History of Karate

Of all the traditional karate systems Shotokan-ryu, Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu, Shorin-ryu, Kyokushin-ryu, Isshin-ryu… Shito-ryu remains the most obscure and mysterious. Shito-ryu, along with Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu and Shotokan-ryu, is one of the four major karate systems of Japan proper (Japanese islands excluding Okinawa).

It was founded by Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952), who was a descendent of Okinawa’s warrior (bushi) class or aristocracy.  At the age of 13, Mabuni started karate training under Anko Itosu (1830-1915), the man who was responsible for the organization of early karate in the Okinawan school system.

Itosu was a student of one of Okinawa’s most famous karate masters, Sokon Matsumura (1792-1887), the forefather of Shorin-ryu. Itosu took a strong liking to his young pupil and Mabuni learned some 23 kata before the elder man died. Itosu’s death so grieved Mabuni that he built a shrine in front of the master’s grave and stayed close by for a year, practicing his kata daily.

Before the age of 20, Mabuni’s friend, Chojun Miyagi (the founder of Goju-ryu karate) introduced him to Kanryo Higashionna (1853-1915). From Higashionna, Mabuni learned Naha-te, a Chinese-influenced karate style. Mabuni also trained under the reclusive Arakaki Kamadeunchu (1840-1918), who taught a similar style to Higashionna’s.

Arakaki also taught Tsuyoshi Chitose, the founder of Chito-ryu, Gichin Funakoshi of Shotokan, and Kanken Toyama of the Shudokan school. Arakaki, taught Mabuni the unshu, sochin, niseishi, arakaki-sai and arakaki-bo forms.

Download an interesting Kenwa Mabuni Biography Article (PDF)

In 1929, Mabuni moved to Osaka when the Japanese martial arts sanctioning body, the Butokukai, insisted all karate schools to register by style name. Initially, Mabuni called his style hanko-ryu (half-hard style), but by the early 1930’s Shito-ryu was the official name. It came from alternative versions of the names of Mabuni’s two foremost teachers, Itosu and Higashionna (The ideogram “Shi” is pronounced “Ito” (from Itosu) and “To” is pronounced “Higa” (from Higaonna).

Mabuni Sensei became one of the leading masters of his time. He passed his system of karate along to several senior students, who upon his death worked to propogate Shito-ryu. One of his most senior students, Ryusho Sakagami, became a noted master in his own right.

Sagakami Sensei’s senior student was Seiko Suzuki, who upon Sagakami’s death formed Shito-Ryu Seiko-Kai. Suzuki Sensei became Sakagami Sensei’s right hand man and principal assistant in the dojo, renowned for his ability to grasp new concepts and became known for his smooth and powerful techniques. In 1965, Suzuki Sensei received his Shihan 7th Dan Shito-Ryu Itosu-Kai and in 1980, Suzuki Sensei received his Menkyo Keiden which indicated that he had fully mastered the entire syllabus. Like many of Sakagami’s students, Suzuki trained with the Kobudo master Shinken Taira (1897-1970) as well . This instructor was famous in Japan as perhaps the most accomplished instructor in the art of Okinawan Weapons (Kobudo).

After Sakagami’s passing in 1993, Suzuki Sensei founded Suzuki-Ha Shito-Ryu Nihon Karate-Do Seiko-Kai. Suzuki Sensei continues to follow the path his teacher set before him. Headquartered in Japan, there are Seiko-Kai dojo located in North and Central America, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Phillipines, Europe, and other international locations. The Pan-American Branch of this prestigious organization is headed by Shihan Akira Sato.

Shito-Ryu Seiko-Kai has achieved noted prominence as a leading school of traditional karate. Sato Sensei, an 8th degree Black Belt is the senior student of Soke Seiko Suzuki. Bushido-Kai Canada, under Sensei Angelo Mendoza, 6th Dan, is a member of Shito-Ryu Seiko-Kai Pan-American Branch.

Technically, the karate of most Shito-ryu factions looks pretty much the same.However, there are minor differences in the kata between the various groups, mostly due to the interpretation of the respective founders. All Shito-ryu looks a lot like Shorin-ryu in application. A long, linear style, even its Goju-ryu-type kata (those derived from Higashionna) are executed in a lighter, more angular and rangy fashion than they are in schools derived from Naha-te alone.

Shito-ryu is much like Shotokan in that it relies heavily on the reverse punch and front kick with a strong emphasis on sparring. With this, Shito-ryu stresses speed, and fighting is generally initiated from a higher, more upright stance than Shotokan. On the other hand, because the style has so many kata, a great deal of time is spent perfecting any one of its 40 to 60 forms.

Shito-ryu has never forsaken its Okinawan roots when it comes to kobujutsu (weapons arts). While Mabuni trained under weapons experts such as Arakaki, many of today’s Shito-ryu teachers learned most of their kobujutsu from Shinken Taira, the man responsible for popularizing kobujutsu during a time when interest in this peculiarly Okinawan art was at its lowest. It seems that Shito-ryu schools were the most receptive to Taira’s art.