Kenwa Mabuni was one of the first generation instructors who lived through and influenced the transition from the old China Hand system into modern karate.

He was also one of the pioneering Okinawans to begin teaching karate in Japan. He trained under both Ankoh Itosu and Kanyro Higaonna (Higashionna), both significant masters of the old China hand system from Shuri & Naha respectively.

Mabuni was also one of the founding members (along with Chojun Miyagi) of the Ryukyu Tode-jutsu Kenkyukai (Okinawa Karate Research Club) founded in 1918 in Naha after the deaths of his instructors, Itosu & Higaonna, who had both died in 1915. Based in Mabuni’s home, the Okinawa Karate Research Club, was an attempt to preserve and research the original China Hand system which was already undergoing changed into what would eventually become modern karate.

Mabuni was part of the transition of modern karate, teaching at the Okinawan Prefectual Teachers College (Okinawa-ken Shihan Gakko), the Fisheries College (Kenritsu Suisan Gakko) and the Police Academy (Keisatsu Gakko).

Mabuni was fitendjy with the Chinese tea merchant Go Kenki, also a member of the Karate Research Club, who taught White Crane boxing to students in Okinawa.

Mabuni was also instrumental in introducing karate to Japan, and in fact pre-dates Gichin Funakoshi’s trips to Japan, Mabuni visiting Japan in 1917 and later 1928, to spread the teaching of karate, eventually settling in Osaka in 1929.

He was also amongst the first karate authors to publish texts on karate, publishing 4 books from 1933-1934.

In his 1934 publication ‘Sepai no Kenkyu’ (The Study of Sepai) Mabuni directly referenced the 36 vital points chart used in the Bubishi. The charts are thought to be based on the meridian charts first published by 14th century Chinese physician Hua Shou (1304-1386).

Mabuni also referenced 28 painted figures from the 48 depicted demonstrating applications from Chinese Quan Fa from the Bubishi in ‘Seipai no Kenyku’, demonstrating the strong influence Southern Chinese Nanquan had on Mabuni’s karate.

That same year, 1934, Mabuni opened his first dojo in Japan called the Yoshukan (養秀館), or ‘House of Proper Education’.

In 1939, Mabuni officially recorded the name of his karate style as Shito-ryu, combining the first kanji characters from the names of his two primary teachers: Shi (糸) from Anko Itosu and To (東) from Kanryo Higaonna, followed by Ryu (流) meaning school or style. The name was created from the phonetic reading of the kanji.

Mabuni was a preserver of kata and left behind an encyclopaedic legacy of some of the best preserved kata in any modern karate style.

A study of many of these kata is essential for anyone who wants to understand the old china hand system and its transition into modern karate.

Kenwa Mabuni was one of the original Okinawan Karate masters of the late 19th/early 20th century who bridged the old China hand system to the development of modern karate.

Mabuni was a student of both Ankoh Itosu & Kanyro Higaonna, effectively bridging the the old China hand systems that developed around the old capital city of Shuri with those that developed around the port city of Naha.

Known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of kata, Mabuni persevered and became the custodian of many Okinawan kata and created a rich, detailed catalogue of kata within his Shito-ryu style of karate.

A pioneer of many aspects of Okinawan karate, Mabuni was the co-founder (along with Chojun Miyagi) of the original Karate Research group.