Also known as

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.

Students (8)

• 
  Motobu Chōki

  linkShuri-te 3

  Confirmed

  EN Wikipedia states Motobu secretly continued his training under Sōkon Matsumura and Sakuma from Shuri after finding it difficult to defeat his brother under Itosu's tutelage; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Motobu studied secretly under Matsumura and Sakuma, Matsumura being Itosu's own teacher and Motobu (with Yabu Kentsu) his beloved disciple

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  EN Wikipedia states Motobu secretly continued his training under Sōkon Matsumura and Sakuma from Shuri after finding it difficult to defeat his brother under Itosu's tutelage; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Motobu studied secretly under Matsumura and Sakuma, Matsumura being Itosu's own teacher and Motobu (with Yabu Kentsu) his beloved disciple

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Therefore, he secretly continued his training under Sōkon Matsumura and Sakuma from Shuri, and by the time he was over 20 years old, he was confident that he could defeat his brother in kumite."

  — Motobu Chōki - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English) linkinfo

  "糸洲先生だけではあきたらず密かに首里の松村宗棍先生や佐久間先生といった伝説の大家のもとにも通って修業されました。松村先生は糸洲先生の師でもあり、「近世の唐手の達人中、松村先生ほど精妙を極めて他に強かった者はない」（本部朝基）といわれる達人で、朝基先生は親友・屋部憲通先生とともにこの松村先生の愛弟子でした。"

  — 本部朝基先生 - 本部流 (Motobu-ryu official)linkinfo
• 
  Matsumura Nabe

  linkShuri-te 3

  Confirmed

  EN 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 (primary: Sokon left the 'hands' of his teachings to Nabe) and the Moerfelden lineage page (Nabe as successor and heir)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  EN 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 (primary: Sokon left the 'hands' of his teachings to Nabe) and the Moerfelden lineage page (Nabe as successor and heir)

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Being related to Sōkon meant that Nabe was privileged to extremely thorough training from his grandfather in the family's style, as well as the secret White Crane system that was only taught to immediate family members."

  — Nabe Matsumura - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "When Bushi Matsumura died he left the "hands" of his teachings to my uncle, who was his grandson, Matsumura Nabe... My uncle only learned from Bushi Matsumura and only taught me what he had learned."

  — Estrada, Ernie. (1978). Interview with Hohan Soken: The Last of the Great Old-Time Karate Warriors, Part 1. FightingArts.com linkinfo

  "One of his best and closest was his grandson Nabe Matsumura (1860-1930), who is also considered the successor of Bushi Matsumura and thus heir to the Matsumura Shorin Ryu... For that reason his nephew Hohan Soken was probably his only long-time student."

  — Lineage of the Masters - Okinawa Karate Moerfelden linkinfo
• 
  Kyan Chōtoku

  linkShuri-te 3

  Confirmed

  EN Wikipedia states Kyan studied under Matsumura Sōkon from the age of 16 for two years; the Seibukan official history confirms he learned Seisan and Gojushiho from Matsumura from around 16 through his father, then studied under him at 20; Charles Goodin's article confirms Kyan as a disciple of Matsumura Sokon

  (1886-1888)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  EN Wikipedia states Kyan studied under Matsumura Sōkon from the age of 16 for two years; the Seibukan official history confirms he learned Seisan and Gojushiho from Matsumura from around 16 through his father, then studied under him at 20; Charles Goodin's article confirms Kyan as a disciple of Matsumura Sokon

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "From the age of 16 Chōtoku studied under Matsumura Sōkon for two years."

  — Chōtoku Kyan - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English) linkinfo

  "朝徳は、数え年１４才になった時、父朝扶から初めて空手の指導を受け、１６歳頃になると父を介して松村宗棍からセイサンや五十四歩の型を学んだ。...20歳のときに帰省し、首里手の松村宗棍、泊手の親泊興寛に師事し、空手道の大家となる。"

  — 少林流聖武館歴史 - 国際沖縄少林流聖武館空手道協会 linkinfo

  "Kyan (who was a disciple of Matsumura Sokon of Shuri, among others)."

  — Goodin, Charles C.. (2021). Nagamine Shoshin: Karate and Zen as Onelinkinfo
• 
  Kyan Chōfu

  linkShuri-te 3

  Confirmed

  Japanese 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

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  Japanese 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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "唐手は松村宗棍に師事した。"

  — 喜屋武朝扶 - Wikipedia (JA). Wikipedia (Japanese) linkinfo

  "父朝扶は、琉球王朝末期から明治にかけて活躍した著名な政治家であり、松村宗棍の門下生としても知られる空手家でもあった。"

  — 少林流聖武館歴史 - 国際沖縄少林流聖武館空手道協会 linkinfo

  "His father, Chofu Kyan, held the post of steward to the family of Sir Shotai, the last of Ryukyu royal lineage. Chofu Kyan was good at chinese classics, Japanese arts and lettering, and an excellent karateman."

  — Gaudion, Geoffrey E.. Shoshin Nagamine and Some of His Masterslinkinfo
• 
  Kentsū Yabu

  linkShuri-te 3

  Confirmed

  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

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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 Sportlinkinfo

  "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' Sonlinkinfo

  "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 Marinlinkinfo
• 
  Itosu Ankō

  linkShuri-te 2

  Probable

  Well-documented student of Sokon Matsumura, mentioned in multiple historical sources including Funakoshi's writings

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Well-documented student of Sokon Matsumura, mentioned in multiple historical sources including Funakoshi's writings

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "In a 1934 article, Funakoshi noted that Asato and Itosu had studied karate together under Sōkon Matsumura."

  — Ankō Asato - Wikipedialink
• 
  Hanashiro Chōmo

  linkShuri-te 3

  Confirmed

  EN 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

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  EN 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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Early in his childhood, he became a student of the renowned master Matsumura Sōkon, of the Shuri-te style... He started karate practice at a very young age under Sōkon Matsumura."

  — Chōmo Hanashiro - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "Arakaki Ankichi (who studied under Gusukuma Shimpan, Hanashiro Chomo, Chibana Choshin and Kyan Chotoku)."

  — Goodin, Charles C.. (2021). Nagamine Shoshin: Karate and Zen as Onelinkinfo
• As
  Asato Ankō

  linkShuri-te 1

  Uncertain

  Mentioned in Wikipedia, needs additional source trail

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Mentioned in Wikipedia, needs additional source trail

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "In a 1934 article, Funakoshi noted that Asato and Itosu had studied karate together under Sōkon Matsumura."

  — Ankō Asato - Wikipedialink

Honors (1)

• receipt_longChikudun Pechin 2

  Probable

  Japanese Wikipedia states he held the Ryukyuan rank of Chikudun Pechin (筑登之親雲上)

  Title

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Japanese Wikipedia states he held the Ryukyuan rank of Chikudun Pechin (筑登之親雲上)

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "唐名は武成達、位階は筑登之親雲上（チクドゥンペーチン）、号は雲勇、もしくは武長と称した。"

  — Japanese Wikipedia article on Matsumura Sōkon link

Sources