The Motobu “udun”

Karate Choki Motobu Sensei

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1. The Motobu family

The Motobu “Udun” was an aristocratic family in the Ryukyu Kingdom of Okinawa. Its progenitor was Motobu “Ōji” Chohei (1655-1687), also known as Sho Koshin, who was the sixth son of the tenth monarch of the Second Sho Dynasty (1469-1879), Sho Shitsu who lived 1629-1668. Motobu Ōji Chohei received the domain of Motobu Magiri which is now the village of Motobu in the northern part of the main island of Okinawa, and he assumed the title of Motobu “Ōji”. From this time on, successive heads of the house used the name Motobu.

From the 17th century to the Meiji Reforms of the late 19th century, the heads of the Motobu family held the rank of “ōji” (or aji), below only the king himself, and served as vassals to the Shuri monarchy. The term “udun” indicated blood relation to the monarch. Motobu Choyu (1857-1928) was the inheritor of Motobu udundi in the 10th generation. Motobu Choyu's thirteen years younger brother, Motobu Choki, was the third son of the family.

Chotoku Kyan, who was a famous practitioner of karate, was a relative of Motobu udun. The Motobu Udun was one of the great martial families of Ryukyu. The family crest of the Motobu Udun is a circle containing three comma-like shapes rotating clockwise. The design was a royal crest and a sacred symbol allowed to be used only by members of the monarchy and royal family. The crest represents the unification of the three kingdoms of Hokuzan, Chuzan and Nanzan. Families of the udun rank added their own particular border designs around the central motif of the royal crest.

2. Choki Motobu’s early years

Choki Motobu was born during the Meiji Restoration on April 5th 1870 in Akahira village in the Shuri region of Okinawa. He was the third son of Motobu Udun Chomo, who was a nobleman and had a position in the old Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879) under the last King Sho Tai. Choki began his karate training at the age of 12 under the Shurite master Anko Itosu, who was invited to the aristocratic Motobu home to teach the family members. Choki did learn some of the techniques of his family's fighting system, but because of Okinawan tradition, only the first son Choyu received a formal education in martial arts, Confucian classics and Japanese language.

But Choki Motobu was determined to become the strongest man in all of Okinawa. Together with his friend Yabu Kentsu, Choki Motobu secretly sought instruction from the legendary Shurite teacher Matsumura Sokon (1800-1890). He also began to lift heavy rocks and struck the makiwara every day. By doing that he grew strong and his fist became very hard. After a while, he became so strong that he earned the name “Motobu no Saru” (Motobu the monkey) because of his strength and agility. Choki was called in his family "Ma-sanraa" meaning "third son" which is also the source of his later nickname “Motobu Udun no Saru” (Lord Monkey of the Motobu Udun) which was known throughout Okinawa. At that time, it was very common to have a nickname. For example, Choyu Motobu sensei was nicknamed “Motobu Leg” because of his facility with kicks. Choyu’ second son Chomo was nicknamed “Traju” (tiger trail), and Kuniba Kosho’s nickname was “Shogo” (young warrior).

3. Establishment of the Okinawa Karate Kenkyu Club

Around 1923-1924, Choyu sensei established the Okinawa Karate Kenkyu Research Club, also known as “Club Gwaa”, east of the Naminoue Shrine at the base of a hill known as Nanminmou. Teachers such as Kyan Chotoku, Mabuni Kenwa, Miyagi Chojun, and Uehara Seikichi came and received instruction directly from Choyu sensei. As president of the club and the most senior member of the world of Okinawan karate, Choyu sensei gave instruction in everything from karate theory to practical skills. For example, he would instruct Miyagi sensei in kata bunkai and Mabuni sensei in hojō-jutsu, or rope binding.

Because of Choyu sensei’s noble blood, he was not addressed by name. Instead, people like Kyan sensei and Miyagi sensei would address him as “aji ganashi-mē", or "Your Excellency" an honorific from the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Because Okinawans maintained a sense of independence into the middle of the Meiji Period, even in the following Taisho Period people kept alive such old traditions.

Choyu Motobu sensei was also famous for his facility with ashi-waza and neutralizing attacks from opponents using kicks. Uehara sensei once said: “During my time at Club Gwaa, I saw with my own eyes how other advanced practitioners moved. There was no one as good as Choyu sensei at tai-sabaki or ashi-sabaki. At that time, almost no one practiced against opponents. Even people who were called advanced did almost nothing but kata practice. Free kumite did not exist except for kakedameshi (actual fights). Anyone who says it did is exaggerating.”

Advanced tai-sabaki and ashi-sabaki techniques that could be used in an actual confrontation had already been lost by the Taisho Period. What is known as kumite today is a Showa-period particularly, post-war-invention, not from the Ryukyu Kingdom. Only Choyu Motobu sensei and Choki Motobu sensei inherited traditional kumite techniques. The style “Nihon Denryu Heihou Motobu Kenpo” (Japanese Traditional Fighting Tactics Motobu Kenpo) is the most historic and pedigreed school of karate in Japan, founded by master Motobu Choki sensei in 1923. Today, it is more commonly known as “Motobu-ryu karate-do”.

4. The practice of Kakedameshi

In the old days, it was common to challenge each other to “Kakedameshi” which is the practice of training thru picking fights. It wasn't so much like an argument or a really bitter confrontation rather a test of ability. If you challenged someone much stronger or much weaker, you could withdraw. It was unusual for anyone to get really badly hurt. But when you left the dojo you would have to be careful because people would hang around outside to pick a fight with students and see how good they were. Some teachers didn't engage in that behavior, but the young Choki Motobu did something unprecedented for an aristocratic person, he spent a lot of time seeking out strong looking men to challenge them in the street. Choki Motobu believed