Hohan Sōken
{{short description|Okinawan karateka}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Hohan Sōken
| residence =
| other_names =
| image = Hohan Sōken.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Historical photo of Hohan Sōken
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1889|05|25}}
| birth_place = Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1982|11|30|1889|05|25}}
| death_place = Okinawa, Japan
| death_cause =
| martial_art = Shōrin-ryū
| teacher = Nabe Matsumura
| rank =
| students = Roy Suenaka, Chokei Kishaba, Nishihira Kosei, Fusei Kise, Ricky Rose, David Lukasiak, Norman Small.
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
{{nihongo|Hohan Sōken|祖堅 方範|Soken Hōhan}} was an Okinawan martial arts master who founded the Shōrin-ryū Matsumura Seito Okinawa Karate Kobudo Association.{{cite book |last = Hokama |first = Tetsuhiro |title = 100 Masters of Okinawan Karate |year = 2005 | pages = 42–43 | publisher=Ozata Print | location=Okinawa }}
Biography
He was born May 25, 1889{{Cite web |url=http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/soken-hohan.htm |title=www.usadojo.com: Biography - Soken Hohan |access-date=2010-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921002826/http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/soken-hohan.htm |archive-date=2009-09-21 |url-status=dead }}{{Citation | last = Estrada | first = Ernie | title = Interview with Hohan Soken: One of the Last Great Old Time Karate Warriors | date = September 10, 1978 | url = http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=426 | access-date = December 30, 2010}} (although at least one text puts his birth year as 1891) in Nishihara, Okinawa.
He was the nephew of Nabe Matsumura (who was the grandson of Matsumura Sōkon). He began karate training at 13 under his uncle. Matsumura taught him several kata, including Naihanchi Shodan, Naihanchi Nidan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Nidan, Passai Sho, Passai Dai, Chinto, Kusanku, Gojushiho, Sanchin, Rohai Jo, Rohai Chu, Rohai Ge, and finally at age 23, Hakutsuru.{{cite book |last = Soken|first = Hohan |title = Martial Arts Resume |year = 1961}} Soken has said in interviews that Kusanku is the most important kata to the style.
In 1924, Sōken emigrated to Argentina. While in Argentina, he worked as a photographer and clothes cleaner. He also taught karate to Japanese and Okinawan ex-pats in Buenos Aires. In 1952, he returned to Okinawa and started to teach karate, first to family members. Then he opened a small dojo to the public. At first, he called the style "Matsumura Shuri-te." But in 1956, changed the name to Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū karate.{{cite book |last = Bishop |first = Mark |title = Okinawan Karate |year = 1989 |isbn =0-7136-5666-2| pages = 57–59}}
Hohan Sōken died on November 30, 1982, in Nishihara, Okinawa.
Students
His senior students included Seiki Arakaki, Mitsuo Inoue, Hideo Nakazato, Kohama, Kohatsu, Yonashiro Masaya Kyan, Nishihira Kosei, Isao Toma, Yoshimatsu Akamine, Seijun Kina, Seizen Kinjo, Yuichi Kuda, Fusei Kise, Takaya Yabiku, James Coffman, Vincent C.Wiegand, Ted Lange, Rick Rose, David Lukasiak, Charles Garrett, David Mauk and Norman Small (Made Australian Director by Master Hohan Soken in 1979)
References
{{reflist}}
{{Shōrin-ryū styles}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soken, Hohan}}
Category:Okinawan male karateka
Category:Shōrin-ryū practitioners
{{Japan-karate-bio-stub}}