Prolog
I should have written about Okinawan Karate (琉球空手, Ryūkyū karate) years ago, right after returning after 3 years in Okinawa, but I let life flow on, often without enough reflection. However, Okinawan practice is a personal and family affair (kizuna, 絆), practiced in out-of-sight courtyards (agariya 上り屋), and it requires personal touch.
English-Japanese vocabulary
I am using Japanese vocabulary because it is the default language in all traditional Karate, Kobudo, Aikido, etc., schools, and it creates a bridge of understanding among international students.
I use rōmaji, kanji, and hiragana, e.g. karate, 空手 (からて) meaning "empty hand".
- Rōmaji is Japanese pronunciation written in the Latin (Roman) alphabet, not English pronunciation.
- Kanji are Chinese and Japanese word symbols
- Hiragana is the Japanese script for the most accurate pronunciation
For example, "karate" is pronounced か ka ら ra て te, where te is pronounced as "television", not the drink tea. It is highly worthwhile to learn Hiragana.
Introduction
My adopted adult name is Uki, 宇氣 (うき), which means "universe-space energy." I grew up studying Shotokan karate (松涛館) under (hard core) Józef Rączka Sensei, 7 dan (先生, 七段), in Poland. After I moved to the USA and joined the USMC, I was introduced to the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). While in the USMC, for 3 years, I lived in Okinawa, Japan, much of that time outside of the base, where I was exposed to Japanese and Okinawan Ryukyu (琉球) culture.
While the above resume looks very martial, I am primarily interested in karate's physical and mental health, cultural, and personal betterment aspects.
I studied the cultural anthropology of East Asia while in Japan. After leaving the service, I studied Aikido (合気道) while staying fit by practicing karate. Since returning, I have read and studied a library-worth of works on Japanese culture, human behaviour, and history.
Okinawa is designated a "blue zone," so I learned about the lifestyle, longevity, and diet of its people.
It is impossible to overstate that all of the above became the most significant influencers on my life, my body, and my mind.
I consider my growing up in Poland as "primary education" and my time in the USMC in Okinawa, Japan, as my "formative" years. The rest of my life in the USA, I consider as a long process of "polishing" (migaki, 磨き) of my character.
The origins of self-defence arts
The spiritual origins of this story date back a few thousand years, but for now, I will have to skip the Vedas, India, Buddha's life, and start with Bodhidharma (達摩, だるま), who, among others, in the 5th–6th Century brought Hindu-derived Buddhist culture, meditation, concepts of "chi" energy qigong (氣功), and breathing techniques from India to China.
Chinese Shaolin Kung-Fu
Over time, Buddhism has established itself in China alongside Buddhist monasticism, asceticism, and rigorous Zen practice.
In China's political situation, Buddhist monasteries had to protect themselves, and warrior monks emerged with a strong focus on non-aggression and self-defence.
The particular place of interest was the Southern Shaolin Temple (南少林, Nán Shàolín) in Fujian Province, China, where warrior monks practiced empty-hand and weapons techniques.
After the South Shaolin Temple was destroyed, the monks went into hiding, where they practiced their Five Ancestor Kung-Fu in "Incense Shops".
The Okinawan Shorin-ryū literally means Shaolin tradition.
Okinawan Chinese Hand (唐手)
The original name for "karate" in Okinawa was "ku-wa-t'" in the local Ryukyuan language (琉球語, Ryūkyū-go). Please note that the final letter "t" is soft "tĭ" and barely pronounced, like in American "but."
The kanji for "karate" 空手, meaning "empty hand," is a contemporary term.
Historically, Okinawans used 唐手, also pronounced "karate" in Japanese, meaning "Chinese hand", but this name was not appealing to imperial authorities in the 1930s.
Sensei Sakugawa Kanga (坂川虎山)
The legend begins at dusk in the Tsurumichi district of Shuri, where a young Sakugawa Kanga practiced beneath the flickering light of shochu lanterns. Few knew then that this son of a humble farmer would become the architect of Shorin-ryū, the system that birthed modern karate.
Sakugawa’s fate turned when he became a retainer to Peichin Takemoto (a peichin was an Okinawan noble, akin to a European baron). Unlike the samurai of Japan, Takemoto rejected rigid hierarchy: "A man’s worth is measured by his character, not his birth."
Under Takemoto, Sakugawa trained in Okinawan ti (手), using tools like the sai, a three-pronged weapon designed to disable an opponent’s sword. Yet something was missing.
In 1760, Sakugawa embarked on a voyage to Fujian, China, where he sought enlightenment at the Southern Shaolin Temple.
At Shaolin, he found what he sought under Kangryū (康琉), a warrior-monk who taught the fluidity of White Crane Fist (白鶴拳) and the explosive power of the Five Ancestors Style (五祖拳).
