The History of Uechi Ryu karate Do.


On May 5, 1877, Master Kanbun Uechi was born in Izumi, a small fishing village in northern Okinawa, Japan. At the age of 19 he left Okinawa to go to China to avoid serving in the Japanese military which was at that time occupying Okinawa. In China, in the Fukien Province he learnt Pangainoon Kenpo from a Chinese Buddhist priest named Chou-Tzu-Ho, who had received his training in a Shaolin temple. Kanbun studied under Chou-Tzu-Ho for ten years and became a master of Pangainoon and eventually started up his own school in Nansou, where he taught for 3 years. Master Uechi taught the discipline to his son, Master Kanei Uechi. And eventually went back to Okinawa. Traveling with him was one of his students, Seiryu Shinjo. Shinjo went on to get his certification and become the head of his own dojo. Master Shinjo trained a young American GI named Norris. After his certification, Sensei Norris came back to the U.S. and moved to St.Louis. In St. Louis, he opened up a school and taught young men the art. Among these young men were Sensei Dave Conley and Sensei Kevin Worthy. Sensei Conley moved to Jefferson City, Missouri and taught the discipline to Sensei Jason Piggie. Sensei Piggie is currently teaching the style to students in Kansas City Missouri. I consider myself honored to be taught this time honored discipline under his tutelage.


Uechi Ryu is characterized by it's upright stance and low kicks. And it's a technique of fighting that is "half hard and half soft". It is derived from the Central Shaolin Temple in Southern China and it is a specialized method of self defense that concentrates on the use of the single-knuckle punch, called "Shukento Fist' and the pointed toe kick, called "Shomen Geri". Also, special emphasis is placed on the circular Crane chest block called the "Chudan Uke".