ground for these houses to enhance their military and political effective-
ness. The combative systems practiced by these houses and their retainers
were eagerly absorbed by the Okinawan military chieftains (anji), who had
their own ambitions for social mobility and conquest.
The second-generation headmaster of Jigen-ryû Kenjutsu,Tôgô Bizen-
no-Kami Shigekata (1602–1659), was ordered by Lord Shimazu to instruct
the inhabitants of Kagoshima (Satsuma) in civil combative disciplines.
These traditions were retained in the Jigen-ryû Bô Odori (Staff Dances),
which incorporated techniques with the jô(stick), ken(sword), rokushaku
bô (six-foot staff), yari (spear), eiku (oar), kama (sickle), shakuhachi
(flute), and various other utensils. In 1609, the Shiazu clan of Satsuma in-
vaded and conquered the kingdom of Okinawa. The Satsuma invaders en-
acted and enforced a weapons ban in the subjugated kingdom, which
helped foster the practice of di. Some Okinawans were allowed to travel to
Satsuma, where they studied the Jigen system.
Kanga Teruya, also known as Sakugawa Toudi, traveled to Satsuma
and returned with rokushaku bô kata (forms), which were previously un-
known in Okinawa. Matsumura Sôkon “Bushi” (Okinawan, Chikudun
Pechin; warrior) (1809–1901) studied Toudi under Sakugawa and the
Chinese military attaché, Iwah. Matsumura also traveled to Fujian, where
he acquired some knowledge of the Chinese martial arts, and to Satsuma,
Karate, Japanese 233Kumite(free sparring) during karate championships at the Seattle Center Arena, October 23, 1967. (Seattle Post-
Intelligencer Collection, Museum of History & Industry)