History of Okinawa Kenpo Karate and Kobudo - Part One

[@RaulPerez1]

Finally some historical stuff on Nakamura! I have been practicing Ryukyu Kempo under Hanshi Albert Geraldi's Association the past 20 years. He was a direct student under Seiyu Oyata and received his 4th Dan under Nakamura in 1965 under the All Okinawa Kenpo Association. Later as the organizations went through instruction he received his 7th Dan under Oyata in 1980 signed off by Seikichi Uehara and Shihan Toma of the Ryukyu Karate-Do League. And in 1984 he was promoted to 8th Dan 1984. In it we adhere to the 12 empty handed kata of Nakamura and I have been taught to fight using Bogu Kumite. I have been studying the historical significance regarding the Tomari Te influence or characteristics and honestly I've found several road blocks in identifying any Tomari Te influence at all. Here are my road blocks: The major Tomari-Te styles (Oyadomari and Matsumora) had no Seisan or Neiseishi that I am aware of. Masters Sakayama and Kuniyoshi were from Naha and family were from Naha (as far as I can tell). I've traced Seisan and Neiseishi to Ryu Ryu Ko in China based on a fellowship training adventure between Ryuei Ryu Master Norisato Nakaima (From Naha) and Master Sakayama. Ryuei Ryu and Okinawa Kenpo kata performance are the most similar to each other compared to other styles that have said to absorb Tomari Te (Isshin Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Shito Ryu, Shorinji Ryu). Honestly I have come to the conclusion that if there was any Tomari-Te influence in Okinawa Kenpo the significance of it is very little unless there are characteristics that break it out from Naha-Te or Shuri-Te that you could enlighten me on and that I can continue adjusting my hypothesis. I've turned my eye to Passai the past 15 months thinking there was more Tomari-Te influence regarding this vs the radically different presentations in the Shuri-Te based systems. While It's closer to Oyadomari type Passai I've come across a small snipet of Motobu-Ryu that has a closer presentation to that of Okinawa Kenpo. So I'm leaning that Passai is closer to an older version of Motobu Ryu version. Regards, Raul Perez

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

Your pursue of this information is performed under a common misconception about Okinawa Kenpo kata. the Nakamura family martial camed from China to Okinawa in the 7th Century and our art has a written history dating back to 1472. So .it is much older than what came to be known as Shuri-te and Naha-te. They are relatively modern compared to our system. So, when the existing Okinawa karate kata were integrated into the Nakamura family martial art - the kata was change to represent the system of fighting. Our system of fighting was not changed to adapt to the kata. So, it is wrong to compare the other styles kata to ours because it is not a version of the other styles. This is what you see happen in mixed martial arts. You see boxing, wrestling, ju jujitsu performed independently. They are are integrated into a preexisting system of fighting.

[@shadowenighthawke2023]

Continue your research and practice the kata will reveal itself

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

You are correct with each point.

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

Thanks. Shigeru Nakamura was an amazing martial artist.

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

@@shadowenighthawke2023 It can if the martial artist has the proper foundation. Most don't. Most practice kata as a one dimensional activity.

[@scottprall556]

I think you are the same Howard Webb that was my instructor back in '84 and '84 in The Dalles Oregon. If I remember it was Tomari-Te correct? It was the best style I had ever taken. Is there any instructors here in Phoenix, Arizona where I live now?

[@haleiwasteve8434]

Thanks for the insight

[@shadowenighthawke2023]

Kokoro the spirit of training

[@HUBERDUDE]

Hi Howard, Did you run a dojo in Yuma, AZ back in the early 1980s? Thanks, KJ

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

I did have a dojo. I had the largest dojo in Yuma. I taught karate full-time.

[@robertfriel855]

Yes he did

[@ripx5848]

So are you saying that Hanshi Isaac does not have the complete Okinawa kenpo karate and kubodo?

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

I don't know what he knows. I have never met him. Did all Sensei Odo's American students learn everything that Shigeru Nakamura taught Sensei Odo? Is it truly believable all students a sensei has learns everything a sensei knows? I can tell you I did not and do not teach everyone of my students equally. There is a basic curriculum learned, after that to learn more is not a right it is a gift. What a student has learned is determined by the depth of knowledge he or she demonstrates. So., you have to decide for yourself.

[@ripx5848]

@@howardwebbaccjt8407 thank you. I hope that the text alone did not infer the wrong tone in the question, I was asking from a truly inquisitive point of view

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

@@ripx5848 Ok, it is my belief he did not. My basis for this conclusion is that I am the only Okinawa Kenpo sensei to author a book about our system. In fact, many American Okinawa Kenpo black belts, question the info in my book because they have not learned our complete system of fighting. .

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

If you would like a copy of my book, at no cost, send me an email or message on Messager and I will email you a PDF copy.

[@ripx5848]

@@howardwebbaccjt8407 I'd love to. Pmd you on fb

[@demitrilopez3981]

I studied under master odo.

[@howardwebbaccjt8407]

Congrats. He was an excellent martial artist.