motobu_choki

Here, in this small but provocative publication, lies yet another milestone in the legacy of Karate. “Watashi no Karate-jutsu” (“My Art of Karate”), introduces comprehensive insights into a fighting tradition as known and taught by one of its early Okinawan innovators, Motobu Choki (1870-1944). One of only two books he ever published on the art it is not widely known in modern karate circles or outside the spectrum of those who research its history. Straightforward in its approach, this modest work outlines those unique methods that made Motobu Choki, pound for pound, possibly the greatest technician and karate fighter of his generation.

One mistake the modern karateka often makes, when trying to grasp the technical ambiguities surrounding the application of early karate practices, is to depend on contemporary assumptions. This small but powerful book provides a window through which the reader is better able to perceive the cultural landscape and mind-set of those people who shaped its practice.

What could possibly improve a reader’s overall understanding of the art more than walking in the footsteps of those people most responsible for pioneering it? Great people should never be forgotten, if only to remind us of the potential latent in ourselves. By studying the anthropology of this tradition it becomes evident that many of the early pioneers established a symbiosis with karate so that their lives became as much a product of the art as was the art a product of their lives.

Researched and translated by Patrick & Yuriko McCarthy, (“Bubishi,” “Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate,” “Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts” (Vol #1 & #2), “Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters,” and Funakoshi’s “Tanpenshu”) “Karate-jutsu, My Art” is another timeless classic to be treasured for generations to come.

Book Review
Noted karate researcher Patrick McCarthy is back, this time with his long awaited translation of Motobu Choki's 1932 "Watashi no Karate-jutsu." This little book is packed with additional related research and translations, making it well worth the $24.95 price tag.

After the Translator's Introduction on pp. 8-9, we move into an essay by Kinjo Hiroshi Hanshi, arguably one of the senior-most authorities on old-style Okinawan karate in the world today. This article, entitled "Revival of Motobu Choki," gives us some personal insight into the great
master by someone who knew him personally. The Kinjo article appears on pp. 10-11.

Next is a translation of an article on Motobu that first appeared in the local Okinawan magazine "Aoi Umi," in 1978. The author of this article,Shabana (Jahana) Kiyoshi, interviewed the late Shorinryu master Nakama Chozo for the article, and there are several interesting stories regarding Motobu and his teachers. "Recollections: The Shabana/Nakama Interview" appears on pp. 12-16 of the McCarthy book.

Page 17 is a calligraphic piece masterfully brushed by Gisho.

Page 18-26 is an article by Patrick McCarthy, entitled "More on Motobu." Thoroughly researched and brilliantly written, this article serves well to better the reader's understanding of Motobu Sensei.

Page 27 is a calligraphic piece powerfully brushed by the late Shitoryu master Sakagami Ryusho.

Page 28-30 is a translation of the article entitled "Talking about my Teacher" by Marukawa Kenji, who was a direct student of Motobu. This article also contains some interesting stories surrounding the visit of some foreign "boxers" to the Motobu dojo while the master was away. This event warrants more research, as a representative apparently took the foreigners to the dojo from the Japan Times, Japan's most prominent English-language newspaper.

Page 30-33 is a collection of Motobu's Favourite Sayings as compiled by Nakata Mizuhiko. This chapter is important because it lets the reader glimpse into what Motobu himself had said, thus helping to gain a better understanding of his views on karate.

Page 34-35 is a collection of stories gleaned from an interview with Shorinryu master Miyahira Katsuya, who had studied directly under Motobu in Okinawa.

Page 36-42 is the complete translation of the 1925 King Magazine Article describing Motobu's bout with the foreign boxer. Although rather imaginative in its narrative, this article is nonetheless a very important document in the history of karatedo. One added bonus is the positive identification of "John Kentel."

Page 43-46 is an excerpt from the chapter on Motobu from Nagamine Shoshin's precious book entitled "Tales of the Okinawan Masters." The late Matsubayashi-ryu founder was also a direct student of Motobu Sensei.

Page 47-51 is an English translation of the very rare "Karate Training" by Kyan Chotoku. This article, which originally appeared in the second edition of Takada (Mutsu) Mizuho & Miki Nisaburo's 1930 "Kenpo Gaisetsu," contains important advice for handling physical
encounters.

Page 52-61 includes English explanations and original photographs of Motobu Choki's 1926 Kumite Drills. These two-person drills are an important part of the Motobu legacy.

Page 62-73 represents 12 pages of vintage photographs, many of which are exceedingly rare, and some of which have never been published in an English language source before.

Page 74-110 is the meat of the text, the complete English translation of "Watashi no Karate-jutsu." Disclosing not only the history and theory, this book focuses upon the Naifanchi Shodan kata and several kumite drills that can be seen as applications of this kata. This is important, because it is well known that Motobu favoured the Naifanchi exercise for fundamental development of karate technique, and the publication includes Motobu himself demonstrating this kata.

Noted British karate historian Graham Noble offers his insights into the master, especially his infamous bout with the foreign boxer, in "Motobu Choki in Retrospect," which appears on pp. 111-117.

A Motobu Choki Teacher/Student Lineage Chart, Bibliography and Photo Credit & Written Sources close out this little gem of a book.

All in all, the reader will not be disappointed, and I can heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the history, philosophy and application of the old-style Ryukyu self-defence traditions.

Joe Swift
Mushinkan Dojo
Tokyo, Japan
April 4, 2002

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