Editor’s Note: Choichi Terukina (1929–2021) was a celebrated Okinawan musician and National Living Treasure of Japan. As Grandmaster of the Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai, he dedicated his life to preserving and sharing uta-sanshin, training students worldwide and performing at landmarks like Carnegie Hall. A cultural ambassador and beloved mentor, his legacy lives on through his music and the global appreciation of Okinawan traditions. This article is written by his student Kenton Odo who is an accomplished master of uta-sanshinfrom Oahu, Hawaii. Odo currently lives in Okinawa and has sanshin students of his own in Okinawa, Oahu and Maui.
By Kenton Odo
Master Instructor, Ryukyu Koten Afuso Ryu Ongaku Kenkyu Choichi Kai USA
“SA- MAKUTU FWITUCHI” Seeing his statue, I could still hear Terukina Choichi Sensei singing “Nakafu Bushi.” That song, so deeply connected to him, carries his soul in every note, and his unique way of performing it is unforgettable. The moment of unveiling the statue was truly chicken-skin — both awe-inspiring and deeply emotional. As the sheet was pulled away and we began the first “SA-” of “Nakafu Bushi,” a wave of pride swept over me. Yet, beneath that pride, there was an ache, a bittersweet longing for the presence of the man himself. Even in the joy of honoring his legacy, I couldn’t help but miss him…
Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, was a hot and sunny day in Terukina Sensei’s hometown of Nanjo City. Because of the fear of a nearby typhoon, Ryukyu Shinpo (the local newspaper company that took the lead in funding and unveiling the statue) unnecessarily moved the unveiling from Sunday, Sept. 15. While others shared their worries, I reassured them, saying, “Terukina Sensei will make it sunny.” Those who had experienced Sensei’s uncanny ability to summon clear skies on performance days would understand—it was as if he had a direct connection to a higher power. True to form, the typhoon broke apart and veered away from Okinawa, leaving Sunday calm and bright.
Terukina Choichi Sensei statue is located in the China Kuraji Park in China (pronounced Chee-nah), Chinen, Nanjo City. Not only is China his hometown, but the location of the statue, which is currently infill, was where Sensei used to play on the seashore as a child. The direction of his statue is facing the famous spiritual power spot of Sefa-Utaki and Kudaka Island in the Pacific Ocean.
Tents and chairs were set up to welcome a distinguished gathering of dignitaries, including politicians, National Living Treasures of Japan, leaders in the Okinawan performing arts community, journalists, local residents, and many supporters. Twenty uta-sanshin players performed, with ten from Afuso Ryu Gensei Kai and ten from Afuso Ryu Choichi Kai. I felt truly blessed to be invited to perform and was honored to be moved to the front row to represent Choichi Kai USA.
The event kicked off at 3:00 p.m. with a Shinto ceremony followed by opening numbers of “Kajadifu Bushi,” “Guyin Bushi,” and “Agi Chikuten Bushi.” We sang “Kajadifu Bushi” with lyrics sensei created years ago, Agari aka aka tu, chimun haribaritu, sanshin nu hibuki shike ni tuduki – 東り明かあかと 肝も晴ればれと 三線のひびき 世界に届け. Simply put, the song expresses the brightness of a new dawn full of hope radiating from our hearts with the sound of the sanshin out into the world.
There were several speeches by those involved in the project, including Junichi Tomita-san, the former president of Ryukyu Shinpo, who led the statue initiative. He highlighted Terukina Sensei’s immense contributions to promoting Okinawan culture, from his landmark performance at Carnegie Hall in 2019 to his efforts to expand Okinawan traditions beyond Japan, particularly to Hawaii. Notably, he acknowledged Afuso Ryu Choichi Kai Hawaii for playing a vital role in realizing Sensei’s dream of spreading Afuso Ryu and ensuring the preservation of Okinawan culture abroad for future generations. This included helping Nomura Ryu Dento Ongaku Kyokai establish a chapter in Hawaii in 2017. To my surprise, I was asked to stand and be recognized on behalf of Choichi Kai Hawaii. After the speeches, the 30 dignitaries were called up to help unveil the statue. Among them was Hawaii’s Master Grant “Masanduu” Murata Sensei, who, had he been present, would have been seated in a reserved front-row seat — a seat marked with his name.
After all of the dignitaries took their places and held onto the red and white ropes that would pull the white sheet off of Terukina Sensei, we started the intro for “Nakafu Bushi.” There was a rush of journalists and audience members to the front to get a good view of the ultimate unveiling. As soon as we sang the first syllable, “SA-AAH!” they unveiled his statue with his heart-warming smile playing sanshin.
When the dignitaries finished group photos and returned to their seats, other speeches by representatives from the Okinawa Prefectural Government and Nanjo City ensued. Tomokuni Terukina Sensei (Choichi Terukina’s surviving son) and his mother, Eiko Terukina at his side concluded the speeches.
The event was truly beautiful, culminating in the sun setting gracefully behind Sensei’s statue.
