Okinawa island was divided into many independent fiefdoms for centuries. Eventually these became organized into three separate kingdoms, which, by force, were united in 1429. This was the beginning of the first dynasty of the "Kingdom of Ryukyu". This dynasty lasted for 64 years and, after a coup, was followed by a second dynasty which lasted 410 years.
Shuri Castle
Palace Hand was the private martial art of the royal family on Okinawa. It is called Motobu Udundi in Japan, which basically means, martial arts of the palace of the Motobu family.
Palace Hand was designed to provide self-protection skills for the nobility and to control civil uprisings that were beyond the scope of normal police work.
The son of the 27th king of Ryukyu (Okinawa), Motobu Chohei, is credited with formally organizing the art of Palace Hand in the 1600's.
The Motobu family lived near Shuri castle in an "Udun", a compound of land and buildings housing nobility.
The foundation of Palace Hand comes from Chinese martial arts. It was mixed with skills practiced by the samurai of Satsuma as members of the noble class frequently visited Satsuma in southern Japan. This made Palace Hand a unique blend of both Chinese and Japanese martial arts.
A sign on the Dojo in Okinawa reads:
Royal Family Secret Martial Arts Motobu Udundi
Palace Hand was a military rather than civilian art. Like any nation's military, it needed to remain pertinent and effective. It was not frozen in time. New strategies and technologies were adopted and obsolete skills, such as fighting on horseback, were abandoned. This has given us a living art that is extraordinarily functional. It is not a dead historical practice but a practical and intelligent way of training that brings past wisdom and skills into our day and age.
The Shimoza clan, in southern Japan, invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1609. Though they left the royal family in power, they dominated the island until when Japan officially annexed Okinawa in1879 . The 1800's were a period of modernization for Japan and saw the abolishment of the class system. This was the end of both the nobility on Okinawa and the samurai.
Recent History
For centuries this martial art was only taught only within the Motobu family and it's existence was kept secret.
The 11th headmaster of Motobu Udundi was Motobu Choyu. He was the teacher of the last king on Okinawa, Sho Tai (1843- 1901).
After the kingdom was abolished Motobu Choyu's sons left Okinawa for work in Japan without learning the family martial art. Motobu was concerned that the secret martial art would be lost.
Motobu Choyu
Uehara Seikichi
Motobu accepted a young tea boy as a student. His name was Seikichi Uehara.
Uehara proved to be a fortunate choice for those of learning this martial art today. He lived for 100 years and brought this martial art to the modern era. He taught until his death in 2004.
Seikichi Uehara was very protective of Motobu Udundi and did not openly teach until the 1960's. He taught only a handful of teachers which prevented the art from becoming widespread.
Uehara taught our teachers, Taira Ryoshu, Takamiyagi sensei and the others who taught us on Okinawa.
Taira Ryoshu sensei trained under Seikichi Uehara for thirty years and received menkyo kaiden (certificate of complete transmission).
Uehara with Taira sensei, our teacher
Taira Ryoshu passed away in 2009 at the age of 80. We were fortunate to have him visit us in Rhode Island before his passing. He was very skilled in both swordsmanship and tuidi.
He had extensive self-defense experience as a club owner in the rough area of Koza Okinawa, a rest area for G.I.'s during the Vietnam war. Taira sensei was trained as a 'special attack pilot' at the age of 16 in the final days of WW II.
With Taira Sensei
Takamiyagi sensei at Kodokai
Takamiyagi sensei is now our head teacher on Okinawa. He has gone to great lengths to provide us with opportunitites to train in private schools of Palace Hand that are off the beaten path on Okinawa. The teachers he brings us to train with were all students of Uehara sensei. He has visited us in Rhode Island several times.
Taira sensei and Takamiyagi sensei asked us to teach in America. Kodokai is the first school outside Japan entirely devoted to this unique martial art.
(401) 762-2201 175 Eddie Dowling Hwy. (Rt. 146A, Park Square) North Smithfield, RI 02895
