Kanbun Uechi studied Pangai-noon (half-hard, half-soft) Kung Fu under Shushiwa in the Fujian (a.k.a. Fukien) province of mainland China in the late 1800s and 

early 1900s. After 10 years of study under Shushiwa, Kanbun Uechi opened his own school in Nanjing province. Two years later, Kanbun Uechi returned 

to Okinawa, resolved never to teach again because one of his Chinese students had killed a neighbour with an open-hand technique in a dispute over land 

irrigation. It was while working as a janitor that he was persuaded by a co-worker, Ryuyu Tomoyose, to teach again after Uechi was first convinced to show 

Tomoyose ways of defending against different attacks. His confidence as a teacher restored, Uechi, with the help of Ryuyu Tomoyose, moved to Wakayama 

City, Wakayama Prefecture, where in 1925 he established the Institute of Pangainun-ryū (half-hard and soft) Todi-jutsu, and opened a dojo to the public. 

His Okinawan students eventually renamed the system in 1940 to “Uechi Ryū.” Kanbun Uechi’s son, Kanei Uechi, taught the style at the Futenma City Dojo, 

Okinawa, and was considered the first Okinawan to sanction the teaching to foreigners. One of Kanei’s senior students, Ryuko Tomoyose, taught a young 

American serviceman named George Mattson, formerly of Boston and now residing in Florida, who authored several books on the subject and is largely 

responsible for popularizing the style in America. Uechi Ryū emphasizes toughness of the body with quick hand and foot strikes. Several of the more distinctive 

weapons of Uechi practitioners are the one-knuckle punch (shoken), spearhand (nukite), and the toe kick (shomen geri). Because of this emphasis on simplicity, 

stability, and a combination of linear and circular motions, proponents claim that the style is more practical for self-defense than most other martial arts. In contrast 

to the more linear styles of karate based on Okinawan Shuri-te or Tomari-te, Uechi Ryū’s connection to Chinese Nanpa Shorin-ken means it shares a similar 

foundation to Naha-Te (and thus Goju-ryu) despite their separate development.[2] Thus, Uechi Ryū is also heavily influenced by the circular movements inherent 

in kung fu from Fujian province. Uechi Ryū is principally based on the movements of 3 animals: the Tiger, Dragon, and Crane.

There are eight empty-hand katas in Uechi Ryū; the longest has 36 steps. Only Sanchin, Seisan, and Sanseirui are from Pangai-noon. The others were added to the style 

by Kanei Uechi. Kanei Uechi designed all of the non-original katas except for Kanshu (designed by Seiki Itokazu) and Seichin (designed by Saburo Uehara). Many of the 

names of the newer kata were formed from the names of prominent figures in the art, e.g. Kanshiwa from Kanbun and Sushiwa. The current list of empty-hand kata is:

1. Sanchin

2. Kanshiwa (also known as Konchabu)

3. Kanshu (also known as Dainiseisan)

4. Seichin

5. Seisan

6. Seirui (also known as Seiryu)

7. Kanchin

8. Sanseirui (also known as Sandairyu and Sanseiryu)

Note: There are newer Katas (one or two) still being worked upon by the Okinawan Karate-Do association.

The Sanchin kata is deceptively simple in appearance. It teaches the foundation of the style, including stances and breathing. Kanbun Uechi is quoted as saying 

“All is in Sanchin.” Though it is not difficult to learn the movements of Sanchin, it is thought to take a lifetime to master the form.

A Brief History of Okinawa

On the world stage, the three major things which Okinawa points to with pride are karate, nature and longevity. Flrst appearing in the 14th century, karate has been part of 

Okinawa’s distinct cultural heritage of martial arts for more than six hundred years. The expansive crystal clear ocean and deep blue skies provide the backdrop for Okinawa’s 

incredibly lush natural environment. Amidst these exquisite natural surroundings reside people with the world’s longest life spans.

Okinawa prospered in the past as the center of the Kingdom of the Ryukyus. The 13th century witnessed the rise of more than one hundred local lords known as aji . 

The aji constructed small castles called gusuku , and fought each other for local supremacy during what is now called the Gusuku era. By the 14th century these local 

chiefdoms were consolidated into three kingdoms: Chuzan in the central part of the island, Hokuzan in the north and Nanzan in the south. The suffix -zan is written with the

 character for mountain but in Chinese the meaning ls actually closer to ”island” or ”country.” In the 15th century (1416), the Ryukyus were unified under King Sho Hashi of 

Chuzan ending the era of the three warring kingdoms. In 1372, thirty-eight years prior to unification, King Satto of the Chuzan Kingdom was granted official recognition by 

the Chinese Ming Emperor, initiating an era of prosperous trade relations with China, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

However, ln 1606 the Ryukyus were invaded and defeated by soldiers from the Satsuma Clan in Kyushu, marking the beginning of the period of dual tributary relationships 

with China and Satsuma. In 1871, four years after the Meiji Restoration the Japanese government decided to annex the Ryukyus, and eight years later, in 1879, the Kingdom

of the Ryukyus be- came Okinawa Prefecture.

Over the subsequent sixty-six years, the Japanese government became increasingly militaristic, culminating in 1945 in the unprecedented destruction of the island in the

tragic Battle of Okinawa

Throughout the various eras of its history, Okinawa has been buffeted by more powerful foreign neighbors, but it has always maintained its own distinct identity. In the more 

than sixty years which have now passed since the end of World War II , Okinawa has been blessed with an era of peace and increasing prosperity.