THE UPDATED HISTORY OF BUTOKUKAN KARATE

To properly trace the roots of our style, we must first go far back into history, back to the origins of the Asian martial arts in China. The Chinese martial arts (Wu Shu) first appeared during the Shang Dynasty (1700 B.C. to 1100 B.C.), and in following centuries, the indigenous fighting art became mixed with those of her neighbours (such as Tibet) and with those of people who later conquered China (the Manchus, and the Mongols). There was also a significant influence of the Indian martial arts which were brought over with Buddhism in the First Century A.D.

In the 6th Century A.D., the monk Ta Mo (Bodhidharma) went to the Shaolin Monastery and founded the first Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist temple in China. The intensive meditation required in Zen was too much for many of the monks and they often fell asleep. Thus Bodhidharma introduced special exercises which were both physically vigorous and effective for Self Defence. The practice of these exercises helped the monks with their concentration and in defending themselves against bandits (and later in defending the temple against troops during the government suppression of Buddhism which took place after the fall of the Tang Dynasty). The martial forms practiced by the monks became known as Wai Chia (the 'external form' (or hard style) of Kung Fu, which is contrasted to 'internal forms' (soft style) like Tai Chi Chuan) and became the basis of many of the martial arts later practiced in Okinawa and Korea.

Before the 15th Century A.D., Okinawa (the Ryu Kyu Islands) was independent of Japan, with a distinct language, culture and was made up of three kingdoms (Hokuzan, Chuzan, and Nanzan). In the 14th Century, Okinawa became a Chinese tributary and in 1392, a group of Chinese immigrants (later known as the "36 Families") moved to Okinawa from Fukien province. Many of the members of this group were Chuan Fa (Kung Fu) masters who taught their art to Okinawans. In 1429, the King of Chuzan, Sho Hashi, conquered his two neighbours and banned all weapons on the island. He also opened trade with South East Asia. As a result, Okinawans were now exposed to the Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai martial arts. His grandson, Sho Shin, reimposed the ban in 1477. In 1599, a Chinese embassy was built in the capitol, Naha, and Chinese military officials were sent to Okinawa. One of these generals was named Kuzauku, and he taught the Okinawans the kata we practice today.

In 1609, the Samurai of Kagoshima invaded Okinawa. As a result of the crisis, the population was re-armed, however, in the end, the Japanese were victorious and the weapons ban was imposed for a third time. The Samurai of Kagoshima were very brutal (and they could legally "test their swords" on any peasant they wanted). Thus, the Okinawan peasants needed a way to defend themselves. The farmers secretly developed their unarmed fighting arts, and ways to use their farming implements as weapons (such as Nunchaku, Sai, Kama, Bo, and Tonfa). The farmers also conditioned their hands and feet so that they could break through the wooden armour of the Samurai and kill him with one strike (Iken Hisatsu).

Before the arrival of the Chinese arts, the Okinawans had their own indigenous martial art, known as Tode. In the decades that followed, Tode and Chinese Chuan Fa were synthesized into a system known as Te (which means "hand"). In time, distinct styles developed, notably Naha-Te (the predecessor to Goju-Ryu), Shuri-Te (an earlier form of Shoria Ryu) and Tomari-Te (now known as Shorei Ryu).

In the late 1800's, the name Karate (meaning "Chinese hand") also appeared. During this period, there were two great masters in Okinawa: Kanryo Higashionna (a master of Naha-Te) and Yatsusune "Anko" Itosu (a master of Shuri-Te). One of Itosu's students was a scholar named Gichin Funakoshi. Funakoshi organized the first public demonstration of Karate in Okinawa, which took place in 1906, and in 1917, he was invited by Dr. Jigoro Kano to demonstrate his art at the Butokukai military arts college in Kyoto (also known as the Butokuden). Funakoshi is thus known as the "Father of Japanese Karate". He later formed the Shotokan Karate system and popularized a new way of writing Karate, which meant "empty hand".

