Tou’on-ryu - Old Style Kume Village Boxing

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Dana Sheets
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Tou’on-ryu - Old Style Kume Village Boxing

Post by Dana Sheets »

http://mariomckenna.com/Blog/D0E0B00C-9 ... 146A6.html
In a nutshell, Tou’on-ryu appears simple, but, as Kanzaki sensei always put it, it is simple but not simplistic.
This style appears easy to learn due to its simple appearance, limited number of techniques and kata, but it is actually extremely difficult to master it properly. Power is generated through the coordination of the legs, waist, back and arms - and in this sense is similar to Southern Quan’fa found in Fuzhou.
Tou'on-ryu was the style of Okinawan Karate taught and named by Kyoda Juhatsu Sensei. Kyoda Juhatsu was born on December 5, 1887 (Meiji 20). Although Kyoda had several instructors, he credited Higashionna Kanryo as his primary teacher. By far Higashionna had the most profound impact on him. Indeed, Kyoda devoted well over a decade of his life to learning Higashionna’s karate-do. So loyal was Kyoda to his teacher, that he named the style of karatedo that he taught after him; Tou’on-ryu (literally ‘Higaon[na] style’). Kyoda Juhatsu died on August 31, 1968 (Showa 43) at the age of 81.
Last edited by Dana Sheets on Tue May 09, 2006 11:15 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Dana Sheets »

http://members.cox.net/hokubei/naha-te.htm
Juhatsu Kyoda's To'on-ryu Karate-do Kata Curriculum (note: the name following the kata refers to the possible source of the kata):

Sanchin - Kanryo Higaonna
Seisan - Kanryo Higaonna and Kanryo Higaonna
Sanseiru - Kanryo Higaonna
Pecchurin - Kanryo Higaonna
Jion - Kentsu Yabu
Nepai - Go Kenki
Anybody seen a To'on-ryu Pecchurin (aka Suparinpei?)
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Dana Sheets
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Higaonna

Post by Dana Sheets »

The Chinese system that Kanryo Higaonna studied from Wei Shinzan and Ryuruko was also known as Pan Gainoon 一半硬半軟 which literally means "one half is hard and other half is soft". Those kata practiced in the current Gojuryu school like Sanchin 三戦, Sanseiru 三十六, Superinpei (Pecchurin) 百零八 all originated from Pan Gainoon. In addition to studying empty handed martial arts he also become accomplished in weapons techniques and Chinese herbal medicine. He assisted his teacher Ryuruko at his trade as a bamboo craftsman by day and trained in the evenings. Training in that time period is much different than it is today. Training included hojo undo, ude tanren, uke harai, kakie and ne waza. Higaonna Sensei reputation among the locals was one of Ryuruko's most skilled students. Pan Gainoon.In addition to studying empty handed martial arts he also become accomplished in weapons techniques and Chinese herbal medicine. He assisted his teacher Ryuruko at his trade as a bamboo craftsman by day and trained in the evenings. Training in that time period is much different than it is today. Training included hojo undo, ude tanren, uke harai, kakie and ne waza. Higaonna Sensei reputation among the locals was one of Ryuruko's most skilled students.

One close associate of Kanryo Higaonna was Lord Yoshimura, 義村御殿 who had an enterprising trade of tea between the city Fuchou and Okinawa. He was a prominent pro-China activist who tried to block the Japanese settlement in Okinawa. According to historians, Higaonna carried a letter of referral for Lord Yoshimura for his trip. Higaonna never explained to anyone about the letter and stowed away with a few companions for China. In the city of Fuchou, there was a consulate of Okinawa called Ryukyu Kan, or 琉球館. Apparently, the Ryukyu Kan represented an Okinawa petition then to the Chinese Government requesting its international pressure against the Japanese occupation of Okinawa. One posibility was that Higaonna was a chosen messanger by the pro-China Okinawa for updating others of the situation on the island.

In 1879, six years after Higaonna's departure, Okinawa was officially ordered by the Japanese government to become its prefecture with presence of an army of Japanese police and officials. It was an extremely intense period of time for Okinawans so that earlier assumptions that Higaonna left for China for the purpose of inquiring study of Karatedo was unlikely.

