Masters of Kobudo
Matayoshi Shinpo (or Shimpo) 又吉眞豊 (1921–1997) was a martial artist who lived in Naha, Okinawa during the 20th Century.
He was the only son of the legendary Okinawan Martial Arts master Matayoshi Shinko 又吉眞光 (1888–1947).
The Matayoshi Family have long been associated with the martial arts and they can trace their lineage back over many generations.
At one time an early ancestor of Matayoshi Shinpo served as strategic martial arts instructor and as an officer of the Ryukyu royal court up until the last days of the shogunate.
Matayoshi Shinpo learned martial arts from his father from his birth until his mid twenties. He had learned several kata associated with Naha-Te in his early childhood.
Despite being a well respected expert in Okinawan Karate, Matayoshi Shinpo is perhaps best known for his practice of Kobudo.
He started a dojo in the 1960s in memory of his father and called it the Kodokan 光道館. From the Kodokan he began to teach a wide variety of traditional weapons associated with Okinawan peasants.
Matayoshi Shinpo continued to learn martial arts from a man affectionally know in Okinawa as Go Ken Ki (Wu Xian Gui). Go Ken Ki was from the Chinese mainland and practiced various styles of southern kung fu. It is from Go Ken Ki that Matayoshi Shinpo learned many of the Chinese forms that he later became famous for demonstrating.
Many of the weapons used in Matayoshi Kobudo have their origin in China. The Staff, Sai, Tonfa, Nunchaku, Sansetsukon, Suruchin, Hoe, Sword and Shield are all weapons regularly used and practiced in Chinese kung fu. These weapons are particularly prevalent in the Hung Gar tradition. It may be that Hun Gar has had a strong inluence on Mataysohi Shinpo and his Kobudo. Other weapons such as the Oar, the Fishing Spear and the Sickles have their origins in Okinawa.
Students of Matayoshi Shinpo are now found all over the world and they continue to practice his style of Kobudo known collectively as "Matayoshi Kobudo". Some of Matayoshi Sensei's most respected original students include Kinjo Takashi, Kenyu Chinen and Tadashi Yamashita.
Some of his more respected later students include Gakiya Yoshiaki and Yamashiro Kenichi.
It was the ambition of Matayoshi Shinpo that his art of Kobudo should be practiced all over the world and to that end he travelled extensively teaching his art. Today there are approximately 2000 dojos worldwide that practice Matayoshi Kobudo thanks to his legacy.
Matayoshi Shinko Sensei or "Kama nu Matehi" (Matayoshi the Kama) as he was often called, was born in the city of Naha, Okinawa in 1888. As the third son of Matayoshi Shinchin, a wealthy businessman, Shinko was the only member of the family to become involved in the martial arts.
Although Matayoshi Shinko, Sensei grew up predominantly in Okinawa, he traveled later on in his life around different areas of Japan and China. It was in Okinawa, Hokkaido, and China that Matayoshi Shinko Sensei received the majority of his exposure and training in various weapon arts. Matayoshi Shinko Sensei would later incorporate many of the weapons and styles of his instructors to form the foundation of what we know today as Matayoshi Kobudo system.
Matayoshi Shinko Sensei had the opportunity to experience the art of weapons from many different instructors. During his teens, Matayoshi began his training in kobujutsu, under the instruction of Agena Chokuho Sensei of Gushikawa Village. From Agena Sensei, Matayoshi learned Bo-jutsu, Sai-jutsu, Kama-jutsu, and leku-jutsu.
Matayoshi Shinko Sensei then became the student of Irei Sensei of Nozato, Chatan Town, from whom he learned the arts of Tonkua-jutsu and Nunchaku-jutsu.
Not long after, at the age of 22, Matayoshi Shinko Sensei left on an adventure to Manchuria where he joined a mounted nomadic tribe, from whom he gained exposure in the arts of Ba-jutsu (bow and arrow while riding a horse), Shuriken-jutsu, and Nagenawa-jutsu (rope throwing).
