Kenyu Chinen was born in 1944 year on Ie Island in Okinawa Prefecture. He started Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo trainings in 1959 under master Shuguro Nakazato. Since 1962 he has begun Kobudo trainings under master Shinpou Matayoshi.

Sensei Kenyu Chinen
famous teachers

In 1976 master Kenyu Chinen was sent from Okinawa to Europe to develop Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo. He opened his first dojo in Paris in France. Spending his life both in France and Okinawa, master Chinen continued his study of Kobudo under master Matayoshi and Shorin-Ryu Karate under master Katsuya Miyahira.

Master Katsuya Miyahira and his disciple Kenyu Chinen

In 1986 master Chinen published “Kobudo d’Okinawa” which became a world bestseller. In 1993 he became a President and the Chief Instructor of World Oshukai Dento Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Do Kobudo Federation.

In 2004 he opened the main W.O.F. dojo in Yomitan on Okinawa. In the same year, together with master Meitatsu Yagi and master Yasuo Shimoji, they opened The Okinawa Traditional Karatedo Kobudo International Studying Center. The Center promoted on a whole over the world a traditional martial arts from Okinawa: Shorin-Ryu, Goju-Ryu, Uechi-Ryu and Kobudo. Master Kenyu Chinen permanently teaches Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo In North, Center and South America, Africa, Asia and In Europe. He has educated above 1000 black belts in traditional Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Do and Okinawa Kobudo. He have the 10th Dan in Shorin-Ryu Karate and 9th dan in Kobudo. He is a PhD Honoris Causa in Martial Arts.