Chitose was born in Naha, Okinawa on October 18, 1898. He began his formal karate training under the famous Okinawan karate master Arigaki Seisho in 1905 at the early age of seven years old. Over the next 40 years the young Chitose would continue his martial arts training in Shorei-ryu, Shorin-ryu as well as kobudo under some of the most famous karate and kobudo men in Okinawan martial arts history. In 1922, the young Chitose would move to Japan where he would attend medical school at the prestigious Tokyo University. Now armed with the advanced knowledge of anatomy and physiology he would continue to forge his martial skill under the guidance of such men as; Choyu Motobu, Chotoku Kyan, Choki Motobu, Hanashiro Chomo, Kanryu Higashionna, Moden Yabiku, Sanda Chinen, Anko Itosu, {The exact dates that Chitose trained under each of the men listed above is not known. It is believed that he most likely trained under several of them prior to his moving to Japan. We also believe that Chitose would have continued his training under these Okinawans since he made numerous trips between Japan and Okinawa while in medical school and for many year thereafter.} During Chitose's studies he would also train beside many other martial artist who, like Chitose himself, would eventually become legends in the karate world. These men would include; Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan-ryu), Kenwa Mabuni (Shito-ryu),  Kanken Toyama (Shudo-kan), Yasuhiro Konishi (Ryobu-kai), Chojun Miyagi (Goju-ryu, Gogen Yamaguchi (Goju-kai).

Possibly having trained with Gichin Funakoshi while still on Okinawa, the young and talented Chitose would be ask to assist this Okinawan karate man by teaching in Funakoshi Sensei's first karate school (Yotsuya dojo). Funakoshi would later be considered the "Father of Modern Day Karate" and credited with formally introduced karate into Japan in 1922. {Funakoshi had already demonstrated karate in Japan as early as 1917 or 1918.} While Chitose was teaching at Funakoshi's first dojo he would give instruction to another man who would eventually become famous in the karate world. This man was Masatoshi Nakayama, later to become the Chief Instructor of the Japan Karate Association (JKA).

It was only fitting that Dr. Chitose would eventually (1944) make his home in the city of Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu, the southern most island of Japan since many famous martial artist have resided on the island of Kyushu. During this same year Chitose would become the Kyushu director for the All Japan Kenpo Karate-do Fukyu-kai. In 1952 Dr. Chitose would rename is karate group the All Japan Chito-kai and would call his style Chito-ryu karate-do. In the late 1950's, 1960's and 1970's Chito-ryu would eventually spread world wide.