CHIBANA Choshin: A Short History (1979)

Chibana Choshin Dai Sensei (Great Teacher), the originator of shorin-ryu ("the small forest style") was born on June 5, 1885, at Tottori-cho in Shuri City, Okinawa. He began training with Itosu Yasutsune "Ankoh" in 1900, after dropping out of the Okinawa Kenritsu Dai-Ichi Chu-gakko (high school). He was then 15 years old.

He studied with Itosu until his teacher's demise on January 26, 1915, at the age of 85. Five years after his teacher's death, he began teaching on his own. His first training hall was located at Tottori-bori and as his reputation spread, he was able to open up a second training hall in Kumo-cho, Naha.

Chibana Dai Sensei remained on the island of Okinawa during World War II and narrowly escaped death when Shuri was destroyed by the Americans in 1945. After the war, he once again began teaching Shorin-ryu in Giho-cho which is a section of Shuri City. During February, 1954, until December, 1958, he was also the Chief Karate-do Instructor for the Shuri City Police Department. On May 5, 1956, the Okinawa Karate-do Association was formed and he was appointed its first president.

Chibana Dai Sensei's reputation as a karate master continued to spread, not only in Okinawa but also in mainland Japan. By 1957, he had received the title of Hanshi (High Master) from the Dai Nippon Butokukai (The Greater Japan Martial Virtue Association) and in 1960, he received the First Sports Award from the Okinawa Times Newspaper for his over-all accomplishments in the study and practice of traditional Okinawan Karate-do.

On April 29, 1968, Chibana Dai Sensei brought further honor to Okinawan Karate-do by being awarded the 4th Order of Merit by the Emperor of Japan in recognition of his devotion to the study and practice of Okinawan karate-do.

In 1964, Chibana Dai Sensei was advised that he had terminal cancer of the throat. But, because of his dedication to the art of Okinawa Shorin-ryu, he continued to teach even though his body began to weaken as the cancer spread. By 1966, he was admitted into Tokyo's Cancer Research Center for radiation treatment in an attempt to arrest the spread. After some improvement, Chibana once again resumed his teaching of Okinawa Shorin-ryu with his grandson, Nakazato Akira (Shorin-ryu 7-Dan).

By the end of 1968, Chibana Dai Sensei's condition became worse and he returned to Ohama Hospital. Despite the doctors' efforts to save his life, he died at 6:40 a.m. on the 26th of February, 1969, at the advanced age of 83.

CHIBANA DAI SENSEI - A MAN OF HONOR

With the end of World War II, the island of Okinawa had taken on a new, modern look. The island was filled with American servicemen, money and machinery. The Okinawans once again looked to Japan for their roots. The most prestigious martial arts organization, the Dai Nippon Butokukai, was outlawed during the American military occupation of Japan. By the early 1950's, the Dai Nippon Butokukai was again reorganized and open its doors to the new master teachers of the traditional martial arts.

It should be noted that during this period of time, many Okinawan styles still taught a more "jutsu" style of martial arts. Many of the old pictures of various schools often showed picture a school of Shorin-ryu Karate-jutsu or Uechi-ryu Karate-jutsu. In 1956 the Dai Nippon Butokukai was advised that the Okinawans had formed their own organization and were in the process of standardizing the various branches of karate. By 1957, the Dai Nippon Butokukai felt that the Okinawans were leaning toward BUDO style martial arts and invited a number of individuals to be honored.

On May 5, 1957, Chibana Choshin, who was then president of the Okinawa Karate-do Association, was awarded the title of Hanshi (Grand Master) from the Dai Nippon Butokukai (The Greater Japan Martial Virtue Association). This was the first time that the Dai Nippon Butokukai has awarded a so prestigious title on an Okinawan. (Presently, the only active Hanshi of the Butokukai teaching on Okinawa is Matayoshi Shinpo of Ryukyu Kobudo.)

At the time of his aware, the presiding martial arts experts of the Butokukai asked Chibana-sensei what was the most important quality for a traditional martial artist. Chibana-sensei replied:

Honor! An honorable person is an individual who makes a promise and keeps that promise no matter what. If an individual makes a promise that they do not intend to keep or does not even try to keep, then this person tarnishes one of their most valuable possessions, their honor. I believe that above all, a martial artist is a honorable person. (Last updated: 09/15/2009)