| Kentsū Yabu 屋部 憲通 | |
|---|---|
 Yabu Kentsu, c. 1936 | |
| Born | September 23, 1866 Shuri, Okinawa,Ryukyu Kingdom |
| Died | August 27, 1937 (age 70) Shuri, Okinawa,Japan |
| Style | Shuri-te,Tomari-te |
| Teacher(s) | Matsumura Sōkon,Ankō Itosu,Kōsaku Matsumora |
| Other information | |
| Notable students | Yabiku Mōtoku,Kanken Toyama,Tokuda Anbun,Kyoda Jūhatsu, Gima Shinkin, many others |
Kentsū Yabu (屋部 憲通,Yabu Kentsū, September 23, 1866 - August 27, 1937) was a karate master inOkinawa, and was among the first people to demonstrate karate inHawaii.
Yabu learned Shuri-te fromMatsumura Sōkon andAnkō Itosu[1][2] andTomari-te fromKōsaku Matsumora.[3] He is often considered Itosu's top student.
Yabu Kentsū was born inShuri, Okinawa, on September 23, 1866. He was the oldest son of Yabu Kenten and Shun Morinaga. He had three brothers, three sisters, and three half-sisters.[4] On March 19, 1886, he married Takahara Oto (1868-1940).
As a young man, Yabu learned Shuri-te from Matsumura Sōkon and Ankō Itosu. Around 1889, he, together withMotobu Chōyū andMotobu Chōki, learned Tomari-te from Kōsaku Matsumora.[3] In those days, there was no distinction between different styles of karate, and Yabu did not call himself by the name of his school for the rest of his life.
Yabu joined the Japanese Army in December 1890. He served in theFirst Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. He received promotion to lieutenant, but to subsequent students, he was often known asgunso, or sergeant.[5]
Following separation from the service, Yabu became a teacher at Okinawa Prefectural Normal School in 1906.[6]
In 1908, Yabu's oldest son, Kenden, emigrated to Hawaii. In 1912, Kenden moved toCalifornia. In the USA, Yabu Kenden became known as Kenden Yabe, after a method oftransliteration then being used on Japanese passports.[7]
In 1919, Kenden Yabe married, and in 1921, his wife became pregnant. Yabu Kentsū went to California in 1919 to visit his son (and, hopefully, grandson). However, Kenden Yabe and his wife only had daughters.[5][7]
Yabu stayed in the United States from 1919 until 1927. He returned to Okinawa viaHawaii. He spent about nine months in the Territory. He spent most of his time onOahu, but he also visited other islands. InHonolulu, he gave two public demonstrations of karate at the Nu'uanuYMCA.[8]
Yabu died at Shuri, Okinawa, on August 27, 1937.
As a former soldier, Yabu has been credited with helping make Okinawan karate training more militaristic. That is, students were expected to line up in rows, and respond by the numbers. If so, this was probably part of the general militarization of Japanese athletics common during the early 20th century.[9] However, there is no doubt that his methods involved much rote repetition.[10]
His favoritekata reportedly includedGojūshiho andNaihanchi.[10]