two ancient warrirs using weapons — This drawing is a copy of an ancient Chinese painting depicting a karate-like form of unarmed self-defense. Black Belt Magazine, 1st ed. P. 23

A Master’s Thoughts on the Evolution of Tomari-te Okinawan Karate

The evolution of Tomari-te Okinawan karate is not well known. One of the three original forms of “te,” it contributed greatly to the development of karate as we know it today. Although it was abandoned by instructors because of its brutal nature of ending an attack, it still lives today in kata and techniques of the modern karate world. This article is a rendition of personal notes passed down by my sensei who studied the original style of T0mari-te.

Karate in Okinawa was first taught as “ti” and was not changed until just before WWII when the word “te” was attached to all styles of self-defense and martial arts. The “ti” styles were taught in secret. In this article, we will talk about one of the original “ti” arts, Tomari-ti. Variations of ti was also taught in the villages of Naha and Shuri, but Tomari-ti was an art that stood by itself.

The Emergence of Okinawan Karate in a Seafaring Port

Tomari was a small fishing village. It was the main port for all seafaring traffic in Okinawa. Because of the coral reefs around the islands, this was the safest, and only, port for ships to dock. Over the many centuries, the port at Tomari brought in people from all over the world. Seafaring was the major transportation between Okinawa and China.

The Shaolin temples were often at risk by the Chinese government and invaders – depending on the emperor and which country wanted a piece of China. Okinawa became refuge for many of these monks. The Shaolin monks were known for their prowess and fighting abilities and were a threat to those in power. If the emperor at the time didn’t support them, he burned the temples.

This set the scene for monks leaving China and going to places elsewhere. Many passed through the port of Tomari.

Ti is the original art of Okinawa. There was probably some Chinese and Micro Polynesian influence from the travelers that came to the islands, but the people of Okinawa developed their own effective style of defense. Early records trace the beginning of ti to around 600 A.D., but it is safe to assume even before then the Okinawans had their own combat style.

Over the years, the three styles, Naha-ti, Shuri-ti, and Tomari-ti continued to grow. In the 13th Century, a group of Chinese families relocated in Okinawa, at the invitation of the Okinawan King Sho-Hashi. Their expertise in kung fu began to meld with the three styles.

Okinawan Ti becomes Te

It was during this time, with the Chinese influence, that “ti” became “te.”

Tomari-te is known for the brutal resolutions of conflict, and many instructors refused to teach this art.

Tomari-te is a guerilla style of combat. Mountains and jungles surrounded the area, and there are stories of monks living in the caves in the mountains where they held their training sessions. Because of the brutality of the art, it was taught in secret, especially after 1609 when the Japanese invaded Okinawa.

The Japanese trained to fight in open battle fields and were not trained to fight in the mountains. The Okinawans confounded them with their hit and run maneuvers.

book cover the art of peace — The Handbook to Aikido

Many great masters taught U.S. troops in this fighting style, including Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of modern Aikido. Ueshiba Sensei, the founder of the Art of Peace, had a black belt in fighting arts, but he realized that at 70 years old, “at my age, getting hit hurts.”

Ueshiba Sensi incorporated the timing and de-escalation techniques used by other styles and adapted them to his new style called Aikido,

He was famous for being the first to demonstrate techniques that use the high ranks of the hidden systems which he had pledged to never reveal to the public. The old masters had the realization that the Salem-witch-hunts and the current ongoing cults would be more than happy to try to claim what they were capable of doing was a result of cultism. But they did not understand that the true karate-ka were taught to protect or to free the innocent.

Okinawan Karate is Always a Changing Art

I was fortunate to train with six true grandmasters from different systems that were close friends who trained together, traveled together, played together, and spent years together discussing theory and techniques to prove their theories. They often exchanged students so they could get a hands-on experience as to what worked against what style or technique. These men were smart enough to change and improve what they taught so they would not have baseless techniques for the sake of leaving it in because of tradition – teach because it has aways been taught.

