Matsumora Kōsaku

松茂良興作
Japan
Born 1829, Okinawa Prefecture
Died 1898
23.9

Also known as

Kosaku Matsumora · Matsumora Kosaku · Kasaku Matsumora · まつもら こうさく

Description

Ryukyuan karate master (1829-1898) of the Tomari-te style, student of Karyu Uku and Kishin Teruya; teacher of Chōtoku Kyan (kata Chinto) and Chōki Motobu; became an Okinawan folk hero at 20 for disarming a Satsuma overlord with a wet towel.

Teachers (2)

  • Uku Giko
    sports_martial_artsTomari-te Probable
    Probable
    EN Wikipedia states Matsumora studied Tomari-te under Karyu Uku (aka Giko Uku) and Kishin Teruya.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    EN Wikipedia states Matsumora studied Tomari-te under Karyu Uku (aka Giko Uku) and Kishin Teruya.
    “He studied Tomari-te under Karyu Uku (aka Giko Uku) and Kishin Teruya.”
    — Kōsaku Matsumora - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info
  • Teruya Kishin
    sports_martial_artsTomari-te Probable
    Probable
    EN Wikipedia states Matsumora studied Tomari-te under Karyu Uku (aka Giko Uku) and Kishin Teruya.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    EN Wikipedia states Matsumora studied Tomari-te under Karyu Uku (aka Giko Uku) and Kishin Teruya.
    “He studied Tomari-te under Karyu Uku (aka Giko Uku) and Kishin Teruya.”
    — Kōsaku Matsumora - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info

Students (3)

  • Motobu Chōki
    sports_martial_artsTomari-te Confirmed
    Confirmed
    EN Wikipedia states Motobu began studying under Kōsaku Matsumora from the age of 19 or 20, learning especially irikumi; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Matsumora teaching from age 19 and records his praise of Motobu's talent
    The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
    (1889)
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    2 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    EN Wikipedia states Motobu began studying under Kōsaku Matsumora from the age of 19 or 20, learning especially irikumi; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Matsumora teaching from age 19 and records his praise of Motobu's talent
    “From the age of 19 or 20, Motobu, along with his older brother Chōyū and his friend Kentsū Yabu, began studying under Kōsaku Matsumora. He was taught by Matsumora, especially irikumi, an ancient form of kumite”
    — Motobu Chōki - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English) link history info
    “また、19歳の頃からは泊手の大家・松茂良興作先生にも師事されました。組手稽古の最中、朝基先生の一手が松茂良先生の顔に入ったことから、「年の若い者としては非常に武才がある」（琉球新報・昭和11年）と、松茂良先生が激賞された逸話が伝えられています。”
    — 本部朝基先生 - 本部流 (Motobu-ryu official)link history info
  • Kyan Chōtoku
    sports_martial_artsTomari-te Confirmed
    Confirmed
    EN Wikipedia states Kyan began studying Tomari-te with Kosaku Matsumora from Tomari village after returning to Okinawa; the Seibukan official history names 松茂良興作 (Matsumora) among his teachers
    The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    2 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    EN Wikipedia states Kyan began studying Tomari-te with Kosaku Matsumora from Tomari village after returning to Okinawa; the Seibukan official history names 松茂良興作 (Matsumora) among his teachers
    “After returning home, probably at the age of 20 he began studying Tomari-te with Kosaku Matsumora and Kokan Oyadomari from Tomari village.”
    — Chōtoku Kyan - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English) link history info
    “明治８年、父（喜屋武朝扶）より空手道の手ほどきを受け、当時の空手界の重鎮首里の松村宗棍、泊の松茂良興作、親泊興寛などから空手を伝授され、後に「首里」の達人となった。”
    — 少林流聖武館歴史 - 国際沖縄少林流聖武館空手道協会linkhistory info
  • Kentsū Yabu
    sports_martial_artsTomari-te Probable
    Probable
    The Karate Page notes Yabu, together with Choki Motobu, went to Kosaku Matsumora for Tomari-te instruction.
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    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

Sources

Kōsaku Matsumora - Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link history info
本部朝基先生 - 本部流 (Motobu-ryu official)link history info
Gaudion, Geoffrey E.. Shoshin Nagamine and Some of His Masters link history info
Caile, Christopher. (2024). Okinawa's Bushi: Karate Gentlemen - Christopher Caile's Fighting Arts. FightingArts.comlink history info

Identifiers

https://martial.is/entity/01KZC7XZB2M6VP6RJBC3ZE3B2T
Wikidata

Cite and reuse

CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Matsumora Kōsaku. In Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KZC7XZB2M6VP6RJBC3ZE3B2T - CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KZC7XZB2M6VP6RJBC3ZE3B2T, author = {Muñoz, Frederico}, title = {Matsumora Kōsaku}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database}, year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url = {https://martial.is/entity/01KZC7XZB2M6VP6RJBC3ZE3B2T}, urldate = {ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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