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In 1772, during the ongoing Satsuma oppression, an enormous tsunami (tidal wave) hit Miyako and Yaeyama in the Ryukyu Archipelago, taking the lives of many people. Yet, in spite of this terrifying act of God, and the taxing circumstances under the iron hand of the Satsuma, the soul of the Ryukyu people never diminished.

It was during this period of great social adversity that the spirit of the Ryukyu bushi, now referred to as “karate spirit,” was profoundly embraced, further cultivated, and vigorously perpetuated. Surfacing as the most celebrated bushi of that burdensome era was “Tobitori” (the flying bird) Makabe Chaan, the first hero in the annals of Okinawan karate-do.

Chapter 2

TO-TE SAKUGAWA KANGA:

THE GENERAL OF GREAT LEARNING,

WISDOM, AND COURAGE

TRAVEL TO CHINA, DETENTION IN BEIJING

To-te Sakugawa’s birth name was Teruya Chikudon Peichin Kanga. He was born in Shuri in 1782. After examining the old island records of Yaeyama’s judicial office, Nagamine Shoshu, a Ryukyu historian living in Shuri’s Kanagusuku district, imparted the following information to me. When Kanga was fifty-four years old, he became an official in Yaeyama by the order of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and was given the name of Sakugawa because of his great achievements. According to the family lineage survey carried out by Sakugawa Kantei, a descendant of the great master, To-te Sakugawa was a ninth-generation descendent of Urazoe Uekata Kuan’an, and came from the Eki Clan.