Brief Uechi-Ryu History
This is short history of Uechi-Ryu Karate. Kanbun Uechi is the founder of the style. It was passed on to his son Kanei when he died. Finally, it was passed on to Kanei's son, Kanmei Uechi, when he died in 1991. Kanmei Uechi is the current headmaster of the style. The headquarters is located in Futenma. Below is a timeline of events:
1897
Kanbun Uechi went to China and studied Pangainoon (hard & soft method of 3 animal forms; tiger, dragon, and crane) for ten years under Shusshabu.
1907
Kanbun opened his own dojo in China.
1910
Kanbun closed the dojo and returned to his home village of Izumi on Okinawa after one of his students killed a man during a rice field irrigation dispute.
1926
Kanbun opened a dojo in mainland Japan teaching only 3 kata, kotegitae, and Chinese medicine (Note: first time Pangainoon was taught outside China)
1937
Kanei Uechi, Kanbun's oldest son, opened a dojo in mainland Japan after ten years study under his father.
1940
Kanbun was awarded the title of Grandmaster and his students further honored him by renaming Pangainoon to Uechi-ryu (which means in the style of Uechi).
1942
Uechi-Ryu was taught for the first time in Okinawa when Kanei returned, but he soon closed the dojo due to World War II. Kanbun reopened the dojo after the war.
1948
Kanbun (71) died; Kanei moved to Futenma and opened a dojo.
1967
Kanei Uechi is awarded 10th Degree Black Belt by the Japan and Okinawa Karate Federations.