Kyan Chōtoku) titled “The Practice of Martial Arts is to not Leave the Dō” (1982).
Stories told by Uehara Seikichi Sensei
Around 1924, Motobu Chōyū Sensei gathered the karate experts of that time at the Karate Research Club, including Kyan Chōtoku Sensei, Mabuni Kenwa Sensei, and Miyagi Chōjun Sensei, and instructed them according to their needs. His teaching method was so that because they [Kyan, Mabuni, and Miyagi] were karate experts, he did not teach them together, but taught each of them individually so as to not damage their reputation. However, the story has not been handed down to today about this fact [of Motobu Chōyū instructing at the Karate Research Club]. (Note 1).
As a karate practitioner from Mie prefecture, Mr. Sakaguchi visited and interviewed Uehara Seikichi at his home in March 1976. In the above citation Uehara Sensei describes the relationship between Motobu Chōyū and the Okinawa Karate Research Club.
The purpose of the Karate Research Club was for karate experts of that time to teach karate to general students. The Karate Research Club had a dual teaching structure, with its president Motobu Chōyū…
