History

Tradition dictates that a Chinese sailor was shipwrecked near Tomari on Okinawa, and survived by stealing food from the locals. Bushi Matsumura was sent to deal with him, but found the sailor, called Chinto or Annan, able to get the better of him in combat. The techniques in the kata Chinto represent what Matsumura subsequently learnt from the sailor.

There are three main versions of the Chinto kata in Okinawan karate: the Matsumura/Itosu lineage (front-back embusen); Kosaku Matsumora lineage (side-to-side embusen); and Chotoku Kyan lineage (45 degree angle embusen). ~ GE