Those who made the road
"Tode"Sakugawa > Sokon Matsumura
> "Ankoh" Itosu >
Chotoku Kyan > Tatsuo Shimabukuro
mysterious Koshokun (Kusanku) of a Chinese envoy settled in Okinawa
for some time. His most famous student was Kanga "Tode" Sakugawa
(1733-1815). It is believed Sakugawa became a student of Koshokun in
1756. Sakugawa was a student of Takahara Peichin (1683-1760)
(Peichin is a title of status) until the arrival of Koshokun in
Okinawa. At that time Sakugawa was granted permission from Takahara
Peichin to train under Koshokun.
Sakugawa traveled to China with Koshokun to study
Quanfa. He returned to Okinawa in 1762 to introduce this fighting
method. Before long Sakugawa was considered an expert in the Chinese
hand fighting method. It is said that Sakugawa was awarded the title
of Satonushi for his services to the Okinawa King.
Sakugawa soon started to teach the Chinese hand in
Okinawa. Combining what both his teachers had taught him, he
structured a training system. This made him the first Okinawan
teacher of Tode. Many of his students rose to greatness. Among them
were Chokun Satunuku Makabe, Satunuku Ukuda, Ch. Matsumoto, Kojo,
Yamaguchi ("Bushi" Sakumoto), Unsume, and Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura.