Shorin-ryu Kyudokan
小林流究道館Okinawan branch of Shorin-ryu founded by Higa Yuchoku in Naha. Typical features are makiwara training and the paired exercise kakie.
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Training
Who It Suits
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What the style is built from
Editorial rating on a 0–3 scale, based on how much room each area gets in ordinary training.
Catalogs & Databases for Shorin-ryu Kyudokan
About Shorin-ryu Kyudokan
Shorin-ryu Kyudokan is an Okinawan branch of Shorin-ryu founded by Higa Yuchoku. He was born in February 1910 in Naha and died there in November 1994, and the exact days differ between sources. From 1927 he trained under Shiroma Jiro, after his death under Shinzato Jinan, and finally under Chibana Choshin, who gave Shorin-ryu its modern form. Sources disagree on exactly when he came to Chibana: one gives 1943, Wikipedia 1948. The year the Kyudokan dojo was founded also differs between sources. Wikipedia and one dojo's website give 1947, the Japanese magazine Hiden 1954. In 1961 Higa became first vice-chairman of the Okinawan Shorin-ryu association chaired by Chibana, and in 1965, according to the dojo's website, he was the first to receive from him the rank of hanshi, ninth dan. Technically Kyudokan belongs to Okinawan Shorin-ryu. According to the magazine Hiden, kihon basics are practised for a long time, the typical exercise is the makiwara, and even beginners learn the paired exercise kakie, in which the attack is aimed with real intent to hit. Higa used a short strike, gosun tsuki, with a movement of about fifteen centimeters. After his death the school is led as second kancho by his nephew Higa Minoru, holder of the tenth dan. In 2015, according to Wikipedia, the school was active in twenty-nine countries and had over ten thousand students.
History
Higa Yuchoku was born in 1910 in Naha. Wikipedia gives 8 February, the Shinjinbukan dojo website 4 February, and the day of death in November 1994 differs too. His first teacher was Shiroma Jiro, with whom he trained for six years until Shiroma's death in 1933. He then studied under Shinzato Jinan and Miyahira Seiei, and from Shinzato he took over elements of today's Goju-ryu. The dojo website says he came to Chibana Choshin in 1943, Wikipedia in 1948, and soon became his leading student. In 1961 the first Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate-do Association was formed, chaired by Chibana, and Higa became its first vice-chairman.
How it differs
Per Hiden magazine, the tsuki strike in Kyudokan aims at the front of the shoulder parallel to the center line, unlike Shotokan. Training begins and ends with the greeting Shinzen ni rei instead of Shomen ni rei.
Technique
Per Wikipedia, Kyudokan rests on four principles: Myo Mamoru (defense and protection of the body), developing ki through work with hara, correct breathing kokyu, and circular movement marumi-muchimi. Higa Yuchoku used the short strike gosun tsuki, with about fifteen centimeters of movement, for striking and blocking. Per Hiden magazine, Kyudokan treats the kata Jion as a pure form handed down from Hanashiro Chomo.
Training
Per Hiden magazine, Kyudokan practises kihon basics for a long time, and the typical exercise is the striking board makiwara. Beginners already learn the paired exercise kakie, with attacks aimed with real intent to hit.
Ranks and progression
Per the dojo website, Higa Yuchoku was first to receive from Chibana the rank of hanshi, ninth dan, in 1965, and the tenth dan in 1976. His nephew and successor Higa Minoru received the tenth dan hanshi in 2010 from the Okinawa prefectural karate federation, per Hiden.
Today
The main dojo of Kyudokan stands in the potters' quarter of Tsuboya in Naha, and the school is led as second kancho by Higa Minoru. In 2015 the school had branches in twenty-nine countries and over ten thousand students, according to Wikipedia. Sources disagree on who heads the world federation: Wikipedia names Oscar Masato Higa, the Shuriway website names Higa Minoru.
Did you know
Per the dojo website, Higa Yuchoku sat eight times in a row in the Okinawan assembly, and in 1993 the Ryukyu newspaper gave him an award for services to karate. His nephew Higa Minoru, born in 1941, began training with his uncle in 1960 and also holds a fourth dan in judo.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Shorin-ryu Kyudokan?
Higa Yuchoku, a student of Chibana Choshin. Sources disagree on the year of founding: Wikipedia gives 1947, the magazine Hiden 1954.
How is training done in Kyudokan?
According to the magazine Hiden, kihon basics for a long time, the striking board makiwara, and the paired exercise kakie with real intent to hit.
Who leads Kyudokan today?
Higa Minoru, nephew of the founder and holder of the tenth dan, as second kancho.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.