Also known as
Gunso Yabu · Yabu Gunso · The Sergeant of Karate · 屋部軍曹
Description
Okinawan karate master of Shuri-te, trained under Matsumura Sokon and Anko
Itosu, and often considered Itosu's top student. A soldier who served in the
First Sino-Japanese War and was known as "Gunso" (sergeant), he taught
karate at Okinawa Prefectural Normal School and was among the first people to
demonstrate karate in Hawaii in 1927. His students included Kanken Toyama and
Gima Shinkin.
Teachers (3)
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Matsumura Sōkon
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
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fact_check
The peer-reviewed Svinth article cites Tetsuhiro Hokama stating Yabu's
teacher was Sokon Matsumura; corroborated by Beisho and the Martial Arts Academy
of Marin lineage
“Tetsuhiro Hokama has written that Yabu's teacher was Sokon Matsumura
(Hokama, 1998, 35).”
— Svinth, Joseph R.. (2003). Karate Pioneer Kentsu
Yabu, 1866-1937. Journal of Combative Sportlink
history
info
“As a young man, Yabu was admitted as a student of the famous Matsumura Sokon,
dubbed "Bushi" (or "warrior gentleman") by the King.”
— Beisho (Okinawa Karate and Kobudo). Yabu Kentsu and
His 'Lost' Sonlink
history
info
“Under the tutelage of both Matsumura Sokon and Itosu Anko, Yabu became one of
the first to showcase Karate in Hawaii during the 1920s.”
— The Martial Arts Academy of Marin. Lineage - The
Martial Arts Academy of Marinlink
history
info
-
Itosu Ankō
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
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fact_check
The peer-reviewed Svinth article cites Dave Lowry stating Yabu's teacher was
Anko Itosu; corroborated by Tanzadeh and the Karate Page, which notes Yabu acted
as Itosu's shihan-dai
“On the other hand, Dave Lowry has written that Yabu's teacher was Yasutsune
"Ankoh" Itosu (Lowry, 1985, 11). Because both Matsumura and Itosu were
well-known karate teachers of the day, probably Yabu studied with both men at
different times.”
— Svinth, Joseph R.. (2003). Karate Pioneer Kentsu
Yabu, 1866-1937. Journal of Combative Sportlink
history
info
“He began training in ti, an early form of karate, under the guidance of Ankō
Itosu, one of the most respected masters of the time and a key figure in
modernizing and systematizing karate.”
“it is commonly accepted that Kentsu Yabu was a shihan-dai (師範代, assistant
instructor) for Anko Itosu when he taught karate at the Okinawa Prefectural
Normal School”
— Steinbrecher, Olaf. (2024). Did Kentsu Yabu teach
Passai? - The Karate Page. The Karate Pagelink
history
info
-
Matsumora Kōsaku
sports_martial_artsTomari-te
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
The Karate Page notes Yabu, together with Choki Motobu, went to Kosaku Matsumora
for Tomari-te instruction.
“Kentsu Yabu was a student of Anko Itosu, Sokon Matsumura and, together with
Choki Motobu, also went to Kosaku Matsumora for instructions.”
— Steinbrecher, Olaf. (2024). Did Kentsu Yabu teach
Passai? - The Karate Page. The Karate Pagelink
history
info
Member of (1)
-
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
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“This group included Gichin Funakoshi, Chojo Oshiro, Chomo Hanashiro, Chotoku
Kyan, Chojun Miyagi, Kenwa Mabuni, Go Ken Ki [Wu Xiangui] (Chinese Master of
White Crane Boxing), Kentsu Yabu, Chuhatso [Juhatsu] Kyoda, and Moden Yabiku.”
— Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and
the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional
Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo
Students (4)
-
Richard Kim
sports_martial_artsKarate
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Wikipedia and the Zen Bei Butoku Kai biography both document that Kim trained
with Okinawan karate master Yabu Kentsu, whom he met again in Japan in the 1930s
“Later, in the 1930s, OSensei Kim met Yabu Kentsu again in Japan and continued
his training with him there”
— Zen Bei Butoku Kai. O'Sensei Richard Kim - Zen
Bei Butoku Kailink
history
info
-
person
Nakama Chōzō
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
EN Wikipedia lists Kentsu Yabu among the teachers Nakama also studied with
“however, Nakama also studied with Chomo Hanashiro, Chōtoku Kyan, Kenwa Mabuni,
Choki Motobu, and Kentsu Yabu.”
-
person
Kyoda Jūhatsu
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Single source; it names only the kata Jion.
“To’on Ryu includes two kata that are not found in Goju Ryu: Jion, which Kyoda
learned from [...] Yabu Kensu”
— Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and
the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional
Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo
-
Akamine Seiichi
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
JA Wikipedia states Akamine practiced te in Shuri under Kentsu Yabu;
corroborated by the Bushido Reiryoku Kan biography listing Yabu among his
Shorin-ryu teachers
“以降、花城長茂、屋部憲通および喜屋武朝徳のもと首里で手 (沖縄武術)を修行し、その後宮城長順に出会い、剛柔流に専念する。”
“After the teachings he received from his grandfather, he trained in the
Shorin-Ryu style, with the following teachers: Chomo Hanashiro (1869-1945),
Kentsu Yabu (1866-1937) and Chotoku Kyan (1870-1945).”
— Fernandez de la Reguera, Roberto. Master Seiichi
Akamine - Bushido Reiryoku Kanlink
history
info
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KZ19PZ65EPNRY1Q8GQR6NEV1
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Kentsū Yabu. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KZ19PZ65EPNRY1Q8GQR6NEV1 - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KZ19PZ65EPNRY1Q8GQR6NEV1, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Kentsū Yabu}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KZ19PZ65EPNRY1Q8GQR6NEV1}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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