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source in Okinawa. The family operated its own dôjô in Fuzhou, where
many young Uchinachu trained while in China. Until the 1970s, the Kojô
family retained their close association with mainland China.
In 1936, Miyagi Chôjun, the founder of the Gôjû-ryû, presented an
outline of karate in which he observed that the age of secrecy in karate had
ended, and he predicted the internationalization of the art. The effects of
World War II saw Miyagi proved correct. Okinawa underwent a change
from the age of Japan to the age of America. And with this change came
many changes for the martial arts community, both in Okinawa and Japan.
Allied servicemen began to train in and disseminate karate throughout Europe,
America, and the world. With a ready market, many unqualified, and
some simply bogus, instructors began to teach various “styles” of karate to
an eager public. The effects of these charlatans are still felt throughout the
martial arts community. The traditional Okinawan concept of the genkoki
(village training hall), where the deepest secrets of the art were studied and
passed on solely for the continuation of the system, was virtually abandoned
and lost. And although the postwar commercialization greatly contributed
to this effect, the trend began with the public teaching of karate.
Well-meaning instructors who felt that karate had much to offer the public
attempted to disseminate karate for the benefit of the masses, rather
than for the perpetuation of the classical system that was the cause from
which those benefits sprang. Many new styles came into existence that utilized
the forms of the old styles but were devoid of the spirit that made
them worthwhile treasures. Rather than act in a synergistic system, mental
and spiritual training took a backseat to the physical perpetuation of empty
technique. In some cases, Okinawan karate kata were usurped by other
styles, which claimed the forms originated with them. The advent of presenting
kata and training methods on videotape, and more recently the Internet,
has further diluted the essence of the art but has furthered the
spread of karate’s popularity.
Ron Mottern
See also Karate, Okinawan; Kobudô, Okinawan
References
Bishop, Mark. 1999. Okinawan Karate: Teachers, Styles and Secret
Techniques. 2d ed. Boston: Tuttle.
———. 1996. Zen Kobudô: Mysteries of Okinawan Weaponry and Te.
Rutland, VT: Tuttle.
Higashionna, Morio. 1996. The History of Karate: Gôjû Ryû. Dragon.
Kerr, George. 1960. Okinawa: The History of an Island People. Rutland,
VT: Tuttle.
McCarthy, Patrick. 1995. The Bible of Karate: Bubishi. Rutland, VT: Tuttle.
Sandoval, Anthony. n.d. “The Traditional Genko Ki (Village Hall) Dojo.”
Unpublished paper.
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