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MAJOR ASSOCIATIONS OF UECHI-RYU​

​Style Names

1. Uechi Ryu Karate-Do (“Way-chee Roo Kara-tay Doe”)
Uechi is a family name and Ryu mean “style”, “kara”means empty and “do” (Pronounced “doe”) means way. Therefore, Uechi-ryu Karate-Do means The way of empty hand in the style of the Uechi family.


​2. Pangainoon (“Pan-guy-noon”)

Predecessor name to our system of karate before it was renamed to Uechi Ryu in 1940. Pangainoon Kenpo is a method of self-defense.  In the Fujian Amoy dialect the style can be appropriately translated to “half-hard, half soft”. This style had only the three main katas as we know them today;  Sanchin( “Saen chin”), Seisan (“Say saen), and Sanseirui (“San-say-rue”).

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3. Shohei-ryu (“Show-hay-roo”)

Name given to system by Okikukai The name Shohei-Ryu comes from two Chinese characters, "Sho" meaning “to shine brightly” and "Hei" meaning “fairness”, “equality” and “peace”. The name also refers to two Japanese eras, a past one, Showa, and the present one, Heisei. Ryu (pronounced “roo”) is the Japanese word for “style” or “path”. Thus, one could translate the renaming of the style to “The way of the fair and bright shining path”.

UECHI-RYU/ SHOHEI-RYU/ PANGAINOON -

 

MAJOR ASSOCIATIONS

1.    OKIKUKAI

The Okinawa Karate Do Association is headed by former senior students of Kanei UECHI Following the 1991 death of Kanei Uechi, son of Uechi-ryu founder Kanbun Uechi, there was an organizational split and senior students of Uechi Kanei formed a distinct organization and named the new organization as Okikukai.

         Okikukai West is an affiliated membership of North American schools located in California, Missouri,  New York and Canada.  Uechi-ryu of Los Angeles is a member of Okikukai West.

2.     Soke Shubukan
     Headed by Kanmei UECHI (son of Kanei Uechi)

3.     Zakimi Shubukan
Okinawa Karate Do Uechi-Ryu Zankyokai (Zakimi Shubukan) is currently headed by Naomi TOYAMA.

4.     KENYUKAI
International Kenyukai Association (Kenyukai) is headed by Kiyohide SHINJO: Started as a fraternity within the Uechi Ryu Association in 1981.

5.     IUKF
International Uechi-ryu Karate-Do Federation headed by George Mattson

6.     KOKUSAI  KYOKAI
International Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association headed by James Thompson

7.     Uechi-Ryu Karate Association- Hong Kong
Headed by Robert Campbell

8.     Ji Teki Jeku
Headed by Master Ken Nakamatsu

9.     World Association of Uechi Ryu Karate-Do
Headed by Yoshi Arakaki

10. Uechi-Ryu Karate do Shinkokai
Headed by Saburo Uehara
 

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