Early Life and Background
William Kwai-sun Chow was born on July 3, 1914, in Honolulu, on the island of Oʻahu (then Territory of Hawaii). Wikipedia+2USAdojo.com+2 He was the third of sixteen children and the first son of his parents — his father was known as Sun Chow-Hoon (or Ah Hoon-Chow), and his mother was Rose Kalamalio Naehu. USAdojo.com+2ICKF+2
According to accounts, his father came from China as a young man and worked as a laborer in a laundromat. Wikipedia+1 His mother was of Hawaiian descent. Wikipedia+1
Chow left formal schooling at a young age: around age 11, when he was in sixth grade. Wikipedia+1 The reasons given vary — some suggest economic pressures or the nature of his family circumstances — but this early departure from school meant his formative years involved a lot of real-world hardening rather than academic pursuits.
Those early years shaped much of his character: resilient, street-savvy, and rooted in what would become a lifelong immersion in martial arts.
Early Martial Arts Exposure — Family Roots & Street Training
From a young age, Chow was exposed to various forms of combat — not limited to one martial-arts discipline. Sources agree that he studied boxing, wrestling, jujutsu, and karate (or karate-like arts) in his youth. USAdojo.com+2ICKF+2 We also know that he came from a family environment with ties to Chinese martial traditions: some sources assert that his father had studied a southern Chinese style — possibly “Hung Gar” or “Shaolin-derived” kung fu — and tried to pass on what he knew to his son. ShaolinKempo+2MartialTalk+2
However, there is some historical debate about how much formal training his father actually had, and whether what Chow inherited was a complete system or fragments. chuan-fa.org+2MartialTalk+2 Regardless, what is clear is that Chow’s early exposure gave him a foundation in striking, grappling, and the rough-and-tumble self-defense mindset needed on the streets of mid-20th century Hawaii.
Accounts from people who knew him or saw him fight describe his early years as filled with frequent “testing” of his skills — including real street fights, sometimes reportedly against U.S. military personnel stationed on the islands. ICKF+2USAdojo.com+2 Despite this dangerous lifestyle, there are no extensive records of him being jailed or having significant run-ins with the law. Wikipedia+1
This period laid the groundwork: a combination of raw instinct, real-world danger, and hands-on experience — a crucible that would shape the kind of martial artist he became.
Training under James Mitose: The Formative Shift to Kenpo
A turning point in Chow’s martial-arts path came when he began training under James Mitose, a Hawaiian-Japanese martial artist who taught a style known as “Kosho-Ryu Kenpo” (or Kenpo Jujutsu). Wikipedia+2USAdojo.com+2
Even though Chow had prior martial experience (from his family background and street fighting), his time under Mitose formalized his training — exposed him to a structured kenpo/kenpo-jujutsu system, and allowed him to blend that system’s principles with what he already knew. USAdojo.com+2karaho.de+2
By all accounts, Chow became one of Mitose’s top students. He was among the small handful — often described as “one of five people” — awarded black belts under Mitose. Wikipedia+2ICKF+2 Curiously, though, his black-belt certificate was signed not by Mitose himself but by Mitose’s senior student, Thomas Young. USAdojo.com+1
Chow’s tenure with Mitose was critical: it provided him with a disciplined, systematized martial-art foundation (Kenpo-Jujutsu) — but what set him apart was his willingness to adapt, to break from dogma, and to tailor what he learned for what he saw as real-world self-defense needs.
Creation of His Own Style — From Kenpo Jujutsu to “Kenpo Karate” and Later Kara-Ho Kempo
While studying under Mitose, Chow also retained and developed the fighting sensibilities instilled in him by his early, informal training — and by his family’s possible Chinese-kung-fu heritage. Over time, he began to merge these: the structured kenpo he learned under Mitose, with circular motions, close-quarters techniques, and perhaps echoes of Chinese kung fu. ShaolinKempo+2thepitmalibu.com+2
In 1944, he began teaching — not in a fancy dojo, but at the Nuuanu YMCA in Honolulu. He advertised his offering as “Kenpo Karate.” Wikipedia+2karaho.com+2 This naming marked a departure: Mitose had called his art “Kenpo Jujutsu,” not “Karate.” Chow deliberately reframed the art, possibly to reflect both its origins and its evolving identity. USAdojo.com+2karaho.de+2
Over the years, what started as “Kenpo Karate” under Chow would evolve into what is now recognized as “Kara-Ho Kempo.” Wikipedia+2USAdojo.com+2
Kara-Ho Kempo is characterized by rapid striking, fluid combinations, both hand and foot techniques, and a focus on vital-point striking, tailored for self-defense and real-world effectiveness. Wikipedia+2USAdojo.com+2 The system includes not only empty-hand techniques but also weapons training — drawing on weapons traditions from Okinawa, China, and the Philippines, with reportedly 18 weapons and corresponding forms (kata) in the curriculum. Wikipedia+1
But stylistically, Chow did not focus heavily on formal kata routines early on; rather, his emphasis was on individual techniques, conditioning, and practicality. USAdojo.com+2karaho.de+2
Thus, Chow’s innovation lay in synthesis — blending the disciplined structure of kenpo with fluid circular motion, pragmatic fighting methods, and a street-hardened realism. He built a system meant to be effective on real streets, not just in dojos.
