Sensei Chotoku Kyan
 

Founding Member of Karate Do in Okinawan, Japan - 1937.

"NEVER SAY YOU ARE THE BEST. THERE COULD BE SOME ONE WHO IS EVEN BETTER."

Kyan Chotoku Sensei was born in 1870 to a very wealthy family in Shuri / Okinawa, the cradle of Karate. At the tender age of five he was taught the empty hand of self-defense from his father Chofu Kyan and his grandfather.

Every morning Kyan was required to perform specific exercises by his grandfather, who had a very discerning eye and required nothing else than perfection. Being born in a rich family he was able to devote all of his time studying the martial arts and was sent to the best Okinawan Karate teachers available.

Those days a Karate Sensei had only three or four Katas, therefore Kyan went to many teachers in hope of getting a more rounded outlook of the art, Kyan’s father was an official of the King and this enabled Kyan to gain instruction from many of the great teachers in Okinawa. Sokon Matsumura of Shuri was that time Karate teacher of the King. From Matsumura he learned the Kata “Seisan” and “Gojushiho”.

Kyan learned the most from Matsumura the Shorin-Ryu teacher of Tomari including the “Chinto”.

Another great teacher of Tomari was Pechin Maeda. Kyan studied quite a while under Maeda Sensei and learned the Kata - Wansu. He learned the Kata “Passai” under Pechin Oyademare Kokan of Tomari. Pechin was a title, given to one in the employment of the King. The next teacher Kyan looked for was the small 4 ft, 10 inches tall Yara of Chatan, a power packed dynamite of a man. Chatan Yara Sensei taught Kyan the longest and most beautiful Kata “Kusanku”. Some times known as “Yara no Kusanku”. His last teacher was Tokumine, who was reputed to be the best Bo (Staff)-man on Okinawa. Sensei Kyan went to the island of Yaeyama and studied the only Weapon Bo and Bo-Kata “Tokumine no kon”.

After completing his apprenticeship under the six famous Okinawa Shorin-Ryu masters, Kyan started to teach the art at his home. In the 1920’s Kyan traveled to mainland Japan to promote the art. On his way back he visited Taiwan on a martial arts exchange tour on Okinawan and Chinese Martial arts. Having an all round knowledge of both arts, Kyan invented his own Kata “Ananku”. In the late 1920’s Kyan moved to the village of Kadena from Shuri, due to personal and financial problems. There he taught a hand full of devoted students, who were introduced by friends or city officials. One such student was Zenryo Shimabukuro of Chatan, who was introduced by a school headmaster.

Zenryo Shimabukuro studied 10 years under the tutelage of Kyan Sensei until Kyans death. During the war there was little food for the Okinawan’s. Whatever food master Kyan obtained, he gave it to the children. He felt it was his duty to take care of those who couldn't take care of themselves.

In 1945 at the age of 75 grand master Kyan passed away from hunger. Leaving his disciple Shimabukuro Zenryo as the foremost authority to carry on the teachings of Sukunaihayashi Shorin-Ryu.