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Chito Ryu<
KendoKendo is the Japanese style of fencing. Kendo was developed between 1868 and 1912 during the ..... Chito-ryu Karate's history starts with Tsuyoshi Chitose (1898-1984), its founder. Chitose was born on October 18, 1898 - the 29th year of the Meiji era in Japan - in the Kumochi area of Naha City on the island of Okinawa. Chitoke grew up in this small island, which is regarded as the cradle of karate-do
Chitose's birth name was Chinen (Gochoku) Masuo. His father was Chinen (Masuo) Chiyoyu, who married Chitose's mother and took on her last name. Chitose's father did not practice karate. When he moved to Tokyo in 1992 to attend medical school, Chitose Sensei changed his name to Tsuyoshi Chitose. The reason for the name change was personal in nature.
The influences that Shaped Chitose Sensei's martial arts experience and their impact on today's martial arts must be looked into when tracing the origins of Chito-ryu. The teachers of old karate and martial arts took on the monumental task of influencing future generations of karate practitioners through the concepts, theories, techniques and ideas they developed during their lifetimes. Many of these ideas were passed to Chitose Sensei and helped him in the development of Chito-ryu.
Chitose Sensei's maternal great grandfather was a very well known karate master. His name was Sokon (Bushi) Matsumura (1797-1889) and he is regarded as one of the great karate (Tode) figures of the nineteenth century. Matsumura Sensei began his karate training at thirteen. His father, Sofuku Matsumura, took him to see a karate teacher named Tode (Karate) Sakugawa, who was then 78 years old. Sakugawa Sensei (1733-1815) was born in Akata Cho, a small area in the city of Shuri in Okinawa. When Sakugawa was a young man, he studied under Takahara Peichin (1683-1760). For six years (1756-1762) Sensei Sakugawa studied with a Chinese military envoy (Kusanku). It is from this part of Chito-ryu's history that the kata such as Seisan, Niseishi, Sochin, Sakugawa No Kon Sho and Kusanku had their roots. Many years later, Bushi Matsumura saw an opportunity to train with Chinto, a Chinese trader. After Chinto left for China, Matsumura Sensei came up with a kata based on the many movements he had learned while training with Chinto. Matsumura Sensei called his new kata, Chinto, in honor of his teacher. Today, Chinto is a kata required for Sho-Dan (1st degree black belt) by the U. S. Chito-ryu Karate Federation.
In 1886, Judo founder Jigoro Kano, created the kyu/dan belt system. He also designed the Judo uniform in 1907. Kano's Judo uniform was the basis of the karate uniform, except for the karate jacket, which is lighter.
In 1895 the Japanese government created the DAI NIPPON BUTOKUKAI and made it the governing body of the martial arts. This body created two - HANSHI, the higher award, and KYOSHI. A third title - RENSHI - was created in 1934. It ranks below that of Kyoshi. On April 12, 1924, Gichin Funakoshi adopted Jigoro Kano's practice of awarding ranks to advanced students and he became the first teacher of karate to award black belts. Between 1924 and 1927, Tokyo University started experimenting in kumite (sparring) training. By 1927, students were practicing tournament type sparring. All these elements played a significant role in Chito-ryu's development.
Chitose Sensei was only seven years old in 1905 when he began his Tode (karate) training. Sixty-year old Unchu (Nigaki) Kamade Arakaki (1840-1920) was his first teacher. It was Arakaki Sensei that taught the young Chitose his first kata - Seisan. In those days, teaching kata was the prevailing method of teaching karate. The practice of basics and kumite, which is common today, was not known back then. Many karate teachers of the olden days refused to have or claim a style of karate. They simply declared that they taught karate (Tode); style or ryu was never a bone of contention. The young Chitose practiced only one kata - Seisan - for many years. It was only when he turned 14 that Arakaki Sensei taught him his second kata.
