Motobu-ryu

School of karate in Japan

本部流 · 日本伝流兵法本部拳法

Founder

Motobu Chōki

Type

karate

Sport

karate

Motobu-ryū (本部流) is a karate school founded in 1922 by Motobu Chōki from Okinawa. Its official name is Nihon Denryū Heihō Motobu Kenpō ("Japan Traditional Fighting Tactics Motobu Kenpō"), or Motobu Kenpō for short. Motobu-ryū has the characteristics of koryū (old style) karate, the martial art known as tī or tōdī, which predates the birth of modern karate, and emphasizes kumite rather than kata.

Motobu Udundī (本部御殿手), also sometimes called Motobu-ryū, is the martial art of the Motobu family, a branch of the Ryukyuan royal family. The Motobu family, called the Motobu Udun (literally Motobu Palace), was one of the most prominent families in Okinawa and had the right of succession to the throne. Motobu Udundī is a comprehensive martial art that includes not only karate, but also a jujutsu-like technique called tuitī and many weapons arts.

Motobu Chōsei is the inheritor of both Motobu-ryū (his father's art) and Motobu Udundī (the art of his uncle, Motobu Chōyū).

External links

• Wikipedia
• Wikidata

Facts from Wikidata Q2604301 (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.