Officially
Designated Authentic
Background and Cultural Significance
The designation is made according to Okinawa Prefectural Cultural Property Protection Ordinance.
Intangible Cultural Properties consist of human "technical artistry", embodied by individuals who represent the highest mastery of the techniques concerned.
In order to preserve and pass on traditional karate techniques, which are an outstanding cultural heritage, Okinawa Prefecture designates prefectural holders of intangible cultural assets for "Okinawa Karate and Kobujutsu".
So far, a total of 20 people have been designated as Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property Holders: 3 in 1997, 6 in 2000, 5 in 2013, and 6 in 2020.
The full list pictured here is included below.
Prefectural Karate Museum and Research Institute
Lifetime Students
of Designated Masters
As instructors, we've had the unique privilege of training directly under these Living Human Treasures from the very beginning. Help us pass on their legacy.
Katsuya Miyahira
Prefecture-Designated Intangible Cultural Asset Holder
Designated on Sep 12, 2000
Hanshi 10th Dan. Senior student of Master Chōshin Chibana and 2nd President of the OSKK. We have over 20 years of training under him during his visits to the US, and our trips to Okinawa. Sensei Miyahira certified the testing and teaching certificates for each of our instructors.
Seikichi Iha
Prefecture-Designated Intangible Cultural Asset Holder
Designated on May 19, 2020
Hanshi 10th Dan. Head of the North American Shidokan Association and a senior student of Miyahira Sensei, he was the highest-ranking master in the US until his passing in 2024. Our instructors each have 30-40 years of direct training with Sensei Iha.
Morinobu Maeshiro
Prefecture-Designated Intangible Cultural Asset Holder
Designated on May 19, 2020
Hanshi 10th Dan. A senior student of Miyahira Sensei in Okinawa, current President of the OSKK, and Prefecture-Designated Intangible Cultural Asset Holder. We are honored to be students of Maeshiro Sensei.
Kiyoshi Tsuha
Prefecture Designated Person of Cultural Merit, Karate and Kobudo
Honored on Nov 14, 2025
Hanshi 10th Dan and a Vice President of the OSKK, and recipient of the Okinawa Prefecture Cultural Merit Award for his lifetime of contributions and mastery in Okinawan Karate and Kobudo (weapons). We are now learning weapons under his instruction.
Past Designees
Designated on Aug 8, 1997
1907-1997
Nagamine, Shoshin (長嶺 将真)
Founder of the Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu. He was initiated into the secrets of karate by Kuba Chojin, the Tumai-di master, and studied under Shimabukuro Taro and Arakaki Ankichi. Later, while working as a policeman, he was instructed by Kyan Chotoku and opened his own dojo in 1937. After the war, he dedicated himself to bringing together the disparate styles of karate.
1912-2003
Yagi, Meitoku (八木 明徳)
The founder of the Okinawa Karate Gojukai. He was taught by Miyagi Chojun from age 15. In 1938, he joined the police and served in a number of different stations. In 1952, when he was 40, he opened the Meibu-kan Dojo in Kume. In 1956 he founded Okinawa Karate Gojukai. The same year, the Uechi, Kobayashi Shorin-ryu and Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu were merged, forming the Okinawa Karate-do Federation (later known as the All-Okinawa Karate-do Federation), and Yagi served as the first chairman. He worked throughout his life for the preservation and continuation of traditional Okinawa karate.
1915-2006
Itokazu, Seiki (糸数 盛喜)
Founder of the Konan-ryu. In 1933, at age 18, he became a disciple of Kyan Chotoku. Later, he studied the Uechi-ryu under Uechi Kan'ei. In 1953, he opened a dojo in Naha. In 1971, he formed the Uechi-ryu Karate-do Association, and served as vice-chairman. In 1998 he was appointed as chairman emeritus of the Uechi-ryu Karate-do Federation.
Designated on Sep 12, 2000
1925-2012
Iha, Koshin (伊波 康進)
He studied under Miyagi Chojun, the founder of the Goju-ryu, in 1939. In 1957, he became an assistant instructor when Miyagi's heir, Miyazato Ei'ichi, opened the Jundo-kan dojo. In 1964, he opened his own dojo, the Seido-kan. He was a frequent visitor to overseas countries, and passionate about teaching. In 2000, he became the chairman emeritus of the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Association.
