Matsumura Sōkon
松村宗棍
Born
1809, Shuri, Okinawa
Died
1899, Shuri, Okinawa
Also known as
Bushi Matsumura · Wu Chengda
Description
Okinawan karate master who developed Shuri-te, a precursor to many modern karate styles. Teacher of Ankō Asato, Ankō Itosu, and through them influenced Gichin Funakoshi and modern karate. Born in the Ryukyu Kingdom, died after Okinawa's annexation by Japan.
Teachers (3)
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Asonsports_martial_artsShaolinquan PossiblePossibleSingle source, and it reports the claim as hearsay.Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkSingle source, and it reports the claim as hearsay.alt_routeIndirect“Still others claim that he studied in Fuzhou under an instructor named Ason”
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Sakugawa Kangasports_martial_artsShuri-te PossiblePossibleOne source states it; the other reports it as disputed, with Chinese teachers named instead. Sakugawa's dates (to about 1815) leave little overlap with Matsumura's (born 1797 or 1809).Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkOne source states it; the other reports it as disputed, with Chinese teachers named instead. Sakugawa's dates (to about 1815) leave little overlap with Matsumura's (born 1797 or 1809). -
Iwahsports_martial_artsShaolinquan ProbableProbableBoth sources go back to Funakoshi's account.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkBoth sources go back to Funakoshi's account.
Students (8)
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Motobu Chōkisports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Motobu secretly continued his training under Sōkon Matsumura and Sakuma from Shuri; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Motobu studied secretly under Matsumura and SakumaThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Motobu secretly continued his training under Sōkon Matsumura and Sakuma from Shuri; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Motobu studied secretly under Matsumura and Sakuma -
Matsumura Nabesports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Nabe Matsumura was the grandson of Matsumura Sōkon and was privileged to extremely thorough training from his grandfather in the family style; corroborated by Soken's own 1978 interview and the Moerfelden lineage pageThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Nabe Matsumura was the grandson of Matsumura Sōkon and was privileged to extremely thorough training from his grandfather in the family style; corroborated by Soken's own 1978 interview and the Moerfelden lineage pagevisibilityFirst-hand -
Kyan Chōtokusports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Kyan studied under Matsumura Sōkon from the age of 16 for two years; two other sources confirm it.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.(1886–1888)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Kyan studied under Matsumura Sōkon from the age of 16 for two years; two other sources confirm it. -
Kyan Chōfusports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedJapanese Wikipedia states he studied tōde (karate) under Matsumura Sōkon (唐手は松村宗棍に師事した); corroborated by the Wikidata P1066 claim, the Seibukan official history (門下生としても知られる空手家) and Geoffrey Gaudion's account of an excellent karateman of Matsumura's schoolThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkJapanese Wikipedia states he studied tōde (karate) under Matsumura Sōkon (唐手は松村宗棍に師事した); corroborated by the Wikidata P1066 claim, the Seibukan official history (門下生としても知られる空手家) and Geoffrey Gaudion's account of an excellent karateman of Matsumura's school -
Kentsū Yabusports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedThe peer-reviewed Svinth article cites Tetsuhiro Hokama stating Yabu's teacher was Sokon Matsumura; corroborated by Beisho and the Martial Arts Academy of Marin lineageThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkThe 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 -
Itosu Ankōsports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedIndependent sources state it.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkIndependent sources state it.“In a 1934 article, Funakoshi noted that Asato and Itosu had studied karate together under Sōkon Matsumura.”
“It is generally accepted that Itosu trained under the great bushi Matsumura.”
“Following the death of Matsumura, his students made further changes to the style. For example, one of these students, Itosu Anko (also known as Itosu Yasutsune, 1831–1915) created the five Pinan kata”
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Hanashiro Chōmosports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Hanashiro became a student of Matsumura Sokon, of the Shuri-te style, early in his childhood, and started karate practice under him at a very young ageThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Hanashiro became a student of Matsumura Sokon, of the Shuri-te style, early in his childhood, and started karate practice under him at a very young age -
Asato Ankōsports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedIndependent sources state it.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkIndependent sources state it.“In a 1934 article, Funakoshi noted that Asato and Itosu had studied karate together under Sōkon Matsumura.”
“Both Yasutsune Azato and Yasutsune Ankoh Itosu were students of Matsumura, and the several styles of Shorin Ryu are traced to these two men.”
“Asato Anko (also known as Asato Yasutsune, 1827–1906) was another prominent student of Matsumura.”
Honours (1)
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receipt_longChikudun Pechin ProbableProbableJapanese Wikipedia states he held the Ryukyuan rank of Chikudun Pechin (筑登之親雲上)The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Title
Sources
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6A
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Matsumura Sōkon. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6A - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6A, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Matsumura Sōkon}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage
Database}, year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6A}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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