During this period, ultra-nationalism was peaking in Japan and to give credit to China was not in the best interest of the fledgling martial art. In 1922, other masters from Okinawa were invited to demonstrate at the Butokukai, such as: Chojun Miyagi (founder of Goju-Ryu), Choki Motobu (who contributed to the creation of Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate), and Kenwa Mabuni. Mabuni was an Okinawan police officer who had studied under both Higashionna and Itosu. In 1929, he settled in the Osaka area and founded the Shito-Ryu system (taking the "Shi" from Higashionna, and the "To" from Itosu). His students taught Karate to a Korean named Yon Pon Gun, who had previously studied the Korean martial arts.

The Korean martial arts probably first appeared during the Koguryo Dynasty (founded in 37 B.C.). During the Han Dynasty, the Chinese invaded Northern Korea, and colonized it. As a result, the Koreans were exposed to the Northern styles of Chuan Fa (noted for their strong kicks). The Korean martial arts developed greatly during the Silla Dynasty (668 to 935 A.D.), when the nobility actively studied and developed Hwarang-Do as a fighting art. With their martial skill, the warriors of Silla were able to unify Korea through conquest. After the decline of the Silla Dynasty, the Korean martial arts were still actively studied but the name was changed to Subak. The name Tae Kwon Do was not adopted until 1955 (soon afterward the name Tang Soo Do also appeared).

In 1942, Yoichi Nakachi (then aged 10) began studying with Yon Pon Gun. In 1945, the American Occupational Government (SCAP) outlawed the practice of the martial arts to dispel the militaristic attitude of the Japanese people. However, the practice of Shinpuren continued in secret until the ban was lifted in 1948. In 1950, the Koreans left Kushimoto and closed down their operation. Since Master Nakachi had run some of the work-outs for Yon Pon Gun, he became the head instructor.

At first, Master Nakachi wanted to teach Judo at the YMCA but he found more people were interested in Karate, so he taught that instead. He was also invited to teach on campus at Olympic College.His schedule had become quite hectic since he was teaching four times a week at Olympic College as well as his Seattle classes. During this period Robert Hill, born 1942, began studying Karate and in June 1963 he received his Shodan.

Soon afterward he was transferred to Boston, Massachusetts for nine months.While Master Hill was on the East Coast Master Nakachi decided to change the Kata, crest and the name of his Karate system. The new name was Butokukan meaning Training Hall of the Virtues of the Martial Arts. It was softer, faster and more Kenpo-oriented than its predecessor. The name was derived from the Butokukai military arts college in Kyoto. Thus upon returning to Bremerton Master Hill had to relearn all of his Kata.In 1963 Master Nakachi quit his classes at Olympic College and began working as a bouncer at three taverns simultaneously. In April 1965 Master Nakachi organized the first open tournament held in the Pacific Northwest. In May 1965 Master Nakachi had to return to Japan due to a visa violation. Upon returning to Kushimoto Nakachi learned that the students of Shinpuren had given up training years earlier so he had to start over. Once again training was held outdoors.

Soon afterward he learned that there was a small group of Wado-Ryu stylists also training outdoors near Kushimoto. Their instructor was travelling 40 miles by train to teach them so Master Nakachi offered to train them and in time they became regular Butokukan students. When the regional Wado-Ryu head instructor came to check on his students he found them doing Butokukan and demanded they return to his system. The students chose to stay with Butokukan. During this period Master Nakachi also trained at Fujimoto Shihan’s Judo dojo. In late 1966 Master Nakachi moved to Tenri leaving 10 Shodan level students in Kushimoto. He taught there as well but in 1968 he moved to Osaka to work at an export firm. He got married there and opened a dojo in the attic of a store in the Sakai district. However he was plagued by vandalism. Martial art styles are very territorial in Japan’s big cities and being the new guy on the block his dojo windows were broken many times at night by rival karate practitioners. This repeated vandalism was very expensive so he moved his classes to the warehouse of a department store a few blocks away from the storefront dojo. In 1970 or 1971 Master Nakachi moved to Tokyo where he lives today. He currently teaches swimming full time and is a swimming coach.