Uechi-Ryu Karate-do — Kobudo — Aikido — Glossary

Uechi-Ryu Karate-do

Brief History of Uechi-Ryu

Uechi-Ryu is named after Grandmaster Kanbun Uechi (1877-1948).  Born on Okinawa, he emigrated to China in the late 1800’s to avoid Japanese conscription.  At that time, Okinawans were used by the Japanese army as fodder for the most dangerous battles.

Culturally and ideologically, the Okinawans of that era were very different from their Japanese neighbors.  Some of this distinction persists to this day.

While in China, Kanbun Uechi studied various Chinese styles from a prominent and colorful man named Zhou-Ze-Ho (sometimes written as Shashiwa).  To supplement his income, Kanbun Uechi made and sold patent medicines, perhaps through roadside demonstrations.

Eventually he opened his own school in China.  After a total of thirteen years in China (the last three of them teaching), he was forced to escape China on very short notice based on a wrongful death committed by one of his students.  

He returned to Okinawa in 1910 and soon married there.  His eldest son Kanei Uechi was born in 1911.

In 1924, the Uechi family moved to Wakayama, Japan to work in the factories there.  While in Wakayama, Uechi Kanbun taught a style he called Pangainoon (hard within soft).  

In 1932, Kanbun Uechi opened a dojo in Okinawa.  In 1948 he died from nephritis in war-ravaged Okinawa.  The style was officially renamed to Uechi-Ryu in his honor and was then led by his son, Kanei uechi until his death in 1991.

Our Lineage

Seiryu Shinjo was one of the most accomplished instructors of the first generation of Uechi-ryu, having trained with both Kanei Uechi and Kanbun Uechi. His son, Kiyohide Shinjo, currently 9th dan, is also an extremely accomplished practioner, as well as head of the Kenyukai Uechi-Ryu organization we belong to.

John Spenser, currently 7th dan, has studied with Kanei Uechi, Seiryu Shijo, and Kiyohide Shinjo. Sensei Spenser has been practicing Uechi-Ryu continuously for over 35 years.  There are few Americans actively teaching Uechi-Ryu at this time with that level of experience.

Rik Lostritto, our head instructor, began studying with John Spenser in 1985, and begin teaching in his own dojo in Gaithersburg, Maryland in 1995.