was a Japanese martial arts expert, holder of the 10th Dan.

Personal history

Kenei Mabuni was born in Shuri, Okinawa. As the son of Kenwa Mabuni, the founder of the Shitō-ryū and one of the most important

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...

experts in the history of the martial arts, he was in touch with karate and some of its greatest masters such as Miyagi Chojun,

Funakoshi Gichin was a japanese martial artist who is regarded as the founder of Shotakan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is known as a "father of modern karate". Following the teachings of Anko Itosu and Anko Asato,Funakoshi, Gichi ...

, and Motobu Chōki from childhood. Besides his karate practice he also studied several other martial arts such as aikidō, kendō, Okinawan kobudō, jujutsu,

jûdô is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...

, and ninjutsu. At the age of 34 he became the head of Shitō-ryū. In particular, Mabuni Kenei emphasized the importance of the spiritual contents and values of karatedō. Without generally refusing sport-oriented karate he supported a clear distinction between traditional karatedō and sport karate. Among his achievements is the completion of the

kata ''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practised ...

Shimpā that his father had created but not completed. This kata was inspired by the Uechi-ryū. He was the author of several books about the Shitō-ryū techniques and of one book about the historical roots and the spiritual basics of karate as budō art. On December 19, 2015, he died at the age of 97. Kenei Mabuni was succeeded by his son, Kenyu Mabuni, as the third Soke of Shito-Ryu. Kenyu was anointed the next Soke (successor) of the system in an inauguration ceremony held on February 28, 2016, in Osaka, continuing his father’s and his grandfather’s work which is the spread of the original Shito ryu Karate do worldwide.

Publications

* *

References

* Gabrielle & Roland Habersetzer, Encyclopédie des arts martiaux de l'Extrême-Orient, Ed. Amphora, Paris, 2004.

External links

British Karate-Do Shito-KaiCanadian & International Shito-Ryu Karate Resource Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenei, Mabuni 1918 births Okinawan male karateka People from Naha 2015 deaths Shitō-ryū practitioners