Biography of Sensei Chotoku Kyan

Sensei Chotoku Kyan was born in 1870 to a very wealthy family in Shuri, Okinawa, the cradle of Karate. At the tender age of five he was taught the empty hand art of self-defense from his father, Chofu Kyan, and his grandfather. Every morning Kyan was required to perform specific exercises by his grandfather, who had a very discerning eye and required perfection. Being born in a rich family he was able to devote all of his time studying the martial arts and was sent to the best available Okinawan Karate teachers.

In those days a Karate Sensei had only three or four Kata. Therefore, Sensei Kyan went to six teachers in hope of getting a well-rounded view of the art. Kyan's father was an official of the King. Because of this Kyan was able to gain instruction from the great Sensei of Okinawa. Sokon Matsumura of Shuri was at that time the Karate Teacher to the King. Matsumura taught Sensei Kyan the Katas Seisan and Gojushiho. Kyan learned the most from Matsumora, a Shorin-Ryu Sensei in Tomari (a village on Okinawa), including Kata Chinto. Another great teacher from Tomari was Pechin Maeda. Kyan studied quite awhile under Sensei Maeda and learned Kata Wansu from him. He learned Kata Passai under Pechin Oyadomari Kokan of Tomari. Pechin was a title, given to someone in employment of the King. The next teacher Kyan studied under was the small 4 feet 10 inches tall Yara from the village of Chatan, a power packed dynamite of a man. Sensei Yara taught Kyan Kata Kusanku (sometimes known as "Yara no Kusanku"), the longest and most beautiful Kata. His last teacher was Tokumine who was reputed to be the best Bo (staff) man on Okinawa. Sensei Kyan traveled to the island of Yaiyama and studied the Weapon Bo and Bo-Kata Tokumine no Kun.

After completing his apprenticeship under the six famous Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Sensei, Kyan started to teach the art at his home. In the 1920's Kyan traveled to mainland Japan to promote the art. On his way back he visited Taiwan on a martial arts exchange tour for Okinawan and Chinese Martial Arts. Having a well-rounded knowledge of both arts Kyan invented his own Kata called Ananku. In the late 1920's Kyan moved to the village of Kadena due to personal and financial problems. There he taught a hand full of devoted students who were introduced by friends and city officials. One such student, Zenryo Shimabukuro of Chatan, was introduced by a school Head Sensei and accepted as a student. Zenryo Shimabukuro studied 10 years under the tutelage of Sensei Kyan until Kyan's death. Food was scarce during WWII and whatever food Sensei Kyan obtained he gave to the children. He felt it was his duty to take care of those who could not take care of themselves. In 1945, at the age of 75, Sensei Kyan passed away from hunger.