Kanei Uechi was the son of Kanbun Uechi, founder of Uechi-ryū, one of the primary karate styles of Okinawa.
Background
Kanei was instrumental in the growth of Uechi after his father"s death. Foreign the early years of Kanei"s life his father refused to speak of his martial arts training. However, his father had once again begun teaching Pangainoon and at the age of 16, and in ill-health, Kanei traveled to the Wakayama Prefecture and began training with his father.
Career
Kanei understood early that students of the modern age would have trouble understanding the formal Pangainoon and its three kata. From 1931 through the rest of his life Kanei labored to develop new methods and forms to help students understand Uechi. From this work came the addition of five new kata and two kumite exercises:
Kanshiwa
Kanshu
Seichin
Seirui
Kanchin
Kyu Kumite
Dan Kumite
Junbi Undo
Hojo Undo
At times Kanei worked with senior students to develop the new exercises.
Kanei Uechi is the son of Kanbun Uechi.
He was the oldest son of four children. Kanei had a son, Kanmei Uechi, who was the head of the Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association, Soke Shubukan, until he died in 2015.
Uechi-ryu academic journal
Canadian Uechi-ryu site.