Uechiryu History

Uechi-Ryu karate is a traditional, secluded Okinawan family style of karate learned in China by the Grandmaster Kanbun Uechi in the early 1900s. Grandmaster Uechi was one of only a handful of Okinawan masters to be recognized in China as a qualified teacher of the martial arts.
The original name for this style of karate was Pangainoon Kenpo Kung Fu. The blending of soft blocks and hard counterattacks in this martial arts practice are based on the flowing movements of the tiger, the crane and the dragon.
After his death, Kanbun Uechi’s students renamed Pangainoon to Uechi-Ryu karate, to honor the memory of their master. They then sought out his son, Kanei Uechi, to continue their training. Kanei Uechi developed the practice into the form that is taught worldwide today under the Uechi name.
Our teacher Charles C. Earle, III originally learned the Uechi style from Master George Mattson in Boston, MA. In 1963 Master Earle established the Uechi Karate School in Providence, RI, and three years later became the first American to travel to Okinawa to study directly with Kanei Uechi. The Charles Earle Uechi Karate School operated continuously from the Weybosset Street, Providence location until the death of Master Earle in 2006.
We, the senior black belts of Master Charles Earle, honor his memory by continuing his teachings in Pawtucket, RI and Greenville, TX. We continue the tradition and pursuit of excellence in our practice of Uechi-Ryu karate.