Karate is based on survival. In order to do that, an instructor must be willing to adapt to change and add on to their training. That is why the Japanese include archery as a new extension of the art – like we of today must include firearms.

A realist will increase his weapons, a purist is more like a cult and will not change to improve his system while staying pure. The purist and his students have stopped progressing, are being passed up, and eventually become relics. Like the dinosaur, they will become extinct due to their inability to evolve with the times and the world around them.

Gichin Funakoshi was a famous Okinawan Karate Instructor — Gichin Funakoshi first learned Tomari-te

Shotokan is a current example of this. Funakoshi’s heritage is directly related to the Tomari-ti system, along with others, and his main reason to form Shotokan was to teach high school students’ physical education and not combat skills. That was the sole point in having a universal ranking system in 1924, and made the tournaments designed not to damage opponents. Up to that point, the matchers were designed to see who was best, in which Funakoshi himself was a champion in these matches.

After training and obtaining six black belts in different fighting styles while at the same time training with Master Juri, Master Juri and Master Nakiyama had requested that I train and teach under Okinawa’s banner. At the time, Kung Fu was being made a fool of because TV shows like Kung Fu.

Kung fu integrated with Okinawan karate — Kung Fu starring David Carridine (1972 – 1975)

The Degredation of Okinawan

They thought Bruce Lee would eventually bring a bad name to the art due to his mob and Hollywood connections – which later came to be the case. After these Hollywood shows, the reputation of the art began to spiral downward, and the art became a joke based on impossible techniques; flying over walls, voodoo-like spells, fighting twenty armed men, and drugs were constantly a sideline. The modern arts became about mysticism, the supernatural, Superman in a gi, and big money.

The Goal of the Martial Arts is to Protect our Own

In twenty years, our code of morality and ethics was no longer in the forefront for which the art was originally taught – to protect.

Today karate is big money, both for instructors and promotors. There is little honor or discipline in the ring. Judges play politics. If you have superior techniques, an ass-kissing referee that needs a favor would willingly avoid giving an opponent a point. Until the opponent realizes the only way to prove his technique is by taking out the other opponent with a technique that damages the other fighter to make it clear his techniques are superior.

It is for these reasons that straight-forward traditional styles cannot be taught commercially. It is up to the instructor to pick out qualified students, not his banker. The students are responsible for meeting some of the needs of the instructor. A good instructor works on karate 24 hours a day. Ti or Te, you really don’t have time to choose which one broke your elbow.

I have read about other instructors that still do Ti and they are amazed that the same katas are used. But the bunkai that the instructors teach are easy to see and basically self-explanatory without even knowing the hidden bunkai in them.

All katas that are completely known by an instructor would include throwing, grappling, target attacks (five techniques of bone separation, muscle separation, sealing the breath, sealing the vein, and cavity press), locks and stop-hit moves.

Without knowing those elements, you cannot possibly know a kata. Anyone claiming to be a master should be able to see these things in any kata from any style unless the kata was invented by a fool just trying to make a knife dance and not a kata.

This article was written by Master Pickett sometime in the 1990’s.
I found it among his papers and am sharing it with you.
(This is his original work with only slight editing)

a masked punk stealing a man's money

A punk on the street approaches you, weapon in hand, demanding everything you’ve got. What do you do?

Although all attackers are different, and all have a different mindset, most attackers fall into one of three categories: Mugger, Attacker, and Avenger.

Some are seasoned in intimidation, while others might be as scared as you are. The key here is staying calm so you can spot the difference.

The ability to recognize an amateur from a pro makes a difference on how you respond. Seasoned offenders tend to be cool and direct. They want your valuables without a fuss. Amateurs? They’re often jumpy and unpredictable. Notice their body language and their intent.

The type of weapon in an attacker’s hand determines the techniques you will use. An attacker with a gun requires a different approach than someone with a knife or a club. The level of threat escalates with the lethality of the weapon, and so should your response.

