Chatan Yara
Japanese martial artist
北谷屋良
Chatan Yara (北谷 屋良, Chatan Yara; 1668–1756), also known as Ueekata, and Yomitan Yara, is credited with being one of the first to disseminate martial arts (te) throughout Okinawa Island. Yara is most noted for teaching Takahara Peichin who would later become the sensei (mentor) of Sakugawa Kanga (1733-1815), the father of Okinawan karate. Depending on Sakugawa's birth date, Yara may have been his teacher also (based on the kata he taught).
Yara was from Chatan Village, on Okinawa Island.
There is a popular Shito-Ryu kata named 'Chatanyara Kushanku', the kata was taught to Teruo Hayashi by Nagamine Shoshin. Chatanyara kushanku is one of many variants of the popular 'Kushanku' family of katas taught on Okinawa.
Teachers
- Wong Chung-Yoh
- Kūsankū
Students
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q542989 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.