was a prominent Okinawan martial artist and master of TÃ Âde who influenced the development of several major karate styles. He was known by many other names, including Aragaki Tsuji Pechin Seisho.
Arakaki was born in 1840 in either Kumemura, on Okinawa Island, or on the nearby island of Sesoko. He was an official in the royal court of Ryà «kyà «, and as such held the title of Chikudon Peichin, which denoted a status similar to that of the samurai in Japan. On 24 March 1867, he demonstrated Okinawan martial arts in Shuri, then capital of the Ryà «kyà « Kingdom, before a visiting Chinese ambassador; this was a notable event, since experts such as Ankà  Asato, Ankà  Itosu, and Matsumura Sà Âkon were still active at that time. Arakaki served as a Chinese language interpreter, and travelled to Beijing in September 1870. His only recorded martial arts instructor from this period was Wai Xinxian from Fuzhou, a city in the Fujian province of Qing dynasty China. Arakaki died in 1918.
Arakaki was famous for teaching the kata (patterns) Unshu, Seisan, Shihohai, Sà Âchin, Niseishi, Shisà Âchin and Sanchin (which were later incorporated into different styles of karate), and weapons kata Arakaki-no-kun, Arakaki-no-sai, and Sesoku-no-kun.
While Arakaki did not develop any specific styles himself, his techniques and kata are obvious throughout a number of modern karate and kobudo styles. His students included Higaonna Kanryà Â, founder of Naha-te; Chà Âjun Miyagi (å®®å é·é Â), founder of Gà Âjà «-ryà «; Funakoshi Gichin, founder of Shotokan; Uechi Kanbun, founder of Uechi-ryà «; Kanken Tà Âyama, founder of Shà «dà Âkan; Mabuni Kenwa, founder of Shità Â-ryà «; and Chitose Tsuyoshi, founder of Chità Â-ryà «.
Some consider Chità Â-ryà « the closest existing style to Arakaki's martial arts, while others have noted that Arakaki's descendants are mostly involved with Gà Âjà «-ryà «.