subject: Motobu Choki: The Toughest Karate Master You Didn't Know [print this page] There's going to be a lot of different ideas on who was the toughest Master of Karate, but Motobu Chki is certainly up for the vote. He was one of the first instructors to spread Karate outside of Okinawa, and he is responsible for the fame and notoriety of that Art. Interestingly, not many people have heard of this 'George Washington' of Okinawan Karate.
Motobu was born in Okinawa in 1870, and descended from the royal lineage. As the third son, he was actually not supposed to be involved in the martial arts, but that seemed to make him want to study all the more. He spent much time striking the makiwara board, lifting heavy objects, and training as he could.
Eventually, because of his tremendous agility, people called him Motobu the Monkey. He also was looked on as a fierce, though unschooled (brutal?) street fighter. Though he was held in low esteem for his street fighting, instructors took him on as a student, presumably because of lineage.
His instructors read like a Who's Who of early Okinawan Karate. Among the masters who taught him were Ank Itosu, Sakuma Pechin, Skon Matsumura, Tokumine Pechin, and Ksaku Matsumora. This would be like somebody who trained under Ed Parker, Morihei Uyeshiba, Bruce Lee, and Gichin Funakoshi.
Motobu eventually made his way to Japan, where some Karate instructors were earning a living teaching. Motobu being a rough character, and not succeeding at business, signed up to fight in a 'Judo v Boxing' match. He was fifty-two years old the night he stepped into the prize fight ring, and he was about to change Karate for all time.
His opponent is said to have been a strongman from some western country. Strong or not, Motobu is said to have moved forward with a single punch to put the fellow down for the count. People were astonished at this incredible win, and newspapers gave the story coverage, and here is where the tale takes an odd twist.
The newspapers didn't have a picture of Motobu, so they printed the only picture they did have, which was of a young instructor named Gichin Funokoshi. That's right, Motobu won the fight, proved karate was the best, but his fellow countryman, and competitor, Gichin Funokoshi, got the fame. Thus, Shotokan circled the world, and Motobu went home to Okinawa.
Motobu Chki, brawler and roughneck, is as responsible for the spread of Karate as anyone. He was a karate fighter of tremendous punching power, and he founded the Motobu Ryu Karate style. People may have forgotten about him, but they shouldn't, for he is definitely in the running for toughest Karate Master of all time.
