· A NOVEL INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS  · 

Bushi

The guardian of Shuri

Bushi: The Guardian of Shuri is the second book in the Walking Upright Trilogy. It tells the story of Matsumura Sōkon, the legendary warrior who served the royal court of Shuri and became one of the most influential figures in the early development of Okinawan martial arts.


Through his life, the book explores the world that existed before modern Karate-Dō: the traditions of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the responsibilities of a warrior, and the balance between strength, loyalty, wisdom, and duty.


For Matsumura Sōkon, martial arts were not merely a means of combat, but a way to protect, serve, and preserve a legacy for future generations.

 · A NOVEL INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS  · 

Walking Upright

Walking Upright  is the first book in the trilogy that bears its name. It tells the story of Gichin Funakoshi, the master who brought Tōde from Okinawa to Japan and helped transform it into Karate-Dō.


Through his life, the book opens the path for the rest of the trilogy, exploring the spirit of Budō: discipline, humility, respect, and character.


For Gichin Funakoshi, Karate was not merely a technique, but a way of walking upright through life.

Walking Upright

Discover Walking Upright in your language. Select one of the available editions and begin reading the opening chapters of this historical novel, inspired by the life of Gichin Funakoshi, directly on the website. You can also download a free PDF sample and continue reading whenever you like. Choose your language, discover the story, and begin the journey.

Bushi. The guardian of Shuri

Discover Bushi: The Guardian of Shuri in your language. Choose one of the available editions and begin reading the opening chapters of this historical novel, inspired by the life of Matsumura Sōkon, directly in your browser. You can also download a free PDF sample and continue reading whenever you like. Select your language, enter the world of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, and discover the story of the legendary warrior of Shuri.

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Step into the extraordinary story of Matsumura Sōkon and discover the world of Shuri during the final decades of the Ryūkyū Kingdom.


Bushi: The Guardian of Shuri is a historical novel that brings to life the warrior behind one of the most important legacies in Okinawan martial arts. Through loyalty, political change, personal conflict, and a lifelong commitment to duty, the novel reveals the human story behind the man who helped shape the foundations of modern karate.



Download the free preview, read the opening chapters, and enter the world of the Guardian of Shuri.

BUSHI - The guardian of shuri

Book 2

EXAMPLE IN ENGLISH

A NOVEL INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS  ·  PUBLISHED

Bushi. The guardian of Shuri

Okinawan Martial Arts · The Story of Matsumura Sōkon

A fictional novel inspired by real events. Not a manual of techniques, but a reflection on duty, loyalty, courage, and the responsibilities of a warrior. Set in the final decades of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, the novel explores how martial knowledge was preserved through discipline, service, and personal sacrifice.

A meditation on legacy, honour, and the quiet strength required to protect what must not be lost.


Walking Upright Trilogy - Book 2.

Milton Chanes — Author’s Blog

Karate-dō Kyōhan

By Milton Chanes • July 10, 2026
Karate-dō Kyōhan (1935) From the Lost 1922 Book to the Foundation of Modern Karate-Dō
Karate-Dō Kyōhan

Kosugi Hōan’s Tiger: Born in 1922 or 1935?

By Milton Chanes • July 10, 2026
The most widely accepted version among karate practitioners today connects the famous tiger with Karate-Dō Kyōhan, published in 1935. There are good reasons for this association, and Japanese institutional sources explicitly connect Kosugi with a tiger design for that later work.
Kosugi Hoan (1881–1964) and the Shotokan Tiger: The Artist Behind Funakoshi’s First Karat

Kosugi Hoan (1881–1964)

By Milton Chanes • July 9, 2026
Discover Walking Upright, Milton Chanes’ historical novel inspired by Gichin Funakoshi and the transformation of Tōde into modern Karate-Dō.
Bushi tells the story of Matsumura Sōkon, a legendary Okinawan master

Bushi. The guardian of Shuri

By Milton Chanes • July 8, 2026
Bushi tells the story of Matsumura Sōkon, a legendary Okinawan master whose life, discipline, and warrior spirit helped preserve the roots of what would later become Karate-Dō.