1928-2019
Tomoyose, Ryukou (友寄 隆宏)
Shohei-ryu and Uechi-ryu. Influenced by his father, Ryuyu (who had a master-disciple relationship with Uechi Kanbun), he started studying the Goju-ryu under Miyagi Chojun from 1941. After the Pacific War, he became a disciple of Uechi Kanbun, under whom he polished his techniques. Using his advanced English skills, he instructed US army personnel while working for the United States military. He visited the United States more than fifteen times, and was an internationalist who had a great deal of influence on the world of American karate.
1920-2016
Nakazato, Shugoro (仲里 周五郎)
Kobayashi Shorin-ryu. He started karate training in Sakai, Osaka, from 1935, when he was 15. He returned home to Okinawa in 1946, and studied under Chibana Choshin. Later, he served as assistant instructor, and opened the Shorin-ryu Shorin-kan Nakazato Dojo in 1953, teaching karate and kobujutsu. He had more than fifty branch dojos overseas, and holds seminars, demonstrations, and events around the world.
1922-2010
Nakazato, Joen (仲里 常延)
Founder of the Shorinji-ryu. For six years, from 1937 to 1943, he studied under Kyan Chotoku. In 1952, he opened the Kyudo-kan dojo. A strict non-revisionist when it came to kata, his principle was to return to the original source. An educator, who served as principal at both the elementary and middle school levels, he spend his life following the path of one who seeks the way.
1918-2010
Miyahira, Katsuya (宮平 勝哉)
The second chairman of the Okinawa Shorin-ryu Karate-do Association. In 1933, when he was at the Prefectural First Middle School, he studied under Chibana Choshin and Tokuda Anbun. Five years later, he also studied under Motobu Choki, and was taught the traditional techniques of Shui-di. In 1948 he opened the Shido-kan Karate Dojo. Many of his students became some of the best karate instructors, active overseas as well.
1926-
Wakugawa, Kosei (湧川 幸盛)
From 1948, he started seriously studying the Shorin-ryu and kobujutsu. He met Miyazato Ei'ichi, the Goju-ryu master, which led to him spending his life training in karate. In 1971 he inherited Iha Koshin's Seido-kan dojo, and opened the Goju-ryu Karate-do Seido-kan Honbu, starting full-time training of disciples. He has visited China sixteen times, helping deepen the bonds of martial art.
Designated on May 7, 2013
1925-2013
Ishikawa, Seitoku (石川 精徳)
Kobayashi Shorin-ryu. During his time at primary school, he was initiated into karate by Shiroma Shinpan. Later, he studied under Chibana Choshin, and was also taught by Shimabukuro Taro. He was an army second lieutenant in Kumamoto prefecture when the war ended. In 1948, he returned home to Okinawa. In 1961, he opened the Shuri Sanka Dojo. His motto was "We shall not be moved by things."
1930-
Uehara, Takenobu (上原 武信)
Born in Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture in 1930, he moved from Osaka to Okinawa shortly after the war, and entered the Shutoku-kai Oroku Dojo (now Uechi-ryu) founded by Uehara Saburo, his father, in Uebaru (old Oroku village), Naha, in September 1948. Ever since then, for more than 65 years, he has been practicing Uechi-ryu karate.
1930-2017
Hichiya, Yoshio (比知屋 義夫)
Goju-ryu. At age 24, in 1954, he studied under the Goju master Miyazato Ei'ichi. In 1969, when the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Association was formed, he was appointed its director. At Miyazato's encouragement, he opened the Hichiya Karate Dojo in 1971. The Association now has sixteen branches overseas, in places like Europe, the United States, Canada, South Africa, China and Hong Kong, and as an instructor, Hichiya is eager to encourage links between them.
1938-
Nakamoto, Masahiro (仲本 政博)
Kobudo. In 1958, he studied under Chibana Choshin. In 1969, he was granted his license to teach kobudo by Taira Shinken. Later, he studied the bo under Soken Hohan, the bo and sai under Uehara Seikichi, and was also instructed by Maeshiro Chotoku and Miyahira Katsuya, becoming a master at both kobudo and karate. In 2004, he established the Okinawa Traditional Kobudo Federation.
1938-
Higaonna, Morio (東恩納 盛男)
He studied the Goju-ryu under Miyazato Ei'ichi and Miyagi An'ichi starting in 1955. Later, he moved to Tokyo and started teaching karate. In 1979, he founded the International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-Do Federation (IOGKF) and opened the Higaonna Dojo in Naha in 1982. A world championship is held once every four years, and there are branches in more than sixty countries.
