Tsuyoshi Chitose (1898-1984), also known as Chinen Gua, was a renowned karate master and founder of the Chito-Ryu style of karate.
Born on June 18, 1898 in Naha, Okinawa, Chitose began studying traditional Okinawan martial arts at a young age. His father and grandfather, both practitioners of Tode (the old term for karate), played an important role in his introduction to the martial art.
In 1922, Chitose began his medical studies at Tokyo Imperial University, where he had the opportunity to demonstrate karate and introduce the martial art to Japan’s capital. During this period, he also met and studied with Gichin Funakoshi, who is considered the founder of modern karate.
After graduating in medicine, Chitose continued to study and teach karate. He has combined his medical knowledge with his understanding of the martial arts to create a style of karate that emphasizes health and well-being, as well as combat effectiveness. This style became known as Chito-Ryu, which means “the way of a thousand years’ karate”.
Throughout his life, Chitose devoted his time to teaching and promoting Chito-Ryu. He trained many students who in turn became instructors, helping to spread Chito-Ryu throughout the world. Chitose passed away on February 6, 1984, but his influence continues to be felt in the karate community to this day.
It’s worth noting that Tsuyoshi Chitose is often cited as an important link between traditional Okinawan karate and modern mainland Japanese karate, as he helped integrate elements of both into his unique Chito-Ryu style.