Tou'on ryu Karate

Tou'on-ryu was the style of Okinawa Karatedo taught and named by Juhatsu Kyoda. Kyoda was born on December 5, 1887. Although Kyoda had several instructors, he credited Kanryo Higaonna as his primary teacher and studied with him for over ten years. Because of Higaonna's strong influence on Kyoda he named the style of Karate that he taught after him; Tou’on-ryu (literally ‘Higaon[na] style’). Kyoda died on August 31, 1968 at the age of 81.

Kyoda's senior students included Choko Iraha (1900 - 1984), Juko Kyoda (1926 - 1984) , and Shigekazu Kanzaki (b. 1928). The current headmaster of Tou'on-ryu is Shigekazu Kanzaki (right). Kanzaki sensei began his training in the early 1950's. He eventually opened his own dojo at the Japanese self-defense force base in the early 1960's in Beppu. He later founded the Tou'on-Kai with Kyoda sensei's youngest son, Juko Kyoda, who served as an adviser. Kanzaki sensei retired from full-time teaching in the mid-1990's, but still teaches once a week.

Kanzaki sensei's most senior active student, and now current chief instructor, is Shigenori Ikeda. Ikeda sensei originally started his Karatedo training as a high school student in Shito-ryu. While at university he became curious about old style Nahate and sought out Kanzaki sensei in 1983. Since that time he has continued to study, practice and promote Tou'on-ryu.He most recently completed a series of seminars in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain in 2008.