While Koburyu is a new style of Okinawan karate, it has a rich tradition.  Koburyu is part of the Uechi Ryu family of karate, Uechi Ryu traces its lineage to a tiger, crane and dragon style of Chinese kung fu called Pan Gai Noon taught by Shushiwa in a Shaolin temple in China.  

In 1897 Uechi Kanbun traveled to China and studied Pan Gai Noon under Shushiwa. After training for ten years, he was allowed to teach Pan Gai Noon in China.  After teaching for three years, he returned to Okinawa.  He did not again teach Pan Gai Noon until he moved to Japan for employment.  Only at the end of his life did he returned to Okinawa to teach what had become known as Pan Gai Noon Ryu.  

After Uechi Kanbun died, his son, Uechi Kanei, continued the art, formalizing and expanding on the teachings of his father.  He changed the name from Pan Gai Noon Ryu to Uechi Ryu in honor of his father.    

One of Kanei Uechi's students was Itokazu Seiki, who became Kinjo Takashi's  teacher. Takashi Kinjo, throughout forty years of dedicated study, brought new perspective to classical Uechi Ryu, culminating in the founding of Koburyu in 2000.