It is said that Ryuruko esteemed his pupil highly and sanctioned Kanryo Higaonna Sensei mastery of the arts. Such was Kanryo's skill in the martial arts that his fame became widespread throughout Fuzhou and the surrounding area.

http://gojuryu.net/readarticle.php?article_id=89
Upon returning to Okinawa, Higaonna Sensei began private lessons to the sons of the man who had granted him passage to China. He went back to his old job as a merchant, but his reputation was growing. He returned to Okinawa during the middle of the Meiji era (1888) and introduced a new effective school of Karatedo at the request of his students, distinguished from other styles by its integration of Go- no (hard) and Ju-no (soft) Kempo into one system notwithstanding his small statue. At this time, martial arts became known as Naha-te (these arts were also referred to as "Tode" meaning martial arts from China). Kanryo Higaonna taught these martial arts to the people of Okinawa and at the same time continued his own research and practice. In order to teach the youth of Okinawa he developed a teaching method which was specifically designed to develop the mind and body; to improve both physical and spiritual well-being. The first occasion on

Higashionna-Sensei was noted for his powerful Sanchin Kata. Sometimes he would permit four men to attempt to push him out of his stance, but they were always unable to move him. It is said that after finishing his Sanchin Kata, the wooden floor would be hot from the mere gripping of his toes.
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Post by Dana Sheets »

Mario McKenna's translation:
http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=474
Tou'on-ryu, the style of Okinawan Karate taught and named by Kyoda Juhatsu Sensei. Kyoda Juhatsu was born on December 5, 1887 (Meiji 20). Although Kyoda had several instructors, he credited Higashionna Kanryo as his primary teacher. By far Higashionna had the most profound impact on him. Indeed, Kyoda devoted well over a decade of his life to learning Higashionna’s karate-do. So loyal was Kyoda to his teacher, that he named the style of karatedo that he taught after him; Tou’on-ryu (literally ‘Higashion[na] style’). Kyoda Juhatsu died on August 31, 1968 (Showa 43) at the age of 81.

Kyoda's tradition was carried on by Iraha Choko, Kanzaki Shigekazu and Murakami Katsumi. The current headmaster of Tou'on-ryu todaay is Kanzaki Shigekazu.
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Stryke

Post by Stryke »

Thanks Dana , I saw the ryu mentioned int he toe kick articel and was starting to search :)

great stuff


would love to see there pechurin . In fact all of there kata .

Need to find a source :D 8)

Even the shotokan version of Gion has very Uechi sequences embedded in it IMHO , It`s always seemed complemetry to me once stylisitc differences are overlooked

And Nepai would be fascinating to look at , just because of Gokenkai , he always crops up in my research and I find him fasciantng and frustrating .

And any Sanchin and seisan is worht a look .

thanks for another avenue to investigate :D 8)
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Glenn
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Post by Glenn »

Dana Sheets wrote: Juhatsu Kyoda's To'on-ryu Karate-do Kata Curriculum (note: the name following the kata refers to the possible source of the kata):

Sanchin - Kanryo Higaonna
Seisan - Kanryo Higaonna and Kanryo Higaonna
Sanseiru - Kanryo Higaonna
Pecchurin - Kanryo Higaonna
Jion - Kentsu Yabu
Nepai - Go Kenki
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anybody seen a To'on-ryu Pecchurin (aka Suparinpei?)
Keep in mind that Chojun Miyagi also learned Sanchin, Seisan, Sanseiru, and Pecchurin/Suparinpei from Higaonna, so in theory the Goju kata and the To'on kata should be quite similar for these four. Given that Goju Sanchin is modified from the Sanchin Higaonna learned in China (although there is disagreement as to whether Higaonna or Miyagi did the modifying), I would be interested in seeing the To'on Sanchin.
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Post by Glenn »

Here is an article from "Fighting Arts" magazine that compares Goju Ryu, To'on Ryu, and Uechi Ryu as modern representations of Naha-te (ties into another thread of yours Dana).
http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=276
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Dana Sheets
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Post by Dana Sheets »

google cached page:

*

Xie Zhongh Xiang (Ryuruko)

July 1852 - February1930

Pictured is Xie Zhongxiang (He was also called Ryuruko), the founder of Whooping White Crane Quanfa (a system sometimes mistaken with its counter part ‘Feeding Crane’ another Crane style Gung Fu which emphasizes aggressive and offensive techniques). Xie Zhongxiang, sometimes referred to as "Rusi" by locals of his village was born in Chang-le, Fujian.

