Shuri Tomari-te lineage the "Kensei Kyan Chotoku Sensei Monument"

A monument honoring the achievements of Kyan Chotoku, one of the great figures who laid the foundations of Okinawa Karate, can be found quietly situated in the valley at the foot of the Higa River in Kadena Town, located in the central part of Okinawa Island.
Kyan Chotoku was born in 1870 (Meiji 3) in Gibo Village, Shuri (present-day Shuri Gibo Town, Naha City).
His father, Kyan Chofu, was an influential figure who served as a high-ranking official in the Royal Government during the period of the Ryukyu Disposition, as well as a military man who received guidance from Matsumura Sokon, the founder of Shuri-te. The young Chotoku began his karate training from his father at the early age of six.
Chofu served the last king of Ryukyu, Sho Tai, during his detention in Tokyo, and he brought his son to Tokyo, where he lived for nine years from the age of 12. At Nissho Gakusha (present-day Nisshō Gakusha University), and studied Chinese classics under Mishima Chushu. During his time in Tokyo, he made several trips back and forth to Okinawa, where he received karate training from his father's masters, Matsumora Sokon of Shuri-te and Oyadomari Kokan of Tomari-te. After returning to Okinawa at the age of 26, he trained under Matsumora Kosaku, a renowned master of Tomari-te, along with fellow masters such as Oyadomari Kokan and Maeda Pechin, mastering both Shuri-te and Tomari-te, which allowed him to gain a deep understanding of the characteristics of each style and develop his own unique approach.
From around 1910, he provided instruction at the Okinawa Prefectural Agricultural School and Kadena Police Station, and in 1924, he participated in the "Tu-Di Grand Demonstration Championship" held at the Taisho Theater in Naha. In 1930, he opened a dojo in Hija Bridge, Yomitan Village, and worked hard to train many students. In 1937, he also participated in the decision of the "12 Basic Kata of Karate-do", and contributed to the systematization of karate. Despite his small, thin physique, his abilities were widely recognized, and he is remembered for his many heroic tales under the nickname "Chanmi Gwa." From his school came renowned karate masters who later went on to establish their own styles, including Shimabukuro Zenryo of the Shorin-Ryu, Nakazato Joen of the Shorinji-Ryu, and Nagamine Shoshin of the Matsubayashi-Ryu.
This monument conveys the spirit and techniques of Kyan Chotoku, who contributed to the development of Okinawa Karate to this day, and serves as a spiritual anchor for those who learn karate.
Visitors to the monument can reflect on the history of karate and come into contact with its spirituality.
The karate tradition that Chotoku established is still being passed down by many people today, deeply rooted around the world as a martial arts culture of which Okinawa is proud.

*As of December 2024, the site where the monument stands is temporarily being used as a construction site office under the management of Kadena Town; however, visitors are still free to visit the historic site.