10-23-2001
English Translation by Joe Swift
Even though I am writing my memoirs, this all happened 60 years ago, so I feel as if I am speaking of a far-off dreamland. Because of this, there are some things I recall very clearly, but other things are rather fuzzy. The details of that time are rather complicated, and it is unavoidable that I may have a hard time distinguishing some of them. Also when writing like this, feelings of nostalgia often come up, and one becomes lost as to where to begin and end. Therefore, I would like to ask the reader’s patience in this. I would now like to write a bit about myself and the martial arts.
I was born in the year 1866, on the 27th day of the 9th month on the old calendar, at Akahira in Shuri. My father’s name was Chomei. My mother was from the Sho family, born the eldest daughter of Prince Ie Choken. I was the second son. My elder brother, Choshin, was 3 years older than me.
At any rate, I was the second son of an influential family. I was raised in a large palace, surrounded by many servants. I lived a rather carefree life. On the other hand, my household had strict rules. I was grounded in the etiquette and academic studies as befitted by family’s status. My late father especially liked the martial arts. “The martial arts are first and foremost in a warrior’s education.” So when I became 11 or 12, I began to learn karate. My teacher was an old man of about 60 named Ishimine, who was in charge of our household accounting and many other affairs. Everyday I was dragged out into the garden and had the Naifuanchi and Passai kata drummed into me.
Of course, this was during the free time I had from my learning and studies, but sometimes I made excuses to get out of it. This went on for two full years. I recall that this was about the time that the feudal system was abolished and the modern prefectures were established.
Around age 17 or 18, I was accepted as a full-fledged man. Around that time, I began earnest training under Bushi Matsumura. I recall that at that time, Matsumura was already past the age of 70. He was the guard at Nan’en. I went there 5 or 6 times a month. I always trained with my brother Choshin, and another man named Tamagusuku, who was 1 or 2 years older than my brother. The main focus of the training was the kata Gojushiho, and I also learned Kusanku. It was about this time that my eyes were finally opened to Budo, and I practiced with fervor. I saw myself as a kind of fledgling warrior in training, and this became reflected in my body language and gait. This is an experience that I think everyone has when they are young and brash.
On the other hand, I also learned swordsmanship kata with a wooden sword from Matsumura. He learned Jigenryu swordsmanship from the famous sword master from Kagoshima, Ijuin.
At that time, in Naha, there was the karate expert Nagahama, and Higashionna was also becoming famous. In Shuri, besides Matsumura, there was also Master Itosu. Asato and Tawada were also known for their skills as students of Matsumura. The talk of the day was that Tawada was a bit stronger than Asato, but I do not know if it was true or not. In Goeku Palace, there was a strong man named Naga-kotaru. Just as his name suggests, he was quite tall. I do not know who his teacher was.
I entered the tutelage of Higashionna at age 22 or 23. I traveled 3 times a month. He had a firewood business on the beach (it has since been filled in and now is the site of a housing complex), across from Honganji Temple. Later, he began visiting our estate in Shuri to teach me. This lasted for a year. We practiced even on rainy and windy days. Practice started at 6:00 PM and lasted until 10:00 PM. Back then, unlike today, the only means of transportation was a palanquin. I recall being told that Higashionna always went home when there was nobody out and about on the streets.
From Higashionna, I learned the basics of Sanchin, and then learned Pechurin. Through this, I learned that to master the secrets of the martial arts, one must make the 4 limbs and train the spirit. There was probably some basis for this, but in those days, people called the arts of Matsumura Uchinadi, whereas the arts of Higaonna were called “Toudi.” Everyone also said that Matsumura was a “born warrior” and that Ishimine was good at kata. Matsumura was physically strong and fast, and had the temperament of a warrior of old. It was often said that “the Bushi respected the speed of the gods.” Higaonna Sensei admonished against “jissen,” saying that “if you’re going to (fight) then do it with me.” That, I believe, was his noble martial arts spirit. Of course, it goes without saying that jissen means actually participating in a confrontation with someone, or in plainer terms, fighting. In other words, actually applying the martial arts one has learned in against an actual opponent."
The red-light districts were the most popular places for young men to engage in jissen. Therefore, the three entertainment areas of Tsuji, Tochi and Nakashio were the three most popular places for the so-called kake-dameshi, or challenge fights, every night. There were countless pair of young men fighting each night. These were fights in which they would test their skills with their fists, which they had trained on the makiwara, and can be compared to the sword duels on mainland Japan. I have just recalled a story about Matsumura, so I will recount it now. When Matsumura was about 20, and working as the assistant to King Sho Ko, it is said that he faced a wild bull on the orders of the King, and dropped the animal with a single punch. However, I am unable to confirm nor deny the truth of this story. Not only was Matsumura a great martial artist, but also an accomplished calligrapher as well.
My brother also studied karate from a master named Oyadomari when he was about 13 or 14 years old. I am not sure of his lineage, but it is said that he was the same age as Itosu, which would make him younger than Ishimine.
I also learned horsemanship. I actually began riding at the age of 10, so this was the first martial art I experienced. From the age of 19 until I was 23, I studied under the famous horseman Makiya. We had a wooden horse on our property, and after I had learned the basic forms, I went to the riding grounds at Shikina to ride real horses, about six times a month. I sometimes rode all the way to Yomitan.
I never had the chance to learn archery. However, I do recall being told stories of the mounted archery contests held at the Shikina riding grounds, as a child. If I had learned archery I could have tried that. I regret never learning how to fire a bow and arrow. All this happened around the year 1887.
As a youngster, I was very obstinate, and had to do everything that anyone else did. As a result, I ended up trying many different things. In addition to the martial arts, I also tried my hand at calligraphy, painting, singing, the shamisen, Chinese medicine, etc. However, never really achieved very much even in these endeavors. In other words, I had too many desires. However, I do not regret trying these things at all, because I believe that these experiences all helped me to prepare my mind to meet challenges.
Yoshimura Jinzai (real name Yoshimura Chogi) was the son of Yoshimura Udun Chomei, who is said to have been responsible for gaining young Higashionna Kanryo passage on a ship to Fujian Province. Chogi is believed to have been Higashionna’s first student upon his return to Ryukyu.
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