Welcome to this 11th episode of Liomugai: The way of sword and budo!
Today, we dive deep into the little-known and captivating history of one of the most formidable and traditional styles of karate: Uechi-Ryu.
In this episode, we trace an exceptional lineage of transmission connecting 19th-century Okinawa to today's Europe. Discover how founder Kanbun Uechi, fleeing Japanese military conscription in 1897, traveled clandestinely to China to study martial arts under Chinese master Zhou Zihe (known as Shu Shiwa in Okinawa) for 13 years. There, he learned the Pangainoon style—meaning \"half-hard, half-soft\"—a formidable open-hand combat method.
We then explore the crucial role of his son, Kanei Uechi, who modernized the style by adding new katas and conditioning exercises (Hojo Undo and Junbi Undo), opening the practice to the general public. The history of this transmission accelerates with Ryuko Tomoyose, a foundational pillar who helped Kanei Uechi build the famous Futenma dojo.
It was this very same Ryuko Tomoyose who passed his knowledge on to George Mattson, a young American serviceman who would become the very first Westerner to earn a black belt in Uechi-Ryu. A true pioneer, George Mattson is considered the \"father of Uechi-Ryu\" in America and greatly contributed to the global spread of the style through his many books, including The Way of Karate published in 1958.
Finally, we bridge the gap to our contemporary era by talking about Lionel Reynaud. A direct student of George Mattson since 2017, Lionel is dedicated to preserving \"The Old Way,\" which draws its roots directly from the original teachings of Ryuko Tomoyose. Named Jun-Shihan in 2019 and then 4th Dan in 2025 within the Mattson Academy, he is now one of the leading ambassadors of this authentic martial art in France and Europe.
On the agenda for this episode:
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