Originally published in Toyama Kanken “Karate-do: Okugi Hijutsu” (1956) pp.161 to 175, the meetings of the 1936 meeting of Karate Teachers on Okinawa hosted by the Ryukyu Shimpo provides a window into the rapid changes that Karate was undergoing at the time. Although there are many excellent translations of the minutes, and perhaps I will do my own translation someday, in this post I want to focus on a brief exchange between Miygi Chojun and Ota Chofu.
Here is the exchange in Japanese and then English.
太田：宮城さんは空手を研究するため、わざわざ支那へ行ったのですが。
宮城：最初から稽古する気持ちでやったのでなくて、勝れた拳法であると知って習ったのです。
太田：本県には以前から固有な「手」があったのですが。
宮城：本県では「手」である、柔道、剣道、ボクシングと同様に改善進歩されてきた。
Ota: Mr Miyagi, you went all the way to China to study karate (空手).
Miyagi: At first I had no intention of practicing it, I learned it because I understood it to be an excellent form of kenpo (拳法).
Ota: Has there always been a native “Te” (手) on Okinawa?
Miyagi: In Okinawa, “Te” (手) has always existed and has…
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