Five of my favourite Karate related places in Okinawa

On my first trip to Okinawa in October 2012 my sensei took us on a long (when i say long, i mean almost an entire day) walk around Naha and Tomari to Karate related places. 

I had no idea how much this would influence my future. 

I remember hearing the story about the families in the Fukushuen Chinese gardens, sharing their fighting arts with the locals. Seeing Miyagi Chojun and Kanryo Higashionna's memorial in Matsuyama Park and finding Kosaku Matsumora's Memorial in the playground in Tomari. 

It was all so big and exciting and literally brought these stories and Karate to life for me. 
I was standing right where they had been, years ago. 

Little did my sensei or I realise that five years later it would have turned into such a quest, for the both of us.  

So having now found around 30 of the karate places in Okinawa, here i have chosen my favourite 5: 

1- Matsumora Kosaku's Secret Hiding Place

Kicking it off at number 1 is the secret hideout of Matsumora Kosaku. We discovered that this one existed in 2012 and have been searching for it ever since. 

Not many people know where it is, or will share the location anyway! 

We found it just a couple of months ago, so essentially had almost a five year search for this one. 

It's my favourite because of the journey to finding it, but also the beauty of the location. 

It is where Bushi Matsumora retreated to after an altercation with a Japanese satsuma warrior.
The story says that he used just a towel to disarm the enemy of his sword, having done this (and lost a finger in the process) he had to escape and dissapeared into the hills of Nago for safety.  
According to my sensei (who is a direct student of Nagamine Shoshin Sensei) he stayed there for over 10 years.
The local villagers admired what he had done and so kept his location a secret.

After it was safe and he returned to Naha the people of Nago erected the pillar at the location of his former hideaway house.
the pillar was moved to the opposite side of the road on the 24th February 1980 and once a year the local people clean the site.

Probably in the remotest location on Okinawa that i have been to, and maybe even the most beautiful too. 

We could not have done this without the help of my Japanese language sensei and a Dojo Kohai. 

It really was a very good hiding place. 

2- The 'Chanan' Cave

With a variety of names including the Chinto Cave, Channan Cave, Annan Cave and simply Old Cave, there seems to be an interesting history mystery to this one.

I’ll go with the stories I've heard so far while trying to stay impartial.

According to Okinawan legend this is the cave in Tomari where a shipwrecked man from China took refuge. They say he was named ‘Anan’ or ‘Chanan’ and he began teaching people his art of fighting. People would visit his cave to learn from him, supposedly the Chinto Kata came from him (and possibly the Pinan kata too).

I love this one because it was the first place i found by myself when i just arrived here. it took me about three attempts to find it, i was so excited when i did.

Then just recently did we go back and rediscover that there is SO much more than meets the eye with this one.

3- The Memorial for Kyan Chotoku

Kyan Chotoku (1870-1945) studied under Sokon Matsumura Sensei and was known for being small, slim and not in the best of health but also having poor eyesight which is probably why he had the nickname ‘chan migwa’ (small eyed boy).

Kyan participated in the 1936 meeting of Okinawan Masters where it was decided that the ‘art’ that had many different names, should be called ‘Karate’ meaning empty hands. This is the reason why now October 25th is ‘Karate Day’ in Okinawa and is celebrated by a whole host of events around the island.

Kyan’s memorial is based next to the Hija river (where he supposedly used to live).

I love this one because it was one of the hardest to find by ourselves, we knew it was near the Hija river and in a car park.

That was it.

We tried a couple of times and failed, now knowing we were way off area wise.

Then, Sensei and I used a bike and went up there searching together one afternoon, we walked around a lot of Kadena looking for it.

Then just as we were giving up we stumbled upon it.

Most definately a happy end to that day.

It's also along this river that i saw my first ever real life wild snake (Nishike Hebi) and discovered Yara Castle Ruins by mistake!

4-Matsumora Kosaku Roadside Memorial 

I didn't know that this one existed until just earlier this year. It seems silly as it has been under my nose the entire time that i have been here. 

Literally less than a ten minute walk from the Dojo Bar (where i spend a LOT of my time). 

I think that this one is super cool because it has a almost 3D aspect to it, with Matsumora doing the shuto uke. 

It also now makes Kosaku Matsumora the Bushi with the most Memorials and Site Markers dedicated to him in Okinawa (that we have found). 

It's very cool as he is a big influence in the Matsubayashi Ryu linage and it seems he also had a profound influence on the people of Okinawa. 

So much so that they wanted to remember him, with not just one memorial but three hence i think they also wanted us to remember him too. 

5- Shinjo Heitaro Sensei's Memorial 

Matsuda Sensei is my Sanshin Teacher. 

Shinjo Heitaro Sensei is his teacher. 

Shinjo Heitaro was taught by Kyan Chotoku. 

The first time that i saw this one was with James and Chris when we went for a walk around cape Zanpa. We took the long, scenic route. 

I then took Steve Sensei back along the same scenic route when we went to see it together. Sorry about that! 

Matsuda Sensei wrote the song that is inscribed on the back of it. 

(I'm saying it's a song, because he sang it to me last time i asked about it, but he can turn literally anything into a song, so i can't be sure)

I love this one because of the beauty of it's location, based on the edge of the Zanpa cliffs the views surrounding this one are stunning. 
Also, speaking about him gives Matsuda sensei sparkly eyes. To have someone speak about you with such admiration must have made him a great sensei. 

Plus, if i go to see this, then usually i get to see Habu sensei too and that always makes me happy.