Shinken Taira
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
martial artist, born as in 1897 on Kume island in the Ryūkyū archipelago.
as a child (not an uncommon practice in old Japan). In his early life he took on his mother's maiden name of Taira. Taira worked in the sulfur
mines in Minamijima. He suffered a badly broken leg when he was trapped in a mine shaft collapse, which caused permanent damage to his leg.
to find work, he was introduced to Gichin Funakoshi
, a fellow Okinawan and karate
instructor. In 1929, Taira began his studies of Ryūkyū kobudo under Moden Yabiku. In 1934, Taira became deshi of Mabuni.
In 1932 after studying kobudo for three years and karate for 10 years, he received permission from his masters to open his own dojo. Taira began to teach karate and kobudo in the springs resort town of Ikaho, Gunma Prefecture.
In 1940 Taira opened a kobudo
dojo
in Naha, Okinawa. He also opened dojo in Kantō
and Kansai
, two major districts of central Japan.
as a continuation of Moden Yabiku's Ryukyu Kobujutsu Society.
Taira was in 1960 Shihan
for the Nihon Kobudo Kenkyujo and in 1963 vice-President of the International Karate Kobudo Federation. On July 1, 1964, he was promoted to Hanshi by the Japan Kobudo Federation. He was the first president of the Ryukyu Kobudo Preservation and Promotion Society(July 1970).
After his death in September 1970, Taira was succeeded in Ryūkyū Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai in Okinawa by Eisuke Akamine and in mainland Japan by Inoue Motokatsu.
Taira created the nunchaku kata taught in Ryukyu kobudo 'Taira no Nunchaku'.
Taira is credited with composing Maezato no Tekko, a kata using metal horse stirrups. The name Maezato relates to his birth name. He continued his studies in kobudo cataloging over 40 traditional weapons kata from around Okinawa.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
martial artist, born as in 1897 on Kume island in the Ryūkyū archipelago.
Early life
He was the second son in a family of three boys and one girl. He was given up for adoptionAdoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
as a child (not an uncommon practice in old Japan). In his early life he took on his mother's maiden name of Taira. Taira worked in the sulfur
Sulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
mines in Minamijima. He suffered a badly broken leg when he was trapped in a mine shaft collapse, which caused permanent damage to his leg.
Karate
In 1922, after traveling to TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
to find work, he was introduced to Gichin Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi
was the creator of Shotokan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is attributed as being the 'father of modern karate.' Following the teachings of Anko Itosu, he was one of the Okinawan karate masters who introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921...
, a fellow Okinawan and karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
instructor. In 1929, Taira began his studies of Ryūkyū kobudo under Moden Yabiku. In 1934, Taira became deshi of Mabuni.
In 1932 after studying kobudo for three years and karate for 10 years, he received permission from his masters to open his own dojo. Taira began to teach karate and kobudo in the springs resort town of Ikaho, Gunma Prefecture.
In 1940 Taira opened a kobudo
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...
dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
in Naha, Okinawa. He also opened dojo in Kantō
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
and Kansai
Kansai
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
, two major districts of central Japan.
Taira's legacy
In the post-war era, even in Okinawa, the number of kobudo students was much lower than the number of karate students. To reviatalize Okinawan kobudo study, in 1955 he established the Ryūkyū Kobudo Hozon ShinkokaiRyukyu Kobudo
Ryukyu Kobudo is the branch of Okinawan Kobudo developed and systemized by Taira Shinken under the association.Ryukyu Kobudo uses the following weapons: Bō, Sai, Eku, Kama, Tinbe-Rochin, Tekko, Nunchaku and Tonfa.-Ryūkyū Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai:...
as a continuation of Moden Yabiku's Ryukyu Kobujutsu Society.
Taira was in 1960 Shihan
Shihan
- Title of "Master" is a Japanese Honorific Title, Expert License Certification used in Japanese martial arts for Master Level Instructors. The award of the Expert License Certification is if designated by the qualification by virtue of endorsement by the [A] Association of Chief Instructors or [B]...
for the Nihon Kobudo Kenkyujo and in 1963 vice-President of the International Karate Kobudo Federation. On July 1, 1964, he was promoted to Hanshi by the Japan Kobudo Federation. He was the first president of the Ryukyu Kobudo Preservation and Promotion Society(July 1970).
After his death in September 1970, Taira was succeeded in Ryūkyū Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai in Okinawa by Eisuke Akamine and in mainland Japan by Inoue Motokatsu.
Taira created the nunchaku kata taught in Ryukyu kobudo 'Taira no Nunchaku'.
Taira is credited with composing Maezato no Tekko, a kata using metal horse stirrups. The name Maezato relates to his birth name. He continued his studies in kobudo cataloging over 40 traditional weapons kata from around Okinawa.