Introducing the "Shorinji-Ryu Founder Nakazato Joen Sensei Commemorative Monument" in Chinen, Nanjo City, a historical site of the Shuri Tomari-te lineage|Okinawa Dento Karatedo Shinkokai
Nanjo City
The "Shorinji-Ryu Founder Nakazato Joen Sensei Commemorative Monument" located in Chinen, Nanjo City, is a monument to honor Nakazato Joen (1922-2010), a leading figure in the world of Okinawa Karate and the founder of the Shorinji-Ryu style.
Nakazato Joen was born in Chinen Village (present-day Chinen, Nanjo City) in 1922, and from 1938 to 1943, he studied under Kyan Chotoku, who was known as the "Kensei." During his unusually long training period of six years and eight months, he learned the essence of Shuri-te and Tomari-te from Kyan Chotoku and faithfully inherited his teachings. After the war, he opened a dojo in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1947, and upon returning to Okinawa in 1952, he established another dojo in his hometown of Chinen Village.
In 1955, he founded the Shorinji-Ryu style. The Shorinji-Ryu style, which is based on the Shuri-te and Tomari-te styles, is characterized by techniques derived from the eight kata passed down from Kyan Chotoku. In particular, many techniques such as low kick, kake-te, shuto, and neko-ashi movements were demonstrated, and training was conducted based on the Zen teaching of "pouring one bowl of water into another."
Nakazato Sensei has held several important positions, including Vice Chairman of the Japan Karatedo Federation Okinawa Branch, Vice Chairman of the Okinawa Karate Federation, and Chairman of the All Okinawa Karate Do Federation. In 1989, he was awarded the title of 10th Dan Shorinji-Ryu Hanshi.
In 2000, he was recognized as a holder of Okinawa Prefecture's intangible cultural asset "Okinawa Karate and Kobujutsu," and in 2007, he was selected as an Okinawa Prefecture Person of Cultural Merit, having made a significant contribution to the development of the Okinawa Karate world.
This commemorative monument holds great significance as a means of passing on to future generations the achievements of Nakazato Joen, who devoted his life to preserving and transmitting the traditional techniques he inherited from Kyan Chotoku without making any changes, and to the authentic transmission of Okinawa Karate.
