Hawaii Karate MuseumPhoto Archive

Preserving the history of Karate in Hawaii Hawaii Karate Museum (hikari.us) 488-5773

Kitaro Kawakami (left) and Kitatsu(“Kanshun”) Kawamae (right)demonstrate Karate during the visit toHawaii of Kentsu “Gunso” Yabu. Nuuanu,1927.

Kawakami was the husband of YoshikoKawakami, a well known koto instructor. He was the first Okinawan to graduatefrom a private high school in Hawaii. Kawamae returned to Okinawa before thewar and became the mayor of Yonashiro. He was also an Okinawan Sumochampion.

Photo donated by the family of KitaroKawakami.

Bottom, right: Kentsu “Gunso” Yabu(seated), at the home of Dr. RyoonUesato (standing, left), in Waipahu. Yabuarrived in Hawaii in March, 1927 andremained until the end of the year.

He was the senior student of Anko Itosu,and helped to establish Karate in theOkinawan school curriculum. Yabuserved with distinction and became anofficer in the Japanese Army.

Photo donated by the family of Dr. RyoonUesato.

Bottom, left: A farewell gathering for Kentsu (“Gunso”) Yabu. Nuuanu, December26, 1927. Back row: Koto Shiroma, Shingi Higa, Saburo Teruya, Kamezo Uyehara,Sadao Arakaki, Ryosonkin Nakama, and Taro Azama. Front row: Kyusei Kiyabu,Kitatsu (Kanshun) Kawamae, Kentsu Yabu, Kitaro Kawakami, and Sadao Asato.

Photo donated by the families of Sadao Arakaki and Koto Shiroma.

Karate-No.com Karate students say no! to drug and alcohol abuse!

Kitaro Kawakami (left) and Kitatsu(“Kanshun”) Kawamae (right)demonstrate Karate during the visit toHawaii of Kentsu “Gunso” Yabu. Nuuanu, 1927.

The two had learned Karate from Yabubefore coming to Hawaii. Theydemonstrate techniques that arecharacteristic of the Shorin-Ryu form ofKarate from the Shuri area of Okinawa.

This and the earlier photo appeared in1927 in the Hawaii Hochi and the NippuJiji. They were re-discovered onlyrecently in the collection of Mr.Kawakami’s daughter.

Photo donated by the family of KitaroKawakami.

Kitatsu “Kanshun” Kawamae (center)and Koto Shiroma (right) lead childrenin Karate practice in the backyard ofDr. Uehara. Waipahu, 1927. Thiswas during the visit to Hawaii ofKentsu Yabu. The group gave ademonstra-tion at the Nuuanu YMCA.

Photo donated by the family of KotoShiroma.

Do you have any old Karate photographs, articles, books, orweapons? Was your relative a Karate instructor or student beforeWorld War II? Please help us to preserve Karate’s history at the:

Hawaii Karate Museum (hikari.us). Please call 488-5773.

Preserving the history of Karate in Hawaii Hawaii Karate Museum (hikari.us) 488-5773

Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro, Taro Azama,Kamesuke Higashionna, and SeishinUehara; founding members of the HawaiiKarate Seinenkai (seinenkai.com). Theorganization was formed during the visitof Mizuho Mutsu (from Tokyo ImperialUniversity). Kalihi, 1933.

The Seinenkai gave an early demonstra-tion at the old Jikoen Temple, and latergave another at the old Civic Auditoriumthat was attended by over 1200 people.

Mutsu and Higashionna originally studiedunder Gichin Funakoshi. They laterstudied under Choki Motobu.

Photo donated by the families of SeishinUehara and Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro.

Second row, left: Thomas ShigeruMiyashiro (right) learns Karate from hisfirst Sensei, Mr. Kuniyoshi (left). Kapiolani Park, about 1930.

Photo donated by the family of ThomasShigeru Miyashiro.

Right: Kamesuke Higashionna, of ToyoUniversity, demonstrates the breaking ofroofing tiles. About 1930.

Photo donated by Kiyoshi Kiyabu.

Bottom row, left: Choki Motobu (“MotobuNo Saru”). About 1930. Motobu visitedHawaii in 1932, but due to visa problems,was detained and had to return to Japanafter one month.

Photo donated by the family of ThomasShigeru Miyashiro.

Right: Karate expert, Seishin Uehara,referees a match at the first OkinawanSumo tournament held after WWII. Grounds of the Japanese Consulate. Nuuanu, July 18, 1948.

Photo donated by the family of SeishinUehara.

Karate-No.com Karate students say no! to drug and alcohol abuse!

Top: A gathering for Chojun Miyagi,founder of the Goju-Ryu form of Karate. Waipahu Hongwanji, July 29, 1934. Thebaby boy in the front row is Bishop ChikaiYosemori, who sits next to his father,Reverend Chiro Yosemori.

Photo courtesy of the family of Dr. RyoonUesato (front row, white suit).

Second row, left: Chinyei Kinjo (editor of the Yoen Jiho Sha), Seichu Yamashiro,and Seisho Tokunaga. Chojun Miyagi isseated.

Photo donated by the family of ChinyeiKinjo.

Right: Mitsugi Kobayashi (left) learnsKarate from his Sensei, Seko Higa.Okinawa, 1950's.

Photo courtesy of Mitsugi Kobayashi.

Third Row,left: Kenneth Murakami(right), with his Sensei, Kanki Izumigawa(left). Japan, 1950's.

Photo courtesy of the family of KennethMurakami.

Right: Tomu Arakawa demonstrates theuse of an ieku (oar) kata at the KotohiraJinsha Temple.

Photo courtesy of Alan Lee.

Bottom row, left: Henry Fujita (front row,far left) and Tomu Arakawa (far right),with students at the Kotohira JinshaTemple.

Photo courtesy of Alan Lee.

Right: Mitsugi Kobayashi (back row, right)with his Sensei, Seko Higa (front row,right), att he home of Choshin Chibana,(seated, left). Okinawa, 1950's.

Photo courtesy of Mitsugi Kobayashi.