Anko Azato held an
honourable rank not
unlike that of a
lower Daimyo in
Japanese society. He
used the pen name "Rinkakusai".
Since his youth
Azato had been
referred to as the
"child prodigy"
because he excelled
in both the fighting
traditions and in
literary studies. By
the time that the
Ryukyu Kingdom was
abolished, Azato had
become a well-known
politician holding
the post of Minister
of State. His
counterpart was a
man named Mr. Ishado
Seiei.
Master Azato was a
very close friend of
Master Anko Itosu. In
fact, both Azato and
Itosu were both regarded
as brother Bushi and
respected as such.
Together, Azato and
Itosu had diligently
studied the martial arts
under the strict
tutelage of Matsumura
Soken. During these
times, Azato Sensei was
also studying at the
National school
particularly, in the
study of the Chinese
classics. Azato was an
honour student.
Excelling in various
martial arts, Master
Azato was particularly
fond of horsemanship,
which he studied under
Megata Sensei, the
trainer who groomed the
Meiji Emperor himself.
Master Azato also loved
archery and diligently
studied under Master
Sekiguchi, and like his
teacher (Matsumura
Sokon) before him, so
did Azato study Jigenryu
swordsmanship directly
under the noted Japanese
instructor Ishuin
Yashichiro. However,
among all the combative
disciplines, it was the
swordsmanship of
Jigenryu that Sensei
Azato most favoured.
Sensei Azato was
known to say, "The
purpose of martial arts
is not just to build a
strong and healthy body,
but also to educate
one's mind and forge the
spirit. Martial arts
seek to build the body,
improve one's character
and find inner-harmony.
It cannot guarantee it."
Famous students of
Anko Azato are
Gichin Funakoshi and
Masayoshi Hisataka.
Azato is said to have
passed on a special form
of Nijushiho Kata to
Shinan Masayoshi
Hisataka. This form is
said to have been
modified by Azato based
on his barehanded defeat
of the swordsman Yorin
Kanna and is the form of
Nijushiho
"While Azato believed
the hands and feet
should be like bladed
weapons and that one
should avoid all contact
of an opponent's strike,
Itosu held the idea that
the body did not have to
be so mobile and should
be able to take the
hardest of blows.
Chosin
Chibana (a long time
student of Itosu) once
said that Itosu indeed
have a very powerful
punch, but Matsumura had
once said to Itosu:
'With your strong punch
you can knock anything
down, but you can't so
much as touch me."
back to
biography
list of
Masters.....
