Brief Uechi-Ryu History      return to AWCNF home

Year    Event
1897 Kanbun Uechi went to China and studied Pangainoon (hard and soft method of three animal forms -- tiger, dragon, crane) for ten years under Shusshabu (a/k/a Shushiwa)
1907 Kanbun opened his own dojo in China.
1910 Kanbun closed the dojo and returned to his home village of Izumi on Okinawa after one of his students killed a man during a rice field irrigation dispute.
1926 Kanbun opened a dojo in mainland Japan teaching only three kata, kotegitae, and Chinese medicine (note: this is the first time Pangainoon was taught outside of China).
1937 Kanei Uechi, Kanbun's oldest son, opened a dojo in mainland Japan after ten years of study under his father.
1940 Kanbun was awarded the title of Grandmaster and his students further honored him by renaming Pangainoon to "Uechi-ryu" (which means "in the style of Uechi").
1942 Uechi-ryu was taught for the first time in Okinawa when Kanei returned, but he soon closed the dojo due to World War II.  Kanbun reopened the dojo after the war.
1948 Kanbun (71) died, Kanei moved to Futenma and opened a dojo.
1967 Kanei Uechi is awarded 10th Degree Black Belt by Japan and Okinawa Karate Federations.
1983 Nestor Folta went to Okinawa and studied under the direct tutelage of Kanei for 5 years.
1988 Nestor Folta returns to Washington, DC.
1991 Kanei Uechi dies and Kanmei becomes president of Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association.
1999 Nestor Folta receives Master Level Instructor Certification.

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