1863 - 1937
Hawaii Karate Seinenkai
Kentsu Yabu, also known as Yabu Gunso ("Sergeant"), Yabu Chusa ("Lieutenant"), and Yabu No Tanme ("elder"), arrived in Hawaii in March, 1927. He was on his way back to Okinawa after spending the prior 8 years in California, where his eldest son, Kenden Yabe and his family, resided. This raises the amazing prospect that Yabu might have taught Karate in the United States as early as 1919! A student of Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura and Anko Itosu, Yabu was one of the first teachers to conduct karate classes in the Okinawan school system. He also taught at the Teacher's College and the Police Academy.At the end of March, 1927, Yabu gave a small Karate demonstration at the Nuuanu Y.M.C.A. (in Honolulu) for the Thursday Luncheon Club. On Friday, July 8, 1927, he gave another demonstration at the Y.M.C.A. which was attended by about 700 people. A newspaper account of the demonstration stated that "Five little boys opened the program with demonstrations of the 'Karate.'" Yabu obviously taught children as well as adults. One of these children was Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro. Yabu also taught on Kauai and travelled to Maui with Admiral Kenwa Kanna. One of the people he met there was Oki Shikina. He left Hawaii at the end of December.
Yabu was truly the elder statesman of Okinawan Karate. The Hawaii Karate Seinenkai salutes Yabu Sensei and expresses its gratitude to him for coming to Hawaii to spread the art of Karate.
Books by Yabu:
Books and Articles about Yabu:
- Yabu is not believed to have written any books.
- Karate Pioneer Yabu Kentsu, 1866-1937, by Joseph R. Svinth. Journal of Combative Sport, June 2003. Originally, Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 2001, 10:2: 8-17.
- Kentsu Yabu's Senior Students in Hawaii by Charles C. Goodin. Classical Fighting Arts, Issue #8, 2006. See Classical Fighting Arts Online. See cover, right.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in Karate's History and Traditions, by Bruce A. Haines. Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1968.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in Karate and Its Development in Hawaii to 1959, by Bruce A. Haines. University of Hawaii, 1962.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in The Roots of Okinawan Karate in Hawaii, by Charles C. Goodin. Okinawan Mixed Plate: Generous Servings of Culture, Customs and Cuisine, Hui O Laulima, August 2000.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in The Roots of Okinawan Karate in Hawaii, by Charles C. Goodin. Hawaii Pacific Press, August 1, 1999.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in The Roots of Karate in Hawaii, by Charles C. Goodin. Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue, Japanese American Citizens League, December 1999.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in The Roots of Okinawan Karate in Hawaii, by Charles C. Goodin. Masters of Combat, July 2000.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro: Hawaii's First Nisei Karate Sensei, by Charles C. Goodin.
- Yabu's visit to Hawaii is discussed in Hawaii's First Nisei Karate Sensei (Thomas Shigeru Miyashiro), by Charles C. Goodin. Hawaii Pacific Press, September 1, 1999.
- Karate Pioneer Yabu Kentsu, 1866-1937, by Joseph R. Svinth. Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 2001, 10:2: 8-17.
The spirit of Karate is the Aloha spirit
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