Legend Mirror

Tode Sakugawa (1733-1815) became a prominent figure in Okinawan Martial Arts. In fact, he is considered to be the first true teacher of Okinawan Karate. Sakugawa's martial art was a mixture of Shuri-Te and Chinese Kenpo. In 1756, Sakugawa became a student of the Chinese military envoy Kusanku (also Kushanku). Kusanku was a highly skilled Kenpo master and famous for his fighting ability. Kusanku did many things which influenced Shuri-Te's and ultimately Shotokans development. He brought some of his students from China to Okinawa and they spread the Chinese style on Okinawa. In addition, it is reported that Kusanku introduced a maneuver whereby the closed fist was held in a chambered or ready position along the side of the torso (hikite)and then from this position a punch was thrown, corkscrewing it in karate fashion, toward the intended target. Kusanku is also credited with the introduction of a type of kumite or sparring to Okinawan karate. This kumite was referred to as Kumiai Jutsu or fighting technique.

Karate did not emerge from secret practice in Okinawa until around 1901 when Shintaro Ogawa the then commissioner of schools for Kagoshima Prefecture after seeing a demonstration of karate made it part of the curriculum of middle and normal schools. This was the launching point in its popularization but for us to understand it fully requires we go before 1901 to the time of Tode Sakugawa born 1733 in his dual role was sent to China to represent the Okinawan Government and to Study Martial arts. Legend has it that he got a ride on a tribute ship to China as the Ship approached Fuzhou harbor it was boarded by Pirates. While in a legend has it that Sukugawa single handedly defeated the pirates he was thrown off the ship during the battle and up scooped up with the pirates by what was a shore patrol and spend some time in prison until he learned enough Chinese to clear himself.
 
On his return to Okinawa Sakugawa created what was then a new kata to honor his Chinese teacher Kong Su Kung that kata forms basis for our kata Kanku dai and Kanku sho. He also was the creator of the Bo Kata, Sakugawa no kon.
 
Sakugawa was the head of security at Shuri Castle for most of his life, he was the originator of the Dojo training system but what he is most known for is being the first teacher of Soken Matsumura.