History of Isshinryu Karate

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  Choki Motobu was born in Shuri in 1871 and died in 1944 at 73. The third son of a ranking lord, he was not entitled to learn the family style of karate, which by custom was taught only to the first born son of each generation.
  He decided to train himself using the makiwara to punch and kick, and by using heavy rocks as weights. His nickname was Saru meaning monkey. During his life, Motobu taught and influenced many individuals including Tatsuo Shimabuku.
  

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  Chotoku Kyan was born in 1870 in Shuri and died in 1945 at the age of 75. Kyan began training in the martial arts under the direction of Sokon Matsumura at the age of eight. He quickly grew into one of Okinawa's most predominate masters. Among his prominent students were Chosin Chibana, Eizo Shimabuku and Tatsuo Shimabuku.

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  Chojun Miyagi was born in Naha in 1888 and died in 1953 at 65. He was the son of a wealthy shop owner. He began training in karate at the age of 11 under Ryuko Aragaki. At the age of 14 he began training under Higaonna and stayed with him for 15 years until the master's death in 1916 He created the style of Gojo-ryu and the formal exercices Gekisai Ichi, Gekisai Ni, as well as Tensho kata. Among his top disciples were Jinan Shinzato, Meitoku Yagi, Eiichi Miyazato, Sekichi Toguchi, Seiko Higa, and Tatsuo Shimabuku.
  
  Isshin-Ryu karate was created by Tatsuo Shimabuku from Shorin-Ryu and Gojo-ryu. Shimabuku was born in the Kiyan Village in 1908 and died in 1974 at the age of 66. At the age of 15 he traveled by foot some 15 miles to Naha to the dojo of his first instructor,Choki Motobu.
  
  After one month with Motobu, he studied with Shorin-ryu master Chotoku Kyan for about two years. Then he started learning Gojo-ryu with Chojun Miyagi, who taught Shimabuku two kata (Seunchin & Sanchin).

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