Returning to Okinawa, Sakugawa synthesized these arts into a new system.
His kata Niseishi (二十一手) became the first to blend Chinese techniques with Okinawan circular blocks.
He taught Matsumura Sōkon, who would later codify Shorin-ryū.
Sakugawa died in 1815, his tombstone bearing no grand epitaph, just "The Way of the Karate Man."
His legacy lives on in the Niseishi kata, still practiced today.
Sensei Matsumura Sōkon
Sensei Matsumura Sōkon (松村宗棍, 1809–1896) is the founder of Seito (正統, "the orthodox tradition") and a cornerstone of Okinawan karate. As a shizoku (士族, a warrior class akin to samurai), he served three Ryukyu kings: Shō Kōku (尚灝), Shō Iku (尚育), and Shō Tai (尚泰).
His martial arts pedigree is legendary. After training under Wang Ji (王志, Ōji) at the Southern Shaolin Temple in Fujian, China, he studied under Sakugawa Kanga (坂川虎山), the originator of Shorin-ryū. Matsumura synthesized these influences into Shuri-te (首里手), a distinctive blend of Shaolin’s linear strikes and Okinawan circular flows.
His legacy extends through his students, notably Ankō Asato (糸洲安恒), after whom the Ankō-ryū style is named. Matsumura also created foundational kata like Seisan (十三手, "Thirteen Hands"), which emphasized practical combat techniques. Other kata such as Hakkaku (八角, "Eight Corners") and Chintō (鎮東, "Pacify the East") became pillars of modern karate.
Matsumura’s disciplined approach earned him the moniker "Bushi Matsumura"—a title reflecting his samurai-like rigor, uncommon among Okinawan warriors of his time.
Ankō Asato: The Merchant Warrior
The year was 1850 when a young Okinawan merchant named Ankō Asato (糸洲安恒) knelt before Matsumura Sōkon in the dim light of a Shuri dojo. Unlike other students, Asato wasn’t born to Okinawan nobility or the warrior class. His family traded silk and herbs between Okinawa and Fujian, China—a life of privilege that left him restless.
Matsumura saw something in the merchant’s son. Asato trained relentlessly, but his approach was different: "Fighting is not only for samurai," he often said. His kata Seipai (十八手) became legendary for its close-range strikes, designed to neutralize an opponent quickly—useful in the crowded streets of Naha.
Asato’s innovations didn’t end there. He developed breathing techniques that harmonized Shaolin’s qi (氣) with Okinawan circular motions. His students called this "the way of breathing"—a precursor to modern ki (気) training. One such student was Chōjun Miyagi, who later founded Goju-ryū (剛柔流). Under Asato’s guidance, Miyagi mastered the Sanchin (三戦) kata, which became Goju-ryū’s cornerstone.
Asato’s legacy extended beyond kata. He taught that karate should be "a way of life," not just a combat technique. His philosophy resonated with Okinawan commoners, who saw martial arts as a means of self-betterment rather than as a means of battlefield dominance. Even today, his Ankō-ryū style lives on at the Shōrinji Temple in Naha, where his disciples have preserved his teachings.
When Asato died in 1906, his grave bore a simple inscription: "The way of karate is endless."
Sensei Chōjun Miyagi
The year was 1895 when a young Chōjun Miyagi first entered Ankō Asato’s dojo in Naha. He wasn’t like the other students—no warrior blood ran through his veins, just the quiet determination of a merchant’s son. Asato saw something in Miyagi and took him under his wing.
Under Asato, Miyagi mastered Sanchin, not as a physical exercise but as a meditation. The kata’s slow, deliberate motions taught him that karate was a way of life, not just combat. When Asato died in 1906, Miyagi felt a hole open inside him—but he knew his path wasn’t finished.
At 20, he sailed for Fujian, China, where the monks of the White Crane Fist school recognized his potential. "Your fists carry Okinawa’s spirit," they told him, "but your heart is Chinese." The monks taught him to harmonize harsh strikes with fluid circular motions—a balance he’d later call Goju (剛柔, "hard-soft").
Returning to Okinawa, Miyagi synthesized his knowledge into Goju-ryū. His system wasn’t just about fighting; it was about breathing (ibuki), balance, and the flow of life energy. He taught that karate should be a philosophy, not just a sport.
In 1928, Miyagi made history by demonstrating karate in Tokyo—a move that brought Okinawan martial arts to the Japanese mainland. Yet fame never interested him.
Miyagi’s final years were spent refining his teachings. He emphasized the dantō (段当, "right path")—a way of life rooted in discipline and harmony. When he passed away in 1953, his students carried on his vision.
Today, Goju-ryū stands as a testament to Miyagi’s belief: "Karate is not just a martial art. It is the way of life."