Teaching Style, Reputation, and Personality
William Chow wasn’t a stereotypical martial-arts “master” in the refined, ceremonious sense — he was rough, tough, no-nonsense, and intensely practical. People who trained under him remember him as short but thickly built and incredibly strong; at one point he had undergone a serious gallbladder operation, yet still maintained great physical power. ironjourney-kenpo.com+2USAdojo.com+2
His fingers were said to be as thick as another man’s wrist — a crude but telling detail emphasizing the physicality he had built over decades of training and fighting. ironjourney-kenpo.com+1
One longtime student — a martial artist recalling training under Chow — would later describe how Chow would “get in the moment” when demonstrating techniques: there was no theatrical fluff, no showmanship, just raw, real, dangerous motion. karaho.com+1
As for temperament: those who encountered him without introduction sometimes found him brusque, even hostile. For example: in 1986 a visiting martial artist described dropping by a class expecting a warm welcome — but instead was barely tolerated, told “this is a private class,” even threatened by other students. blackbeltmag.com+1 In that first meeting, Chow’s reaction was curt. “Yes, I know Alo—and I no like him,” was how he greeted a letter of introduction. ironjourney-kenpo.com
But for those who showed sincerity, perseverance, and respect — as that same visitor later discovered by returning to class — Chow’s rough exterior softened; over time, respect could be earned. ironjourney-kenpo.com+1
Many students note that Chow was “tough but not malicious.” As one student put it, he “gave you a good, strong workout … when he did a technique, he meant business.” USAdojo.com+2karaho.de+2
In short: he was a teacher shaped by the streets — demanding, severe, but also direct, genuine, and deeply serious about efficiency and realism.
Legacy — Students, Influence, and the Spread of Kenpo/Kempo
Perhaps the most important aspect of Chow’s life is the legacy he left — through his students, and through the martial-arts lineages that continue to thrive today.
Many of his students went on to found their own styles or to popularize kenpo/ kempo outside Hawaii. Among them:
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Edmund Parker — who went on to found what became known as American Kenpo. USAdojo.com+2Whitetiger+2
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Adriano Emperado — who helped found Kajukenbo, one of the first truly hybrid, mixed-style American self-defense systems. Wikipedia+2karaho.de+2
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Sam Alama Kuoha — who became Grandmaster of Chow’s own system, Kara-Ho Kempo, after Chow’s death. ICKF+2Wikipedia+2
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Other martial artists and instructors: Bobby Lowe, Ron Alo, Ralph Castro, John Leone, Bill Chun Sr., Walter Liu, Paul Pung — a wide spread of practitioners who carried Chow’s teachings forward. USAdojo.com+2ICKF+2
Through these students, Chow’s style — and his philosophies — helped seed a broad proliferation of combat arts across the U.S. mainland and beyond. What began in Honolulu’s streets and YMCA halls eventually blossomed into entire lineages: American Kenpo, Kajukenbo, Shaolin-style Hawaiian kempo variants, modern Kara-Ho Kempo schools, and more. Wikipedia+2USAdojo.com+2
Indeed, modern-day kara-ho / kenpo / kempo practitioners often trace their lineage back to Chow either directly or indirectly. His emphasis on speed, efficiency, vital-point striking, and real-world self-defense (rather than competition or sport) left a lasting template for what many consider “street-effective martial arts.” karaho.de+2Wikipedia+2
Personal Circumstances and Philosophy — “War Art,” Humble Life, No Golden Dojo
Despite the influence and the long list of prodigious students, Chow never quite embraced commercial success or the trappings often associated with “martial-arts fame.”
He never had a traditional dojo with a polished storefront. Instead, he often taught in parks, church halls, YMCA gyms, or informal community spaces. USAdojo.com+2karaho.de+2 He was known for his modesty, a lack of business sense, and an almost ascetic lifestyle. USAdojo.com+2karaho.com+2
Some students and historians remark that Chow likely lived in near-poverty for much of his life. USAdojo.com+2karaho.de+2 Others go further and say that Chow didn’t care about money, fame, or commercial success — his only concern was passing on what he believed were useful, real-world self-defense skills. USAdojo.com+2karaho.com+2
Chow referred to his art as a “War Art” — not a sport, not a show, but something meant for survival and real life. ICKF+2karaho.de+2
This commitment to realism over prestige defined his teachings and shaped his legacy: for many, Kara-Ho Kempo remains a martial art grounded not in forms and competitions, but in practicality and self-defense.
In the end, William K. S. Chow’s life illustrates a core truth of martial arts: that real strength, real teaching, and real influence often grow not from marketing or showmanship — but from grit, authenticity, and a willingness to fight for what works.
"One of the greatest things in the martial arts is the transmission of knowledge to the next generation." - Tashi Mark Warner
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