Taira Kazuo student of Chotoku Kyan

 

Taira Kazuo trying to remember a kata he was taught by Kyan Chotoku. He had studied with Kyan Sensei from 1941 to 1943. After 54 years of not training, Taira Kazuo trying to remember a kata he was taught by Kyan Chotoku. After 54 years of not training in karate, he performs a very good version of Ananku kata — at Tairagawa, Gushikawa Shi, Okinawa.

 

 

 

At Kyan Chōtoku house in Kadena, Okinawa. — with Taira Kazu. And Nakazato Joen.

 

Above photo, Kyan Chotoku with Nakazato Joen and Taira Kazuo. Photo taken June 1941, at Kyan Chōtoku wife’s house in Kadena.\

Back row: Standing, second from left is Taira Kazuo who studied with Kyan Chotoku from 1941 to 1943. Front row: Seated second from right, is Nakazato Joen. The location, is Kyan Chotoku’s wife’s home in Kadena. Nakazato Joen, stayed in her house for free while he was going to Agricultural High School.

 

Interview with Taira Kazuo, August 29, 1997
Harbor Hotel, Tairagawa, Gushikawa Shi, Okinawa

This explains several things.

 

1.     Taira Kazuo remember's that Kyan Chotoku taught a Naifanchi (Naihanchi). This is important as some other branches that stem from Kyan Chotoku claim Kyan did not teach Naifanchi kata.

 

2.     Second, again other branches that stem from Kyan Chotoku claim Kyan did not teach sai techniques. For years I said Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei learned basic sai from Kyan Chotoku and then created Kyan Chotoku no sai (Kyan no sai) and Kusanku Sai after basic sai he learned from Kyan Sensei.

 

3.     Again, other branches that stem from Kyan Chotoku claim Kyan Sensei taught a 3/4 twist punch.

 

4.     According to interviews with both Taira Kazuo and Nakazato Joen, they never saw Kyan Chotoku ever use muchness teach a 3/4 twist punch, and Nakazato Joen studied with Kyan Sensei from 1937 to 1943 at the Agricultural School in Kadena and at Kyan Chotoku's dojo at the Hija River bridge in Yomitan.