Early Okinawan karate, or tode ("China Hand") as it was called, owes its origin to a mixture of indigenous Okinawan fighting arts and various "foot fighting" systems and empty-hand systems of Southeast Asia and China. Being seafaring people, the Okinawans were in almost constant contact with mainland Asia. It is quite likely that Okinawan seamen visiting foreign ports were impressed with local fighting techniques and incorporated these into their own fighting methods.

Interest in unarmed fighting arts increased during the 14th century when Chuzan King Sho Hashi established his rule over Okinawa and banned all weapons. A more rapid development of tode followed in 1609 when the Satsuma clan of Kyushu, Japan, occupied Okinawa and again banned the possession of weapons. Thus tode or Okinawa-te, as the Satsuma samurai soon called it, became the only means of protection left to the Okinawans. It was this atmosphere that honed the early karate-like arts of Okinawa into a weapon, enabling the island people to conduct a guerrilla-type war with the Japanese samurai that lasted into the late 1800's.

So tode or Okinawa-te was developed secretly, thus preventing the Japanese from killing the deadly art's practitioners and teachers. Tode remained underground until the early 1900's, when it was brought into the Okinawan school system's physical education program.

Chatan Yara was an early Okinawan master of whom some information exists. Some authorities place his birth at about 1670, in the village of Chatan, Okinawa; others place his birth at a much later date. In any case, he contributed much to Okinawa karate. He reportedly studied in China for 20 years. His bo and sai techniques greatly influenced Okinawan kobudo, his Kata, "CHATAN YARA NO SAI," "CHATAN YARA SHO NO TONFA," and "CHATAN YARA NO KON" are widely practiced today.

Most modern karate styles can be traced to the famous Satunuku Sakugawa (1733-1857) called "Tode" Sakugawa. Sakugawa first studied under Takabara Peichin of Shuri. Later, Sakugawa went to China to train under the famous Kusanku. Kusanku had been a military attaché in Okinawa. When Master Kusanku returned to China, Sakugawa followed and remained in China for six years. In 1762, he returned to Okinawa and introduced his kempo ("fist way"). This resulted in the karate we know today. Sakugawa became a famous samurai and was given the title of Satunuku or Satonushi, titles given to Okinawan warriors for service to the Okinawan King. Sakugawa had many famous students; among them were:

• MATSUMURA CHIKATOSINUMJO SOKON
• MAKABE SATUNUKU
• UKUDA SATUNUKU
• MATSUMOTO CHIKUNTONOSHINUNJO
• KOJO OF KUMEMURA
• YAMAGUCHI OF THE EAST (BUSHI SAKUMOTO)
• USUME OF ANDAYS

Sakugawa contributed greatly to Okinawan karate. We honor him today by continuing many of the concepts he introduced. Sakugawa's greatest contribution was in teaching the great "Bushi" Matsumura Sokon.

Bushi Matsumura (1797-1889) studied under Sakugawa for four years. He rapidly developed into a warrior. He was recruited into the service of the Sho family and was given the title Satunuku, later rising to Chikutoshi. At some time during his career, Bushi Matsumura was sent to China to train in the famous Shorinji (Shaolin Temple). He is alleged to have remained in China for many years. Upon his return to Okinawa, Matsumura established the Shuri-te or Suidi ("Shuri Hand") that later became known as Shorin-ryu. He brought the White Crane (Hakutsuru) concept to Okinawa. He passed on his menkyo kaiden (certificate of full proficiency) to his grandson, Nabe Matsumura.

Shorin-ryu is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters pronounced "Shaolin" in Mandarin-Chinese. Shorin/Shaolin means "small forest"; "ryu" simply means "methods handed own," "methods of learning" such as those of a school, or "tradition."

NABE MATSUMURA (Unknown) brought the old Shorin-ryu secrets into the modern age. His name does not appear in many karate lineage charts. He was alleged to be very strict and preferred to teach mainly family members. Not much information on him is available, neither his dates of birth or death are known. It is said that he was born in the 1850's and died in the 1930's. "Nabe" means "old man." It is said he was one of the top karate men of his time. He passed on his menkyo kaiden to his nephew, SOKEN HOHAN.

HOHAN SOKEN (May 25,1889-December,1983) was born during a time of great social changes in both Okinawa and Japan. The old feudal system was giving way to modernization. The aristocracy was forced to work beside the peasants. Soken Hohan was born into a samurai family. At an early age, he chose to study his ancestors' art of Shorin-ryu under his uncle, Nabe Matsumura. At the age of 13, Soken began his training; at the age of 23, Nabe Matsumura began teaching Soken the secrets of Hakutsuru. So proficient did Soken become in the art that Nabe passed on the style of Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu karate-do to him. In 1920, Master Soken moved to Argentina where he remained for 25 years. Upon his return to Okinawa in 1945, he found that karate had greatly changed: sport Karate had all but replaced the ancient methods. Soken did not change, he valued himself as the last of the old masters. He refused to join some of the more fashionable karate associations. He stayed with the old ways and did much to cause a rebirth of interest in kobudo. Master Soken retired from karate in 1978. For many years, he was the world's oldest living active karate master. Master Soken passed on his menkyo kaiden to MASTER KISE FUSEI.

FUSEI KISE (1935 - ) was born on May 4, 1935. He began his study of karate in 1947 under his uncle, Master Makabe. In 1955, Master Kise became a student to Master Shingake Nobutake and received his shodan. In 1958, Master Kise began studying under Grandmaster Soken Hohan, the third successor of Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu karate-do. In 1960, he was a student of Grandmaster Nakamura Shigeru, founder of the Okinawan Kenpo Karate-Do Federation, and qualified for his 7th degree black belt. After five years of training, Master Kise became a shihan ("master") on January 1, 1965, when he passed the 7th dan examination under Grandmaster Nakamura. At that time, Master Kise taught and practiced Shorinji-ryu karate-do. During this time, he continued studying Shorin-ryu under Grandmaster Soken. On January 1, 1957, Master Kise switched completely over to Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu. On January 3, 1972, Master Kise qualified for the hanshi title by passing the 8th dan examination held by Grandmaster Soken and Master Makabe. On September 1, 1976 Master Kise qualified for his 9th Dan by Grand Master Soken. In 1977, Master Kise was granted the menkyo kaiden by Master Soken and founded the Shorin-Ryu Kenshin Kan Karate and Kobudo Federation. In 2002, with certification and authorization from the Japanese government, he changed the name of the style back to Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito (Orthodox) to reflect the style’s history.