I am trying to find out if anybody has heard of this man or style. I am trying to find a book or video or even someone that studies the style. An Okinawan man named Uechi Kanbun and the art he created named Uechi-ryu karate. A BRIEF overview of who he is and what he did is in the first few paragraphs of the link below. http://home.drenik.net/joemilos/bugeisha_uechi_1.htm
I have a friend who did a bit of Uechi-Ryu. From what I heard, he went and studied Pan Gai Noon Chinese boxing for years in China, took his skills back to Okinawa, and founded his lineage. The Uechi-Ryu I've seen tends to be fairly close ranged, uses high footwork, and utilizes a lot of circle blocks to open an opponent for a counterattack.
ihave a book called okinawan karate by mark bishop thats got 4 and a bit pages on uechi ryu in brief kanbun uechi learned afor of chinese boxing called pangai noon from amedicine hawker called shu shi wa. uechi first tried to enter kojo dojo at fuchou but due to a speech impediment the dojo cheif assistant nicknamed him watabu gwa meaning big belly or good for nothing uechi. Uechi obviously took offence at this and left returning 3 years later to demonstrate sanchin kata to makabe who although surprised praised him. Nothing much is known about shu shi wa but vague references are made to chinese secret societies and being wanted by the chinese authorities. Apparently shu shi and uechi would set up stall in a village and attract custom by performing kung fu,before selling their"medicines",later uechi was able to make his own and sell them himself. On gaining his shihan grade in 1904 uechi opened a dojo at nansoye visiting his teacher in fuchou every year.In 1909 he returned to okinawa refusing to take on students the rumour being one of his students in nansoye had killed a man and he had vowed never to teach again. In 1924 due to unemployment problems in okinawa he took his family to wakayama on the japanese mainland,here he was persuaded by workmates to start teaching again in the evenings finaly opening a dojo in 1932.he died in okinawa in 1948 aged 71. uechis son kanyei was president of the uechi ryu karate do association until his death in1991 but the book doesnt say who is in charge presently. The emphasis seems to be on kata rather than kumite although again there isnt a great amount of detail although traditional body hardening tecniques(makiwara nukite strike into pebbles etc)are practiced. hope this helps
Hi, Uechi Ryu is an Okinawan style of karate. The fundamental techniques are very strong. A lot of emphasis is placed on the conditioning of the body. I have a few video's of Uechi ryu myself, it is a very good style. Though I practise Wado ryu myself, wich is totally different in essence from Uechi ryu. Still, it is very interesting.