A Life in Martial Arts
While visiting Okinawa, I had the honor of meeting Tetsuhiro Hokama. He welcomed me warmly and took the time to share his deep knowledge of Karate and Kobudo. I had the opportunity to visit his dojo and the Karate-do Museum, which he personally established. Speaking with him gave me a deeper appreciation for the roots of Okinawan Karate and the value of preserving its history. Hokama Sensei’s dedication, discipline, and deep knowledge of the old ways made a lasting impression on me.
Tetsuhiro Hokama was born in Taiwan in 1944 to Okinawan parents. He began informal training in 1952 under his grandfather, Seiken Tokuyama. In 1961, he started formal training at the Naha Commercial High School Karate-do club, which operated under the supervision of Chiyokutani Irashi (Goju-ryu), a student of Seiko Higa. That same year, Hokama began direct training with Seiko Higa (1898–1966), who had studied under both Kanryo Higaonna (1853–1915) and Chojun Miyagi (1888–1953). At Higa’s dojo, Hokama met Shinpo Matayoshi (1922–1997), who would become his Kobudo teacher. Under Matayoshi, he studied Okinawan Kobudo, Hakutsuru Ken (White Crane Fist), and Kingai-ryu, a system passed down from Matayoshi’s father, Shinko Matayoshi (1888–1945), who learned it in Manchuria.
After Seiko Higa’s death in 1966, Hokama continued training with Seiko Fukuchi (1919–1975), one of Higa’s senior students and his assistant instructor. He also deepened his study of Okinawan Kobudo under Shinpo Matayoshi.
In 1974, Hokama became director of the Okinawan High School Karate-do Association after founding several karate clubs. He was awarded the title of Shihan in 1977. He also served as technical advisor to the All-Japan Karate-do Ken Yu Kai and worked as secretary of the All Okinawa Karate-do Association.
Among his most notable accomplishments is the publication of his book History of Okinawa Karate in 1984. In January 1987, he founded the Okinawa Prefecture Karate-do and Kobudo Museum in Nishihara, Okinawa, the first karate museum in the world. He also built a monument in Okinawa, acknowledging Okinawa as the birthplace of Karate-do. He continues to lead the Okinawan Ken Shi Kai organization.
Tetsuhiro Hokama holds the rank of 10th Dan Hanshi in Goju-ryu Karate-do. He is the President of the Okinawa Goju-ryu Kenshi Kai Karate-do Kobudo Association and founder of the world’s first Karate-do museum. While not as widely known in the United States as some other Okinawan Goju-ryu instructors, Hokama Hanshi is recognized as one of the most knowledgeable masters of Goju-ryu Karate-do, with a deep understanding of the old ways of Karate.
Cheers, Gert
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