STUDY THE OLD

TO UNDERSTAND THE NEW

Patrick McCarthy Hanshi
Director of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society
Founder of Koryu Uchinadi

Historian, prolific writer, lecturer and unrepentant traveler, Patrick McCarthy Hans-
hi is, first and foremost, an internationally renowned Budô teacher.

An inexhaustible researcher, Patrick McCarthy has drawn from the most genuine
sources of old Okinawan Karate, studying for many years under the watchful eye
of two of his most illustrious names: Richard Kim Sensei and Kinjo Hiroshi Sensei.
Based in Okinawa, Patrick McCarthy Hanshi leads his organization from the cradle
of traditional karate, gives seminars in many countries and directs what is perhaps
his most incipient project: Bujintv, a specialized online platform, with extensive vi-
deo content, interviews , demonstrations and seminars of the different disciplines
that make up the Budô.

It is our hope that the words expressed here serve to bring Spanish-speaking rea-
ders closer to the personality of this illustrious teacher, his ideas and concepts.
Publishing this interview and having your collaboration has been an honor for tho-
se of us who form the editorial staff of Shibumi magazine.
Patrick McCarthy
Patrick McCarthy Dual citizen; Canadian/Australian

Born in Canada, married/lived in Japan for a decade [mid 1980s-mid

1990s], relocated to Australia for more than 20 years; Currently
residing in Okinawa.

Studying the fighting arts from childhood.

Former Canadian Karate Champion and internationally top-ten ra-

ted competitor.

Teaching since 1973.

Japan-accredited Karate Shihan instructor with a 9th Dan and

Hanshi license.

Responsible for having written the first-ever fully accredited

2-year college-level instructor’s diploma program.

Principal Karate teachers were Richard Kim [1917-2003] and Kin-

jo Hiroshi [1919-2013].

Director of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society [the

first organisation of its kind], est. 1988.

Published works include:

“Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate” Ohara 1987 * “Bubishi, Bible of Karate” ~ Tuttle
1995 * “Ancient Martial Arts of Okinawa” Vol #1 ~ Tuttle 1999 * “Ancient Martial Arts of
Okinawa” Vol #2 ~ Tuttle 1999 * “Tales of Okinawa’s Great Masters” [Translator] ~ Tuttle
2000 * “My Karate” [Motobu Choki] ~ IRKRS 2001 * “Tanpenshu ~ The Master’s Finest
Work” ~ IRKRS 2002 * “Legend of the Fist” ~ Amazon 2018 * 56 Educational DVDs fea-
turing Koryu Uchinadi & Kobudo Interview
You are a long-term researcher. You have studied very different tra- If we think that Koryû Bujut-
ditions of Budô and Bujutsu and have created your own Martial Art, su prioritizes practicality,
which he has called: Koryû Uchinadi. I would like you to explain to us followed by ethics and spi-
about the two concepts that make up the name of your School. What rituality, and we understand
was the reason why you named your Budô this way? What have you that Budô goes the other
wanted to express by bringing both terms together in a single name? way, that is, it gives preva-
lence to the formation of
Thank you for such an interesting question; If you don’t mind, I would like to break
character and ethics, lea-
it down into its individual components so that I might better be able to respond to ving practicality in the back-
it… ground: What would be your
point of view on this? What
Yes, I have studied different different fighting traditions, and I have done so for var-
ying reasons; Early on, in the 1960s, it was because of excitement and passion, as place does a concept like
it was all so new during that naive and embryonic era. After a while, I started to re- the spiritual occupy in your
cognise how different arts offered unique alternative approaches to embracing the being as a martial artist?
same outcomes. Collectively, these practices ultimately had a transformative impact
upon me.
What value do you place on
practicality? Is this varia-
ble a foundation of your tea-
chings?

Very much so… Functional

competency is vital if the nature
of this fighting heritage is to be
honoured.

