Notes on the Meaning of Okinawan Karate

By Dan Smith, Sensei

[The following is an excerpt from an email posting on the CyberDojo news list, circa 2002.]

...In closing I would like to share with the members of the list and those who want to follow the way of Okinawan karate one story and one piece of advice.

The advice: My friend, Tomoyose Ryuko, a living cultural treasure of Okinawa and life-long practitioner of Uechi Ryu and a member of a family that has followed the Uechi family for three generations, gave me a calligraphy writing that contains the secret of Okinawan karate. I cannot read Japanese and the calligraphy writing is on a six foot scroll. Tomoyose sensei presented this to me on Okinawa and said this is the real secret of Okinawan karate. The writing states, “The real secret to Okinawan karate is in the effort.” Karate is self-defense first and foremost against ourselves. I cannot understand how anyone could use the "way" of Okinawan karate to prepare themselves to go out and pick fights as this is certainly not the way of defeating yourself.

The story: A man was a serious, hard working student of karate for five years. He left the dojo one night and on the way home he was attacked by surprise by a would-be robber. The karate student was able to defend himself and defeated the robber with several blows even though he received some strikes to his head. The next night at the dojo he proudly told the story of how he had defeated the robber and demonstrated the techniques that he used.

Five years later the same karate man was walking home after training and he was attacked by a robber. As the man jumped from hiding the karate man was able to move out of the way and then engaged the robber in a fight. The karate man won, only receiving a small cut under his eye. The next night he went to the dojo and proudly showed his injury that was a badge of his ability to fight and win.

Five years later the same karate man was walking home after training and a robber attacked. This time he was able to move out of the way and unbalance his attacker and place his fist against the attacker who begged for mercy. The next day the karate man went to the dojo and told of how his karate had now reached the level of when attacked he could subdue his opponent without injury to either person.

Five years later the same karate man is walking home after training and a robber is in the dark ready to jump him. The karate man slows and turns to the would-be robber and says, “Why do you want to attack me? If you need money please take this and go in peace.”

This story has been told in many different ways by many different teachers on Okinawa. The moral of the story is that when you have mastered the way of Okinawan karate you will have reached a point to where conflict can be avoided.

What is Okinawan karate? Self defense against anything that could hurt you, including yourself.