History and Traditions

        Tradition has it that a Monk named Daruma (aka Bodhidharma) brought his system of self defense from India to China . It is said, that Daruma had originally begun to teach his system of exercises in the monasteries due to the fact that the monks, through fasting and devotion to meditation, were not physically sound and required this new discipline to aid them physically, as well as spiritually. Eventually, these exercises developed into martial arts instruction, which enabled the monks to defend the monasteries against bandits. Daruma brought this knowledge to China and his teaching, as well as, the martial arts legacy established at the Shaolin monastery became legendary. During that period of time, this knowledge was held within the monasteries and amongst the royalty and upper classes. Eventually, as any closely held knowledge does, it would filter beyond the original circle to their servants and security and would become a part of the martial arts skills of the warrior class and finally to the working people. Many of the ancient styles originated in China and became available to the Okinawans, as a result of the burgeoning trade and interdependency between the two states. 

          Okinawa is the largest island within the Ryukyu chain of islands, forming a natural barrier between the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, since the islands are the visible evidence of an under-sea mountain range. The Ryu kyus lie south of Japan . In ancient times, the islands were ruled by independent kings, who became the recipients of burgeoning trading riches, due to Okinawa ’s excellent location and protective harbors. The many kings who ruled in Okinawa from the tenth to the twelfth century can be credited for the important expansion of that trade position, as well as, building the governmental and civilian infrastructure required for the evolving importance of their growth. This was the beginning of the period of the elimination of the scattered fiefdoms and the consolidation of power into the hands of the most powerful kings. They established the base for the dynasties that would rule Okinawa . By the Fourteenth century, the island had solidified into three separate kingdoms. The northern kingdom was called Hokuzan, the middle kingdom, Chuzan and the southern kingdom, Nanzan, with the middle kingdom the most powerful, both militarily and commercially and based at the fabled city of Shuri . As a footnote, the home of the kings of the middle kingdom, Shuri Castle , was the scene of a bitter battle between the United States Marines and the Japanese forces during WWII, severely damaging Shuri Castle .

          In the late fourteenth century Chuzan, ruled by King Satto, became a tributary of China , under the rulers of the Ming Dynasty. This proved to be an excellent relationship, with Chuzan gaining, in effect, what we would now refer to as a “favored nation” trade status. With this agreement, came cultural exchange, expansion subsidies and a shadow government installed by the Ming Emperor and administered by what was referred to as the “Thirty-Six Families, stationed at Shuri. This group was composed of Chinese diplomats, interpreters, scholars, soldiers and priests, intended to enlighten and assist the Okinawans. For their part, King Satto sent diplomats, students and tribute to China , in a cultural exchange that would benefit Okinawa for five centuries.

  In the early fifteenth century, King Shiso, became ruler of Chuzan, when his son Hashi and the army of Chuzan overcame the previous rulers. Once his supremacy was established, Prince Hashi initiated the military conquest of Hokuzan and Nanzan, the upper and lower kingdoms of Okinawa . This established the reign of the first Sho Dynasty, which would hold power until near the end of the sixteenth century. It was this dynasty that would build the port city of Naha and monopolized all the trade in the Ryu kyus, eventually establishing enormously profitable trade routes, to nations such as; Japan, China, Korea, Formosa, Java and Siam. All of this was undertaken with the assistance of China , their mentor nation, until Okinawa finally became the preeminent trading nation in this arena. The economy provided the people with plentiful work and the kings with untold wealth. With this wealth came incredible power, which succeeding kings of the first and second Sho Dynasty used, near the last quarter of the fifteenth century, to fully subjugate the weaker rulers of Ryukyu Islands . This subjugation was so powerful and so complete, that King Sho Shin was able to demand that the rulers, their families and entourages had to reside within the domain of the Shuri Castle and Shuri province. The following step ensured the proper behavior of the Ryukyuans. King Sho Shin decreed that the private possession of weapons of any type was banned. This edict applied to the people, as well as, the former regional rulers, who were now virtual hostages of the King.

          This ruling class, the Sho Dynasty, would have complete control of all the Ryukyu islands and the vast wealth of the trade routes, until the end of the sixteenth century, when a variety of circumstances converged to put an end to the golden age of Okinawa. Japan had begun it’s drive toward prominence in the Asian arena and they began to prey upon the Ryukyu’s commercial fleets, sapping away both the trade profits and it’s attending power. Other nations who had begun navigating beyond the horizon of Europe , such as Spain and Portugal sought trade with Japan and south east Asia. Portugal’s trade and cultural alliance with Japan would probably have led to their cooperation with the Japanese, in the destruction of Ryukyuan ports and trading vessels. As the financial structure dwindled, allies withdrew and the Chinese were no longer willing to supply financial aid to the rulers of Okinawa . However, the Chinese rulers still demanded tribute and the costly maintenance of diplomatic institutions and their retinue, for the control of the tributary relationship.