In high school, young Tsuyoshi Chitose furthered his training by studying under Sensei Anko Itosu (1832-1916). Itosu, who was born in Yamagawa Village in Shuri, Okinawa, was a student of Sokon Matsumura. Many believe that Itosu Sensei developed the Chinese corkscrew punch into its current form as well as the originator of the Pinan (Heian) kata. In April, 1901, Itosu Sensei began offering karate training to the Shuri Jinjo Elementary School as part of the physical fitness training. In 1905, Itosu introduced karate training into the Prefectural Teachers Training College. In 1908, all Okinawan schools began offering karate training under Itosu Sensei.
Shoshin Nagamine, the founder Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu style of karate and past president of the Okinawan Karate Federation, was one of Chitose Sensei's friends in school. One of their teachers was Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), who is later recognized as the greatest karate master of the 20th century. Fonakoshi Sensei is acknowledged as the father of modern karate and founder of Shotokan. Funakoshi Sensei's son, Gikkoo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi, was also Chitose Sensei's classmate.
Chitose Sensei also learned other kata such as Shihohai, Niseishi and Sanchin from Arakaki Sensei; Chinto, Bassai and Kusanku from Chotoku Kiyan Sensei (1870-1945); Ryusan from Chiyomu Hanagusuku; and Rohai from Kauryo Higashionna (1851-1915). Goju-ryu karate founder Chojun (Miyagi) Miyagusuku (1888-1953) and Shito-ryu karate founder Mr. Kenwa Mabuni (1888-1953) were also training there at that time with Higashionna Sensei.
Chitose Sensei went to college between 1922 and 1932. He also practiced karate whenever he had free time. In addition, he served as assistant to his old school teacher, Gichin Funakoshi, with his college karate classes. In 1931, Chitose Sensei helped a new student, Masatoshi Nakayama (1913-1986), at the Takushoku University karate club. Nakayama later became the head teacher of the Japan Karate Association (Shotokan). It was also during this time that Chitose Sensei began practicing medicine. He served in the Army Medical Corps and spent some time in China during the war. While serving in a small village in China, Dr. Chitose developed a good relationship with the locals. Through his work assisting the locals, Chitose Sensei met with and trained under an old Chinese Gung-fu teacher. In 1936, O-Sensei attended a meeting of Okinawan karate authorities in Naha, Okinawa. It was the meeting in which the translation, "Empty Hand Way" became the new name for Karate-do in place of the original todejutsu or "Chinese Hand Method."
Dr. Chitose opened a small karate dojo Yoseikan (training hall) in March 1946. This dojo was located in Machi, Kirkuchi-Gun, Kumamoto Prefecture (which is now called Kirkuchi City). To help raise relief funds for Okinawa, Chitose Sensei later held an Okinawan Kobudo Taikai (Tournament) at the Kubukiza in Kumamoto City. In 1948, Chitose Sensei, together with Gichin Funakoshi, Mabuni, Higa Seko and Toyama Kanken, organized the All Japan Karate-do Federation (Zen Nihon Karate-do Renmei). He served as its president for a period of time. It was around this time that Chitose Sensei gave his style the name, Chito-ryu. Many would assume that the Chitose Sensei derived the name from his name. However, this is not the case. The "Chi" comes from "thousand" and "to" is from the Chinese "Tang." Thus, the literal translation of Chito-ryu is, "The thousand year old Chinese (Tang dynasty) way." The name signifies that karate's ultimate origin is from China, specifically during the Tang era about ten centuries years ago.
In the mid-1900s, the allied powerse under General Douglas MacArthur's command prohibited the practice of most martial arts such as kendo, judo and others associated with the nation of Japan. However, Karate was regarded more as an Okinawan art form instead of a Japanese art form and thus, did not undergo close scrutiny unlike Kendo and Judo. Nevertheless, Doctor Chitose and the other teachers of martial arts teachers taught their respective arts in secret. They camouflaged much of their martial arts training as physical fitness exercises and dances. In many instances, the allied forces turned their heads the other way. It was 1949 when Doctor Tsuyoshi Chitose awarded Masami Tsuruoka his first degree black belt.
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