There are the psychological aspects of self-defense, as well. Warding off an attacker requires physical readiness and mental preparation. Be decisive. Hesitation can get you killed.

Always, always, be aware of your surroundings. Leave your phone in your pocket or purse and put away your ear buds. Carry yourself like you mean business and you won’t take anything from anyone.

Avoid risky areas when you can. Take a self-defense class. Choose something that resonates with you, keeps you safe, and builds your confidence. Whether you have self-defense training, or not, the priority is your safety. #1 priority. Escape and seek help.

The Mugger: Give Him Your Money

The Mugger is the guy who will threaten you with a weapon to get any valuable from you – car, wallet, watch or shoes. He has no real intention of using the weapon other than for intimidation. Accidents happen so the possibility of you being involved with an amateur is a little high here – you should be able to recognize a well experienced Mugger from one that is not. Remember the Mugger will be jumpy. If it is just valuables, let him have them and find him when he doesn’t have the weapon. If it looks like the Mugger is going to use the weapon anyway, he goes from being the Mugger to an Attacker.

Should you hand over your belongings? That is not even a consideration. The answer is YES, hand over whatever they want. Items can be replaced, your life can’t.

A mugging can escalate to a more significant threat – an attacker. This isn’t a simple distinction. It’s about gauging intentions quickly.

The Attacker: The Threat Escalates

woman knees man in groin — Check out those heels. A perfect weapon.

The attacker is the guy who intends to damage you regardless of how much you cooperate. Chances are he picked you out at random. He has no intention of robbing you initially, his main concern is hurting or damaging someone and being in control or power. It will take brutal techniques to stop, disarm, and control the Attacker – the fact that someone at this level is mentally unstable.

Obviously, someone with a gun would be treated differently than someone with a knife, and a club is considered below the knife, which is a greater threat. This person is dangerous and has full intent on hurting you or someone in your party.

Legal battles sometimes come up, such as the assailant suing the defendant for damages or people being imprisoned for breaking an attacker’s arm after the attacker was disarmed.

It is the Mushin Karate’s philosophy that our members have the ability to eliminate a defense situation that comes under the Attacker description quickly and permanently. The defense of “it” as described in Hyams book “Zen in the Martial Arts” opens a new view to this.

The avenger chooses you specifically. Is it your demeanor, your lack of attention to your surroundings? These are things the attacker looks for.

The Avenger: Calculated Vengeance

The third threat would be someone who is seeking revenge for a wrong or a preconceived wrong. This person could fall under category one or two except what makes this Avenger the most dangerous is he has planned and tracked you to get acquainted with you.

This guy will stalk you and get to know your routine to familiarize himself with your territory so he will have the advantage of you going to him. This person should be taken absolutely seriously. You may be able to reason with him, but this is a slim chance.

Your chances of damaging and escaping is good at this point. The Avenger will normally confront you face to face at first. DO NOT EVER let yourself be removed from the initial site – there would be almost no chance of surviving if you moved – someone trying to attack, control you, and then move you should be eliminated quickly and permanently. The attacker with a weapon should be first dealt with a deflection of the weapon and the control of the attacking arm.

You must be attuned to your environment, watching for signs that you’re being tracked or if there’s a consistent pattern of ‘chance’ meetings. You want to disrupt the avenger’s plans by altering your routine and staying unpredictable.

If a face-to-face encounter with an Avenger becomes inevitable, defuse the situation as quickly as possible. As in the other two scenarios, your priority is to ensure your own safety and seek an escape at the first opportunity.

Real-life threats and attacks are not a common occurrence, despite what you see on the news. If you are aware of your surroundings, you can avoid most ugly confrontations. But if you find yourself targeted, understanding the dynamics of the attacker beforehand, and having a strategy may save you. Always have a plan.

Stay safe.

karate fist

Author: Sensei Carol

How Okinawan Karate Evolved from Tomari-te