Also known as
Hohan Soken · Soken Hohan · そけん ほうはん
Description
Okinawan martial arts master (1889-1982), founder of the Shorin-ryu Matsumura
Seito Okinawa Karate Kobudo Association; trained by his uncle Nabe Matsumura
from age 13, he continued the Matsumura family tradition after emigrating back
from Argentina in 1952.
Teachers (1)
-
Matsumura Nabe
sports_martial_artsShorin-ryu
Confirmed
(1902)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
4 sources
expand_more
fact_check
EN Wikipedia states Soken was the nephew of Nabe Matsumura and began karate
training at 13 under his uncle; corroborated by Soken's own 1978 interview
with Ernie Estrada (student from around 1902-1903) and the Alexander article
(age 13, 1902, his uncle's only student)
“He was the nephew of Nabe Matsumura [...] He began karate training at 13 under
his uncle. Matsumura taught him several kata [...] and finally at age 23,
Hakutsuru.”
visibilityFirst-hand
“I became a student of my uncle around 1902 or 1903 and learned the original
methods of Uchinan Sui-di, as it was then called [...] When Bushi Matsumura died
he left the "hands" of his teachings to my uncle, who was his
grandson, Matsumura Nabe. My mother was Nabe-tanmei's sister.”
— Estrada, Ernie. (1978). Interview with Hohan Soken:
The Last of the Great Old-Time Karate Warriors, Part 1. FightingArts.com
link
history
info
“Master Soken began training in karate at age thirteen in 1902 under his Uncle
Nabe Matsumura [...] My uncle had only one student, and that was me.”
— Alexander, George W.. Hohan Soken: The Life of a
Grand Masterlink
history
info
“祖堅方範は12歳頃より母の兄で伯父であるナビータンメー（翁）に唐手（現・空手）を師事した。”
Students (3)
-
Roy Y. Suenaka
sports_martial_artsShorin-ryu
Confirmed
(1961–1972)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
expand_more
fact_check
EN Wikipedia states Suenaka was awarded rokudan in Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru
Shorin Ryu by its founder Hokan Soken in 1972; his official biography records 11
years of private study with Soken (1961-1972); the Soken EN Wikipedia article
lists Suenaka among his senior students
“Rokudan (6th degree black belt) in Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu
Karatedo & Kobudo, awarded by Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu founder Hokan Soken, in
1972”
visibilityFirst-hand
“He also commenced 11 years of private study with renowned Matsumura Seito and
Hakutsuru Shorin-ryu Karate-do Grandmaster Hohan Soken, receiving from him the
rank of rokudan (6th degree black belt).”
“His senior students included Seiki Arakaki, Mitsuo Inoue, Hideo Nakazato,
Kohama, Kohatsu, Yonashiro Masaya Kyan, Nishihira Kosei, Isao Toma, Yoshimatsu
Akamine, Seijun Kina, Seizen Kinjo, Yuichi Kuda, Fusei Kise, Takaya Yabiku, Roy
Suenaka, James Coffman, Thomas Hunnicutt, Vincent C.Wiegand, Ted Lange, Rick
Rose, David Lukasiak, Charles Garrett, David Mauk, Gary Bunk, and Norman Small”
-
Nishihira Kōsei
sports_martial_artsShorin-ryu
Probable
Uchi-deshi (1957–1982)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
EN Wikipedia states Nishihira studied Matsumura Seito with Hohan Soken from age
15 as an uchi-deshi and was recognised as his heir; the Hohan Soken article
lists him among senior students; Wikipedia only
“From the age of fifteen, he studied the "orthodox" karate style known
as Shōrinryū Matsumura Seitō Karate with Master Hohan Sōken. The style Nishihira
was taught was very difficult, and only handed down to a very few, carefully
selected "uchi-deshi" (internal students).”
“His senior students included Seiki Arakaki, Mitsuo Inoue, Hideo Nakazato,
Kohama, Kohatsu, Yonashiro Masaya Kyan, Nishihira Kosei, Isao Toma, Yoshimatsu
Akamine, Seijun Kina, Seizen Kinjo, Yuichi Kuda, Fusei Kise, Takaya Yabiku, Roy
Suenaka”
-
Kishaba Chōkei
sports_martial_artsShorin-ryu
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Hawaii Karate Seinenkai memorial article states Chokei Kishaba was a student of
Hohan Soken (Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu) and learned the use of the kama from
him
“Born in Okinawa on October 4, 1929, Chokei Kishaba was a student of Hohan Soken
(Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu, student of Nabe Matsumura) [...] Kishaba learned
Shorin-Ryu from all of his instructors as well as the use of the kama from
Soken.”
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KZBWQ0AJ1CS0CYD84258VKTE
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Soken Hōhan. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KZBWQ0AJ1CS0CYD84258VKTE - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KZBWQ0AJ1CS0CYD84258VKTE, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Soken Hōhan}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KZBWQ0AJ1CS0CYD84258VKTE}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
Database content on this page is CC BY-SA 4.0;
the database right is separately reserved. Licensing