Response to Akamineon on an Interesting Question

From:  "FPC IP/RJ
Date:  Sun Mar 3, 2002  9:19 pm
Subject:  Re: [Nafadi_Kenkyukai] An intriguing question

Akamine taught three very old versions of Shuri-te: Naifanchi, Ryufa (old
Passai, not related to any Shorin style) and old Kusokun or Kusanku (again, not
related to any known Shorin style). These kata are similar to the Gensei-ryu’s,
but they have important differences, for example, Akamine Kosokun do a move
like a dog rolling on the ground, that you will not find in the Gensei-ryu
version. Apparently, Akamine got these kata from Higa Seitoku, the former
disciple of Kishimoto. Officially, Gensei-ryu Kusanku-dai (its new name) came
from Kishimoto to Shukomine, but some researchers said that this kata came from
Ishimine peichin.


Any way, Kosokun was the most advanced kata in the Akamine system and he was
very jealousy about it, teaching to very few disciples. He was called tsurufa,
washite (due it initial move similar to an eagle opening the wings) and in the
late 70s it was drastically modified (to became it easier to do) and renamed
kenshinryu. Watanabe (who passed it on to me) liked call it “the dog kata” due
its unusual inu-no-kamae on the ground.


I never understood why Akamine changed it, but, knowing his personality, I
think that was due some personal link with the kami of the kata, and by some
reason he never more taught the original form after the 60s. He taught it to
Watanabe and Ywao Yokote in the late 50s, and they taught me. Recently, I have
met another senior student (an Uruguayan) of Akamine that learned it in the
60s, and knows the same version I do. However, this student (now retired) never
pass on it (like me), but only its modified form.

 
Regarding this jealousness of Akamine... well, it is a long story about
superstitions, numerology [*] and kamis that was his world and apparently of
many of his fellows and teachers (including Higa Seiko), that cultivated the
underground culture of the karate in Japan.


BTW, Akamine was the theme of an exposition in the Immigrant Museum of São
Paulo, that happened three years ago. All this stuff is into the Akamine’s
family waiting for some serious studies. I am trying get it, but it is
difficult dispute with traditions. I am trying to get two photos and a film
done in the early 50s, in Japan, where Akamine, Izumikawa and a doc are doing
kata together. In the photos #1, Higa is blocking a tsuki of Akamine with
ura-kake uke (from Kururunfa, that Akamine said be the personal kata of Higa),
and in the photo #2 (the conclusion of the technique), Higa strikes Akamine
with morote-zuki (I think you are familiar with this technique...).


Fernando

[*] All Akamine system was carefully built on numerological taboos.

 

 

 Akamine Eisuke

 

Akamine Eisuke was born in Aza-mura (village), Tomishiro, Okinawa in 1925. After being discharged from the army in 1945 at the age of 20, he returned to his native Okinawa a year later in 1946. By 1949, after settling back into life in Okinawa, Akamine gained his first exposure to Ryukyu Kobudo, the weapons system indigenous to Okinawa, through Higa Seiichiro a former student of Chinen "Yamane" Sanda (1840-1922). From Higa, the young Akamine began to learn the graceful, smooth and powerful tradition of Yamane-ryu Bo-jutsu (the art of the 6 foot staff). Akamine was a dedicated student and stayed under Higa's expert tutelage for the next seven years, until 1956. In addition to his studies under Higa, Akamine also received instruction from other students of Chinen Sanda, including Higa Raisuke, Higa Jinsaburo and Akamine Yohei. From his studies of Yamane-ryu Bo-jutsu, Akamine learned the staff traditions of Sakugawa, Shushi, Yonegawa and Shirotaru.
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