Without it, any/every classical/

contemporary tradition becomes
dysfunctional. Therefore, any/
all pathways should; conditioned
the body, cultivate the mind
and nurture the spirit. To this
end my/our movement remains
passionately committed. 
Traditional Martial Arts seemed to sustain time,
educate in integrality, delay the transmission of
teaching, establish rhythms that lasted a lifetime.
The avant-gardes have fragmented these posi-
tions, fuelling the immediacy, consumption and
abandonment of what seems to be useless: proto-
col, kata, forms, etiquette, and so on. What do you
think of this derivative to which the Martial Arts
are currently subject? Do you think that both po-
sitions can be balanced?
I bet the academics could produce wonderfully informative
PhD dissertations on the pros/cons of this particular issue,
and most likely it would still not have any productive impact
on the diverse mindsets widespread in our art today. There
seems to be several mindsets with no one single governing
authority prevailing over issues such as functionality, ethics,
integrity and so on. Understanding both sides of this issue,
and having been fortunate to seek out wise mentors, I was en-
couraged to embrace the teachings of On Ko Chi Shin [温故知
新] and Bun Bu Ryo Do [文武両道]. For me, it has made all the
difference; Enjoying what is often described as, “an awake-
ning,” I came to better understand that tradition is not about
blindly following in the footsteps of the old masters, or even
preserving their ashes for that matter, but rather it is in kee-
ping the flame of their spirit alive, and continuing to seek out
what they originally sought. As such, the very tenets of tradi-
tion are maintained and we pay homage to the heritage of the
pioneer’s legacy; This mindset advocates the concept of tran-
sition; grounded in timeless practices while being prepared
to recognise any passageway that leads from the fundament
knowledge to the inner-workings of the art. This pathway not
provides for the continual reinterpretation of physical com-
petencies, it actually insists such a process must be the com-
mon thread weaving together the very fabric of the art. To me,
this is the correct pathway
You are a renowned martial arts master. You teach
and transmit your teachings in different coun-
tries of the world. Your seminars are followed by
a large number of students and your opinions and
views are valued and respected by other profes-
sionals, teachers, and leading scholars. You have,
therefore, a first-hand experience to be able to
evaluate the moment that the Budô lives. What is
the public opinion of Budô? What respect does
the Martial Arts awaken in the neophyte public,
among the media, in the press, etc.? Do you think
that we have to do pedagogy in this sense, so that
our work is well considered by the general public
opinion?
Hmmm, I am not sure I adequately respond to your question
simply because I cannot assume to know what the general pu-
blic are thinking; I can, however, offer an opinion. I seems that
the general opinion of Budo [and I am going assume we’re
referring to the martial arts in general, as Budo is a Japane-
se word, which might not be understood by all] is that it’s all
about fighting and warrior-ship ! I suppose there is also a por-
tion of the general public who might know more; i.e. that it is
a pathway of living, too.

As it [Budo] is not part of our [Western world] educational

system, and only a peripheral example of Japanese culture,
too often glorified in the media by violence, there’s no reason
to think the general public would have a deeper understan-
ding of it. Of course, if when someone takes the time to look
into its pedagogy, perspectives change almost immediately!
In my own case, such a study, “Kicked open the floodgates of
intelligence and drown me in the depths of my own ignoran-
ce.” This is why, “Reading can seriously one’s ignorance!”
From Okinawa a candidacy is promoted for traditio-
nal Karate to be considered an Intangible Cultural
Asset by UNESCO. In a different sense, national and
international federations advocate sports practice,
intensifying their calendars with mass events. What
do you think of this dichotomy? Do you think that the
drift towards the sporting aspect could harm the Oki-
nawan proposal in relation to the candidacy that we
have mentioned?