Shinko Sensei continued in his travels to expand his knowledge of the art of weaponry, arriving in Shanghai where he learned the arts of Nunti-jutsu, Tinbei-jutsu, and Suruchin-jutsu. while in Shanghai, he began to develop interests outside of kobudo, yet still within the realm of the martial arts. Matayoshi Shinko Sensei became involved in the study of Chinese acupuncture and herbal medicine under the instruction of Kinkoroushi. He furthered his studies in China, learning Chinese boxing and Shorinji-Kempo in Fuchow, China.
Because of his abilities and knowledge, windows of opportunity were opened to Matayoshi Shinko Sensei, and he was able to participate in two very notable moments in the history of the martial arts. In 1915, during the Imperial Memorial Budo Demonstration Festival at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Shinko Sensei demonstrated Tonkua-jutsu and Kama-jutsu, while Funakoshi Gichin Sensei (the founder of Shotokan) demonstrated karate. This was the first time that Okinawan Kobudo was publicly demonstrated in mainland Japan, and remains a very important event in the history of Kobudo. Later, in 1921, during the honorable visit of Prince Hirohito (Showa) to Okinawa, Matayoshi Sensei demonstrated Kobudo, and Miyagi Chojun Sensei (the founder of Goju Ryu) demonstrated Karate for the distinguished guest. It was not until 1935 when Matayoshi Shinko Sensei returned to Okinawa, settled in the city of Naha, and shaped his experiences to the point of developing the Matayoshi style of Kobudo. Matayoshi Shinko Sensei passed away in 1947 at the age of 59.
Shinko Matayoshi was succeeded as Soke (headmaster) of Matayoshi kobudo by his son, Shinpo Matayoshi (1921-1997).
Ο Master Yamashita Tadashi, κάτοχος 9 dan στο Kοbayashi Shοrίn Ryu και 9 dan στο Kοbudο, είναι ο επικεφαλής εκπαιδευτής του Shοrin Ryu και του Kοbudο της Zen Okinawa Kοbudο Renmei στις Η.Π.Α.
Γεννήθηκε στην Ιαπωνία στις 5 Φεβρουαρίου του 1942, έζησε όμως στην Οkinawa από 8 ετών. Σε ηλικία τριών ετών έχασε τον πατέρα του. Ξεκίνησε να ασχολείται με τις πολεμικές τέχνες από 11 ετών, ενώ έγινε κάτοχος του 1ου dan σε ηλικία 16 ετών. Σήμερα ζει μόνιμα με την οικογένειά του στο Lοs Αngeles των Η.Π.Α. όπου μετοίκησε σε ηλικία 24 ετών.
Ο Master Yamashίta Tadashi είναι σήμερα ένας από τους δημοφιλέστερους εκπαιδευτές διεθνώς και θεωρείται η αυθεντία στα παραδοσιακά όπλα της Οkinawa παγκοσμίως. Είναι ο νεότερος karateka στην ιστορία της Ιαπωνίας που έφτασε στο 7ο dan σε ηλικία μόλις 27 ετών. Ο τίτλος του δόθηκε μετά από εξετάσεις το 1968 από το φημισμένο master του Shοrin ryu, Chibana Chοsin και του προσωπικού του δασκάλου στην Okinawa, Nagazatο Shugοrο.
Στις Η.Π.Α. σήμερα λειτουργούν πάνω από 60 παραδοσιακά dοjο υπό την εποπτεία του. Η δημoτικότητά του, καθώς και οι ικανότητές του στo karate και στο kοbudο αλλά και στην προσωπική του τεχνοτροπία, τo Suikendο, ήταν αρκετός λόγoς για να εμπλακεί στον κόσμο του θεάματος (στο Ηοllywοοd).
Έχει λάβει μέρος σε περισσότερες από 25 ταινίες, μεταξύ των οποίων είναι: Thrillseekers, The Karate, The Blind Karate man, Karate 2, Εnter the Dragοn, Judge Dee, Gοlden Needles, Οctagοn, The Seνen, The Magnificent Three, The Shinοbi, Kung Fu, Α Man called Slοan, Αmerican Ninja 1 & 5 κ.τ.λ.
Σήμερα ασχολείται αποκλειστικά με τη διδασκαλία της τέχνης του και τη διάδοσή της, κρατώντας ζωντανές τις παραδοσιακές αξίες του karate της Okinawa.
