2021/05/31

　A “Bushi” (pronounced busā in Okinawan language) is a master. It is used for someone who excells in Bugei – martial arts, karate and the likes, or to designate a powerful person. It has the meaning of Samurai. (Okinawa language dictionary)

　“Kuchi busā” is someone who talks big and pretends to be very strong, but in reality, who is useless.

　Among British sayings, there are “Saying is one thing and doing another” and “Actions speak louder than words.” After all, only talking brings nothing. It is the same as the French proverb that says “More noise than work.” If behaving as a “Kuchi busā”, one may finally be abandoned by friends as “a too long (eloquent) tongue can ruin even a big man” (Japanese saying).

(The sign reads “Fugen-jikkō” for “Say nothing and act”)

 

Source:

“Complete collection of Okinawan sayings”

Author: Nakaima Genkai

Published: 1971

Publisher: Okinawa Bunkyō Publishing

 

About Nakaima Genkai

　Born in Kume, Naha City in 1908, Nakaima Genkai studied under Miyagi Chōjun, the founder of Gōjū-ryū from the age of 15 in 1923. Later on in 1952, he helped establish the Karatedō Gōjū-ryū Promotion Association which would be chaired by Miyagi Chōjun. In 1973, he performed Sanchin during the “Gōjū-ryū Founder Miyagi Chōjun 20th Anniversary Festival Demonstration”. His demonstration rendered shirtless wearing only a short pants can be seen at this link (the demonstration starts at 4:31).

(Source: Okinawa Karate Kobudō Encyclopedia)

　During the celebration of the establishment of the Okinawa Dentō Karatedō Shinkōkai in 2008, a similar photo of Nakaima Genkai was presented to his son Nakaima Hirokazu, the then governor of the Okinawa prefecture.

Vice-chairman of Naha Assembly (Source: “Naha City Assembly History”)

　In public life, Mr. Nakaima, who graduated from the prefecture normal school, was elected in the 1st Naha City Assembly election in February 1948 and served as vice-chairman for two years from September 1948 to September 1950. In 1955, he was again elected as a member of the Naha City Assembly together with karate masters Nagamine Shōshin and Higa Yūchoku.

　Having held many positions during his carrier and authored many books, Mr. Nakaima is also remembered for he was the second fame caster of Radio Okinawa’s news program titled “Hōgen news” from 1973 to 1981, a unique program nationwide broadcasted in Okinawan language.