Stories about Takemura and Kishimoto

Takemura "Bushi" (1814?-1896) was a tax collector prior to 1879 and very unpopular among the peasants, . At the age of 55, whilst on a tax collecting trip, Takemura was attacked by about 20 of the village males. Eyewitnesses stated that he defeated all of the offenders with circular movements and that now and again his right foot sweep up and scuff the head of an attacker who would run clutching his head in an attempt to replace a flat of skin and hair that had been removed by Takemura's extraordinary "scalping kick".

Afer this incident, Takemura resigned and migrated from Shuri to become a farmer in the north of the island where he taught Ti.

The Takemura's only known disciple, that got from the master the Menkyo Kaiden, was Soko Kishimoto (1862-1945). He passed the Takemura's Ti to Seitoku Higa, the Bugeikan's founder (cousin of Seiko Higa and Yochuku Higa), Seiken Shukomine and "Shikan" Akamine.

Kishimoto emphasized the methods of soft (ju) rather than the methods of hard (go). After Kunihiko Tosa, he believed that: "In Goju-ryu and Kamichi-ryu, the only aim was to build a hard body, which in reality is not enough in a real fight. Punching un-trained targets, such as the eyes or the groin is quicker. Punching at vital points on the body is therefore the strongest".

SOME LEGENDS OF THESE KARATE MASTERS

Kishimoto was a Buddhist by religion, and spent much of his time in meditation and is said that as a result gained "extra-sensory powers". One moonless night, whilst he was walking in a grove, Kishimoto instinctively avoided a surprise attack from the rear. When was asked how it was done, Kishimoto replied: "I can see the shadows". Kishimoto had been referring to "shadows" as disturbances caused by the attacker's mind.

Takemura and Matsumura were good friends. Once whilst they were drinking together in the garden of his house, Takemura provoked Matsumura by saying that he was too old to fight. A friendly match followed between them. Takemura started to rise from his sitting position when Matsumura attempted to scoop his leg, but instead of being thrown, Takemura did a back somersault and landed on a small stone bridge. This incident gave to Takemura the fame of "levitation power".

I don't know if these stories are fables. They were repported by the Kishimoto's disciple Higa Seitoku, that was also a mystical and entusiast of "extra-sensorial powers". At any way, are delicious stories.