In his early years, he followed in the footsteps of "Pang Yuiba" to study Ming He Quan [Baihequan]. He studied Pan Yu Ba as well. In 1883, he set up a martial arts center and started to receive students and pass on his style of Wushu. His Chinese boxing style Quan Fa had its own special and unique characteristics. He was a first generation master (Shi) of Whooping Crane Boxing. In 1866, Ryuruko formally started teaching his form of Te. Many believe that Xie was the teacher of Higashionna Kanryo and other turn-of-the-century Okinawan.

*

1852, July - Xie Zhong Xiang is born.
*

1866 - Formally starts teaching his form of 'Te'.
*

1930 February - Dies of natural causes.

He was also called Ryuruko. Weather this was truly his real name and picture or his actual birth and death date. Whooping Crane which strikingly resembles Gojuryu and definitely plays a generous role in many Okinawan as well as Gojuryu Kata. Defined particularly in Suparunpai, Kururunfa, Saifa, etc; those Kata brought back to Okinawa from China each demonstrate specific movements from White Crane. This would explain as back up evidence to the current line of history, which is still somewhat fuzzy due to the destruction of material during the Second World War. Ryuruko is given credit for being the teacher of Kanryo Higaonna Sensei.
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Post by Dana Sheets »

http://www.seiwakai.net/History/history.html
Kanryo Higaonna (1852-1915 ) was still in his teens when his father died. At the age of 14, he began his formal training in Chinese Kempo with Seisho Arakaki (1840-1920), who had studied the Fukien style.

Kanryo decided he wanted to continue his studies in martial arts abroad and he set his heart on traveled to Fuzhou, China for this purpose. It is said that he visited the port city in 1873 for fifteen years. Some martial arts historians explain his motive for visiting the city was to study the Chinese Martial Arts. Higaonna did, in fact, study a Southern Shaolin Chaun style with Sifu (instructor) Liu Liu Gung and remained there for 15 years, during his stay in that city.

As explained by other historians, his initial reason for visiting China was the result of his political involvements. He arrived in Fuzhou in the year 1869, he was 15 or 16. It is believed that Higaonna Sensei also studied the styles of Hung Gar-Shaolin Chuan, hard style Chinese martial arts of Chi-Chi and/or I-Chi as well with another master named ‘Woo’. He began his studies with Ryuruko in 1876 at the age of 23 in Fujian Province, China, and he remained in there under the severe instruction of his teacher for approximately 13 years. After he came back to Ryukyu, he combined both techniques and created a new style called To-dei . This martial arts was the beginning of Karate.
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Post by Victor »

Dana,

You can get more information about Tou'on Ryu in two articles by Mario McKenna at the free online magazine Meibukan, issue 5.
You can download it from the followin URL:
http://www.meibukanmagazine.org/No5July2005.htm

I was fortunate to have Mario visit one day last June.

Tou'on Ryu is comprised of so few practitioners, all of whom seem very focused on passing the art directly as it was taught to them, that I doubt there will be available video record available.

My observation is their Sanchin and Seisan bear a resemblance to the Goju versions. Sanchin is done somewhat softer. Seisan is also done somewhat softer, and the lower body technique are extremely different from Goju, and is as his article at Meibukan Magazine describes.

To the best of my knowledge, the only place to study Tou'on Ryu in North America would be in Vancouver, BC with Mario.

I hope this is helpful. It is a terribly interesting vision of earlier Okinawan days.
Victor Smith
Stryke

Post by Stryke »

Thanks for the link !!
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Dana Sheets
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Post by Dana Sheets »

Thanks Victor!

...hmmm...it sems I won't be working much at work today. ;)

-d
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Post by Dana Sheets »

from the above article:
One of my biggest personal contentions is taking the mechanics of Sanchin as they are and grafting them onto all aspects of your karate. If you are not careful then I believe this will result in an overly stiff and artificial karate. For me, the most important aspects are the proper alignment of the muscles and bones in conjunction wiht the breath, and the use of circular stepping. The conditioning and iron vest training are secondary. Proper Sanchin training should place the body in the right condition to produce quicky, explosive movement. This is accomplished by droping and relaxing the shoulders, keeping the elbows in and maintaining continuity of reaction force from the ground through the legs, hips, back, and arms.
Last edited by Dana Sheets on Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stryke

Post by Stryke »

Excellent resource very good read
cxt
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Post by cxt »

Dana

Very interesting information.

Excellent read!
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