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Kenwa Mabuni

Sensei / Soke

Okinawan karate grandmaster and founder of Shito-ryu (1934), one of the four major global karate styles.

Quick Facts

Date of Birth11/14/1889
Date of Death5/23/1952
Era20th century
Country of OriginOkinawa (Japan)Okinawa (Japan)
Rank / TitleFounder of Shito-ryu
Active Years1910–1952

Biography

Kenwa Mabuni studied under both Anko Itosu (Shuri-te) and Kanryo Higaonna (Naha-te). He combined their teachings in 1934 to create Shito-ryu, possessing the largest kata syllabus.

Associated Martial Arts

Shito-ryuFounder→

A style founded in 1931 by Kenwa Mabuni, who joined both great Okinawan lineages — Shuri-te and Naha-te. Hence it has more kata than any other major style.