          During the period when China was Okinawa ’s benefactor, many Okinawans spent years in China availing themselves of the opportunity of perfecting their skills in the martial arts. Others learned from Chinese dignitaries assigned to Okinawa , as well as monks, servants, Chinese sailors and other visitors. In this way, they availed themselves of the art of Daruma and the Shaolin monks. Until that time, the Okinawans practiced a martial art native to their island called “Te” (hands) and many of it’s variations were known by the principal towns or cities of Okinawa , such as Naha-Te and Shuri-Te. Naha was the main port city of Okinawa and the seat of government, while Shuri was the ancient capital of the Ryukyu kings. Oral history of the early Okinawan development of Te is all that is available to us [other than documents and books written by other nations which had come in contact with the Okinawans]. In ancient times, this was not unusual, with the Irish and Native Americans, amongst those with a rich oral heritage. Any other documentation may have been destroyed during World War II, and we know that any documentation available was probably destroyed in 1945, when the archival records of the Ryukyuan chain were destroyed in a fire. With the martial arts of China at their disposal, as well as their own Te, they could begin to formulate and evolve their own system. From this complicated harvest, the Okinawans developed what is now known as karate.

          Unfortunately, at the beginning of the Seventeenth Century, the advent of the “Tokugawa Shogunate”, led to  Japanese control of the Ryukyu islands . Having sent word to the king of Okinawa to send a delegation to Japan to show his respect, the Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa, was enraged when the king declined the invitation. He had just united all of Japan and established his capital at Edo ( Tokyo ). His trade routes extended as far as Mexico . He was all powerful and this was just the excuse that Japan had waited for, in order to send it’s military against the ruling dynasty of Okinawa . It had been over two centuries since the Ryukyuans had fought a war and the assault by thousands of skilled samurai warriors with an immense fleet, under the command of the Shogun’s legendary favorites, the Satsuma clan, was far beyond the capabilities of the few armed guards of the Ryukyu’s King, to overcome. The Satsuma warriors sacked the city of Shuri and took the king and his palace officials back to Japan with them, to their ancestral clan capitol, Kagoshima . Within a few years, they had forced King Sho Nei and his officials to swear allegiance to the Shogunate of Japan . The Satsuma then annexed the northern Ryukyus to their clan. Okinawa and the southern Ryukyus became vassal states to the Satsumas.  Pledging  his allegiance to Japan allowed the Ryukyuan king to maintain his throne, but his control was simply a facade for the Satsumas, who now controlled the Ryukyus with an iron fist. Ironically, it would get worse. The facade of independence meant that the Ryukyuans were still compelled to pay tribute to China . The Satsuma clan set policy for Ryukyu, disarmed the royalty, as well as their officials and enforced the ban on all privately held weapons. Once this strict control was in place, the Satsuma placed a levy on all production upon the islands. The Okinawans would never again see prosperity or freedom, under the heel of the Japanese, until World War II.

          The teaching of martial arts was outlawed for centuries. The Okinawans refused to bow to these rules and taught the martial arts in secret, incorporating the use of agricultural tools, such as the Bo, Sai, Sickle and Tunfa as weapons. It was said of their karate, that their hands became their knives and swords, their feet, elbows and knees were their clubs. Over the following centuries, the Okinawans taught in secret, choosing their students carefully, because to be exposed as a martial artist brought serious consequences, even death.

  Finally, the Japanese recognized Okinawa as an official Prefecture of the Japanese Empire, bringing with it a certain amount of autonomy and the resurfacing of karate training. Gichin Funakoshi, an Okinawan school teacher, an  intellectual and Master of martial arts, became known to the Japanese and was invited to demonstrate his skill in Japan at the Kyoto Butokuden. This was the governing body of all martial arts in Japan . Master Funakoshi was chosen by the other Okinawan Masters not only for his karate, but also for his sophistication, as well as, his appreciation, knowledge and practice of Japanese customs and traditions in his own home and life. This would, of course, make him far more acceptable to the members of the Butokuden and the other members of Japanese society he would meet during his tour. The Japanese officials found the demonstration astounding, prompting Prince Hirohito to seek out Funikoshi, during a state visit to Okinawa . [Eventually, he would become Emperor and revered by the Japanese as a deity. It required his permission to initiate war with America, as well as the subjugation of China and the islands of the South Pacific]. A demonstration took place at Shuri Castle and Prince Hirohito saw to it that Gichin Funikoshi was brought to Japan , where he began to teach his karate, proliferating his style, which he named “Shotokan”, throughout the Japanese school system.  

        By the end of World War II, Kempo, Shotokan, Goju-ryu and Shorin-ryu had become the dominant styles of karate in Japan , as well as Okinawa . Eventually, Tatsuo Shimabuku , Soke, a Master at both Goju-ryu and Shorin-ryu, after decades of study, would create the art of Isshin-ryu, as an alternative means of self defense, using his expertise and experience, to make this art an ultimate form of self defense. He used his knowledge to form a style which did not confront the opponent in a hard stylized manner, but instead, used oblique positioning to take advantage of the opponent’s attack. Members of the United States Marine Corps’ Third Division, stationed on Okinawa flocked to the Master’s dojo. These Marines, such as Don Nagle, Harold Mitchum, Steve Armstrong and Harold Long formed the basis for the establishment and success that the art of Isshin-ryu would have in the late fifties and sustain for five decades. Today, many of the original students have passed on, but Isshin-ryu is firmly embedded in the martial arts of the United States.  

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