Designated on May 19, 2020
1939-
Iha, Kotaro (伊波 光太郎)
From 1958, he studied under the Shorin-Ryu founder Choshin Chibana. He learned Karate under Yuchoku Higa, and Kantoku Izumikawa, a leading disciple of "a master of Bo, Oshiro". Additionally, he learned Karate and Kobudo from Hoei Ishikawa, a Nunchaku, Sai, and Kama user. In 1973, he opened the Kobudo Dojo Shudoukan in Uruma City. In 1981, he formed the Ryukyu Kobudo Ryukonkai. Then in 2004, he contributed to the establishment of the Okinawa Prefecture Kobudo Federation.
1932-
Iha, Seikichi (伊波 清吉)
He has studied under Shuri-te masters Shinpan Gusukuma and Katsuye Miyahira. After teaching in the Philippines, in 1969, he opened the Shidokan Iha Dojo in Los Angeles and a second location in Michigan. In 1989, he became chief executive of the Shorin-Ryu Karatedo Shidokan in the United States. In 2001, he was appointed the Ju-dan of Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karatedo and continued to strive to teach Okinawa traditional karate in Japan and overseas.
1946-
Kikugawa, Masanari (喜久川 政成)
Since 1963, he has studied Karate from Eiichi Miyazato, a disciple of Chojun Miyagi, the founder of Goju-Ryu. Since 1963, he has participated in the National Sports Festival (male section) and has won championships. In 2005, he opened Okinawa Goju-Ryu Karate Association Kikugawa Karate dojo. In 1983, he received the Excellent Athletes Award (Akagi National Athlete) and created the Goju-Ryu Karate textbook. He also serves as a lecturer at the Okinawa Karate World Seminar.
1930-
Takara, Shintoku (高良 信徳)
From 1950, he studied under the founder of Uechi-Ryu, Kanbun Uechi, and the eldest son of Kanbun Uechi, Kanei Uechi. Since 1960, he has been working as a master at the Futenma Shubukan, Uechi-Ryu Soke Dojo. In 1967, he was appointed as a teacher of Kara-te. From 1990 to 2001, he contributed to popularize the Uechi-Ryu in Boston, Massachusetts and in other regions of the United States. He also created the foundation for the Uechi-Ryu after the war. He has continuously contributed to guide many younger generations.
1933-
Nakahodo, Tsutomu (仲程 力)
In 1951, he studied under his father, Sanzo Higa (Shorin-Ryu). From 1954, he studied under Seiko Toyama, a direct disciple of Kanbun Uechi, the founder of Uechi-Ryu, as well as Seiyu Shinjo, a disciple of Kanei Uechi. In 1968, he strived to open the Uechi-Ryu Onna village Shubukan and Naha Shubukan. In 1970, he was appointed as a master of Uechi-Ryu. Since 1975, he has been active as a karate lecturer in North America and Europe including the Karate Kobudo Seminars. He has also been committed to teaching younger generations.
1945-
In 1960, he learned from Katsuya Miyahira, a disciple of Shuri-te Anko Itosu and a disciple of Choshin Chibana, the founder of Shorin-Ryu. In 1970, he was appointed as a master by the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karatedo Association. Since 1974, he has participated in exchange performances in the Philippines, Europe, South Africa, etc. and has worked as a lecturer at seminars. In 1989, he opened the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Shidokan Museijuku dojo. Since then, he has strived to promote the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu and guide younger generations.
Source:
Report on Additional Certification of Holders of Intangible Cultural Properties (Official Japanese)
Report on Additional Certification of Holders of Intangible Cultural Properties (English Translation)
Okinawa, Oct 10, 2022
Read the full message
Additional Resources
Official Publications and Video Materials
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan. Intangible Cultural Properties.
- UNESCO. Intangible Heritage.
- October 25th, 2022 Karate Day "Dedication Demonstration"
- Dedication performer - Holder of Okinawa Prefecture designated intangible cultural asset “Okinawa Karate and Kobujutsu”
- 空手家一覧 (List of Karateka)
- Intangible Cultural Asset Holders in the Field of Okinawan Karate and Martial Arts with Weaponry (Chris Wilson)
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