1 Kozo Kuniba: A Living Link to Budo History James Herndon In busy, modern times we often do not pause to ponder the importance of the events and people that have shaped our lives. This is true in all walks of life; it certainly has no exception in the case of the martial arts of Japan (Budo). All too often, we forget just how we got where we are, who went before us, and who made it all possible. History is a reflective activity; we look back when necessity demands or luxury allows. What we see is usually a story soon forgotten unless kept alive by those who cherish its value. In this article, we will consider the life and lineage of a person who embodies the bloodline and holds the repository of knowledge unique to one style of martial arts – Motobu-ha Shito-ryu Karate-do. That person is Kozo Kuniba. KUNIBA Kozo (Photo on web site www.kunibakai.org)
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Kozo Kuniba:A Living Link to Budo History
James Herndon
In busy, modern times we often do not pause to ponder the importance of the
events and people that have shaped our lives. This is true in all walks of life; it certainly
has no exception in the case of the martial arts of Japan (Budo). All too often, we forget
just how we got where we are, who went before us, and who made it all possible. History
is a reflective activity; we look back when necessity demands or luxury allows. What we
see is usually a story soon forgotten unless kept alive by those who cherish its value. In
this article, we will consider the life and lineage of a person who embodies the bloodline
and holds the repository of knowledge unique to one style of martial arts – Motobu-ha
Shito-ryu Karate-do. That person is Kozo Kuniba.
KUNIBA Kozo(Photo on web site www.kunibakai.org)
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The Beginnings
Let’s begin this story with a couple of legendary figures. In the early part of the
19th Century (using the Western calendar), there was a famed Tode (Karate) teacher in
Okinawa named Anko Itosu (1831-1915). Some historians actually consider him the
true father of Karate, as opposed to Gichin Funakoshi, because it was Itosu who
introduced Kata into Okinawan schools long before Funakoshi did likewise in the
Japanese school system. Be that as it may, Itosu taught many individuals who would go
on to become teachers of other great teachers. One of Itosu’s most renowned students
was Choki Motobu (1870-1944). Motobu developed a reputation (justified or not) as a
street fighter, someone who never walked away from a challenge. During his day, it was
not uncommon for someone to enter a Dojo and challenge the teacher. That’s how styles
were tested. Over time, Motobu refined his fighting (Kumite) style based upon what
worked and what didn’t. It was to be known in years to come as Ryukyu Karate Motobu-
ha.
MOTOBU Choki Sensei(Photo hanging in Seishin-Kai Dojo, Osaka)
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A junior student of Itosu (for only a year or less) who went on to follow Motobu
was Kosei Kokuba (1900-1959). Kokuba began training at age 14; but, Itosu died a year
later at the advanced age of 84. It is fair to say then, by that time, Motobu was more a
teacher of Kokuba than was Itosu. Nevertheless, it was Itosu’s influence being passed
along.
KOKUBA Kosei Sensei(Photo hanging in Seishin-Kai Dojo, Osaka)
History has done a number on Kosei Kokuba’s name, literally. The Okinawan
family name KOKU BA can be read in Japanese as KUNI BA (Country Place). But, for
most of his life, Kosei went by the older pronunciation. However, when he moved to
Japan during the mid 1920s, people there would see and say his name as Kuniba. So,
Kosei Kokuba and Kosei Kuniba were one and the same. But, it gets even more
confusing from an historical perspective. Kosei can also be translated as Yukimori. Thus,
Kosei Kokuba can be read as Yukimori Kuniba. Because of this confusion, one source
erroneously lists Kosei Kokuba as the father of Yukimori Kuniba! And, one more
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wrinkle that has confounded some researchers: Kosei took a nickname – “Shogo” – that
meant brave warrior. But, as we’ll see, he wasn’t the only Shogo Kuniba.
Kosei Kuniba was married to a woman who could not bear children. However, he
had an older brother who was blessed with many children. One of those children was
Kosho Kuniba, born in 1935 in Fujiyoshida-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.. As was
not uncommon in those days, children of large families were sent to live with relatives
who had smaller and/or no families. Kosho Kuniba was sent to Osaka from his birthplace
near Tokyo to live with his uncle Kosei. In time, Kosei was considered his father (his
real/biological father died shortly after WW II). So, from 1940 onward, young Kosho
grew up and trained under the tutelage of his uncle/adoptive father as the only son of a
noted Osaka Karate teacher. Now, the teachings of Itosu – Motobu – Kokuba had an heir.
By 1946, Kosei Kuniba had firmly established the Seishin-kan Dojo in Nishinari-ku; in
time this single Dojo grew into Seishin-kai, with 57 Dojo in Japan and dozens more
around the world. When Kosei Kuniba died in 1959, young Kosho was recognized as the
next (actually, third or San-dai) family head (Soke) of Ryukyu Karate Motobu-ha.
Kosho Kuniba & Kosei Kokuba(photo from Kuniba archives)
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Formative Years
Kosho Kuniba was a rare individual, in the martial arts sense. Being brought up
by a noted Karate instructor who had taken the mantle of Motobu-ha from Motobu
himself, the life of young Kosho was carefully choreographed so as to expose him to a
variety of masters and prepare him to become the next Soke in line. Thus, he learned not
only from Kokuba (his uncle/adoptive father), he also learned from other visiting
instructors who passed through the Seishin-kan Dojo. Chief among them was Kenwa
Mabuni (1889-1952), a peer and friend of Kosei Kokuba. While young Kosho received
some instruction from Mabuni, most of his Shito-Ryu techniques came from Ryusei
Tomoyori (1909-1977), a direct follower of Mabuni and founder of Kenyu-ryu. By the
mid 1950s, Kosho Kuniba had also traveled to Okinawa to learn Shorin-ryu from
Shoshin Nagamine (1907-1997) and had acquired Kobudo skills from Shinken Taira
(1897-1970), Mugai-ryu Iaido technique from Ishii Gogetsu (dates unknown), and
Aikido knowledge from Gozo Shioda (1915-1994). Other influences included Kenko
Nakaima (1911-1989) of Ryuei-ryu and Judo acquired from Asakichi Ito (dates
unknown). Truly, Kosho Kuniba was a well-rounded martial artist. Based upon
information gained from several interviews, it can be firmly stated that Kosho Kuniba
founded Motobu-ha Shito-ryu Karate-do by blending the teachings of his father (the
Motobu legacy) with the teachings of the Mabuni line of Shito-ryu. In so doing, he
became the first (Sho-dai) Soke of that new style.
In the early 1960s, Kosho Kuniba (who had by then become known as the second
“Shogo” Kuniba) was teaching at the old Hombu Dojo in Osaka, and had tentacle classes
on nearby military bases (e.g., Camp Zama) and at Osaka Prefectural University. Many
of the Seishin-kai future leaders were being groomed during that time; among the names -
James Herndon was a student, follower and friend of Shogo Kuniba from 1971until 1992, when Shogo Kuniba passed away. Herndon served as the Seishin-kai USAHonbucho from 1980-1982 and his Chesapeake, VA dojo, Kensei-Kan, became theHombu Bunkan when a new hombu dojo was opened in Portsmouth, VA. Today,Herndon serves as the Information Director for Kuniba Kai International.