was one of the best-known Masters of

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

Kobudo Matayoshi Kobudo. Born in 1888 in Naha-shi at Senburu, he studied the bo, eku,

kama ''Kama'' (Sanskrit ) means "desire, wish, longing" in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh literature.Monier Williamsकाम, kāmaMonier-Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, pp 271, see 3rd column Kama often connotes sensual pleasure, se ...

and sai under the direction of Master Shokuho Agena. He later studied the

tonfa The ''tonfa'' ( Okinawan: , lit. ''old man's staff'' / ''"crutch"''), also spelled as ''tongfa'' or ''tuifa'', also known as T-baton is a melee weapon with its origins in the armed component of Okinawan martial arts. It consists of a stic ...

and

nunchaku is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person w ...

with Master Irei. From 1911 until 1915 Matayoshi lived in Manchuria where he studied Chinese martial arts. In 1921 he gave a demonstration of his skills during Prince

Hirohito Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was ...

's visit to Okinawa. He later traveled to Shanghai, and returned to Okinawa around 1935 where he died in 1947. Shinko Matayoshi was succeeded as Soke (headmaster) of Matayoshi kobudo by his son, Shinpo Matayoshi (1921-1997).

External links

1888 births 1947 deaths Okinawan male karateka Okinawan kobudoka {{Japan-karate-bio-stub