Uechi-ryu the "Bronze statue of Uechi Kanbun and Commemorative Monument"

The Uechi Kanbun Bronze Statue is a commemorative monument dedicated to the founder of Uechi-Ryu karate, located in Yaedake Sakura no Mori Park in Motobu Town, Okinawa. The 4.8-meter-tall statue, which was unveiled on April 21, 2018, has become a symbolic presence that conveys the history and spirit of Uechi-Ryu karate. Kanbun Uechi was born on May 5th, 1877 in Izumi, Motobu-cho, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, as the eldest son of his father, Kantoku, and mother, Tsuru. At the age of 20, he traveled to Fuzhou City in Fujian Province, China, where he became a student of Shushiwa, a leading practitioner of southern Shaolin kung fu. There, he underwent 13 years of rigorous training.

In 1904, he received the full transmission of the techniques from Shushiwa and became the first Japanese person to open a dojo in Nan Jing, Fuzhou. He later returned to Okinawa, got married, and had his first son, Kan-ei (the second generation of Uechi-Ryu).
In 1924, he moved to Wakayama Prefecture to find work and began teaching karate in the "Pangainoon" style, which means "soft and hard at will." In 1940, he changed the name of his style to "Uechi-Ryu," establishing his own style.In 1940, he renamed his school to "Uechi-Ryu" and established its style.
Kanbun's karate was based on the principle of Ganshishusho' and was characterized by the use of dragon, tiger, and crane fists, along with unique techniques that made full use of the fingertips and toes. His technique involved turning the body into a weapon, pursuing a fusion of sharp, spear-like attack power and finely-tuned precision. With an emphasis on kata training, new katas were later created based on the traditional katas "Sanchin," "Seisan," and "Sanseryu."
Eventually, Uechi-Ryu spread both in Japan and overseas, developing into a karate style recognized worldwide, thanks to the efforts of his eldest son, Kan-ei.

Kanbun passed away on November 25, 1948, at the age of 71, but his spirit and techniques continue to live on in Uechi-Ryu karate. The "Bronze Statue of Uechi Kanbun and Commemorative Monument," which faces the birthplace and looks towards the place of death, stands quietly in Yaedake Sakura no Mori Park as an important cultural monument that forever commemorates the achievements of the great founder of traditional Okinawa Karate and passes on the spirit of his life and Uechi-Ryu karate to future generations.