This, “Sport vs Art,” question, has been at the forefront of our tra-
dition ever since the the ’64 Summer Games in Tokyo, when Judo
was introduced as an Olympic competitive activity. Naturally, the
conservative mindset is totally against it for fear of the art beco-
ming watered down, overly commercialised and embraced exclu-
sively for the purpose of, “winning” [at all costs]! On the other
hand, the competitive mindset believes it is embracing the clas-
sical tradition with all the science of contemporary thought. In
doing so, the tradition is being taken to new heights. While both
mindsets have valid arguments the idea of money, politics, corrup-
tion and exploitation are serious concerns. I honestly believe that,
we may never have achieved such worldwide recognition without
the sport. While the sport may have its drawbacks, I think it has
more favorable attributes, which benefit the traditional art, then
there are liabilities for it. For example, thanks to modern science,
pedagogical study and contemporary insight, we know so much
more about our bodies, lesson planning, performance training,
risk/injury-management, diet & rest, etc. Certainly, the technical,
philosophical and holistic elements of the art have traditionally
embraced this timeless learning, too … but not with the clarity
and direct application as is understood today. Also, isn’t it just
awesome to watch what finely tuned athletes can do at the peak
of physical prowess? For me, it is! All of this goes to asking the
question, “What exactly is “Tradition?” Maybe the topic of ano-
ther interview
You are a highly regarded historian in the
context of traditional Karate. What va-
lue do you place on knowing the history
of this Martial Art? What can knowledge
of history bring to a modern-day practi-
tioner? Is it true that to understand the
new you have to understand the old?

In my opinion, yes I believe it most certainly does!

There’s a popular kotowaza [Japanese proverb],

which reads, “On Ko Chi Shin” [温故知新] “To
study the old is to understand the new.” The
emphasis here, is for learners to study the origins
and evolution of the art, as by doing so, it becomes
more easily understood, how, what and why, the
art became the practice it is.

Another proverb, equally as important, and

usually introduced, and or learned, at the same
time, is, “Bun Bu Ryo Do” [文武両道]. Here,
the emphasis is placed upon the importance of
balancing one’s physical training with technical
& scholarly study; e.g. “The Pen & Sword in
Constant Accord!” Even in the Western world,
we learn the value of studying history;

Irish statesman, Edmund Burke, is often

misquoted as having said, “Those who don›t
know history are destined to repeat it.”

Spanish philosopher, George Santayana, is

credited with the aphorism, “Those who cannot
remember the past are condemned to repeat it,”

And Winston Churchill said, “Those who failed to

learn from history are doomed to repeat it!»
Faced with the selection and
restriction of the student body
who maintained the old tra-
ditions, the present day opts
for the mass recruitment, the
large groups, the majorities.
Do you consider that the ex-
ponential development of Ka-
rate takes us away from the
essence that this Martial Art
once had?

As mentioned earlier, in regards to

“The Sport vs Art” query, of course,
there is most certainly a risk of lear-
ners never coming into contact with
the essence of what the art truly re-
presents; But, this is not only from
embracing competitive values, I have
also observed a lack of such educa-
tion within the tradition itself!

In my opinion, learning to unders-

tand, and benefit from, the essence
of the fighting arts, one must have a
mentor capable of imparting this ti-
meless lesson. Irrespective of which
style one practices, and whether or
not it is competitive, or traditional,
any functional pathway conditions
the body, cultivates the mind, and
nurtures the spirit; Both the art, and
the sport, are dependent upon such
learning, the difference comes for
one’s guidance as the outcome dicta-
tes the training!
What are your short, and me-
dium term, projects? What
motivates you to continue
studying, traveling and tea-
ching after so many years?

Oh, goodness… I am so busy all of the

time; and forever falling behind in
my obligations and responsibilities.

I currently have five new books on

the go, a series of articles in the oven,
and need to video the rest of our
empty-handed application practices
along with our Yamane Ryu Kobudo
curriculum… there’s more, too!

Being fortunate to have found this

timeless pathway, what keeps me
most motivated is knowing that I am
helping to make a difference.

Giving back into, what has

empowered me, is wonderfully
rewarding. I am very grateful to have
found this pathway at such a young
age.

Thank you very much, Sensei

Thank you, I am most grateful for an

opportunity to contribute!