Ōshiro Kengi and the Okinawa Karate Research Club

Written by Motobu Naoki, translated by Andreas Quast

The Okinawa Karate Research Club was a research institution for karate established during the closing years of the Taishō era (1912–1926) with Motobu Chōyū sensei and Miyagi Chōjun sensei at its center.

In terms of its subjects, it was established for the purpose of creating something like a “Special College of Karate.” It was located in the Wakasa neighborhood of Naha. According to a newspaper article of that time, it was about 50 square meters (about 60 square yards) in size, and there also appears to have been an expansion plan for the future.

In the prewar days there was the well-known Dai Nippon Butokukai Budō Senmon-gakkō in Kyōto, which was also known under its abbreviated name of Busen. I can imagine that the conception of the Okinawa Karate Research Club was the attempt to create a — so to speak — “Karate edition” of that Busen in Okinawa.

Motobu Chōyū sensei had served as the president of the Club, and Miyagi Chōjun sensei served as its full professor. Upon establishing this club a building was newly constructed. As regards the funds used to build it, it is said that Miyagi sensei made debt within Gōjū-ryū, but this appears to be an oral tradition. According to the talks of Uehara Seikichi sensei, it was actually the case that the Club was built with a “donation” made by Ōshiro Mujin.

Ōshiro Mujin refers to Ōshiro Kengi (1871.6.25–1951.11.11), at that time a…