A History of Shotokan Karate.
The history of the Asian martial arts in general is cloudy. There are some aspects that people can agree upon, amd then there are the differences. What I will tell you is in no way the ultimate history. It is the general history of martial arts as I know it, which will lead us to Shotokan. The history of Shotokan itself, where it started, who started it, how it spread is known, and verifiable, due to Shotokan’s brief history (It’s been around less than one hundred years).
Karate actually began in China. China? Yes, China. From China, Karate ancestral art(s) was/were brought to Okinawa. It was in Okinawa that Funakoshi sensei learned the arts that he was to meld into Shotokan. From Okinawa, Shoto brought the martial art to Japan, where it flourished. And, as far we as we are concerned, finally, Shotokan karate was brouight from Japan to the USA.
Gichin Funakosi
Gichin Funakosi was born in Shuri, Okinawa in 1868. As a boy, he was trained by two famous masters of that time. Each trained him in a different Okinawan martial art. From Yatasune Azato he learned Shuri-te. From Yatsune Itosu, he learned Naha-te. It would be the melding of these two styles that would one day become Shotokan karate.
Funakoshi-sensei is the man who introduced karate to Japan. In 1917 he was asked to perform his martial art at a physical education exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Education. He was asked back again in 1922 for another exhibition. He was asked back a third time, but this was a special performance. He demonstrated his art for the emporer and the royal family! Afer this, Funakoshi-sensei decided to remain in Japan and teach and promote his art.
Gichin Funakoshi passed away in 1957 at the age of 88. Aside from creating Shotokan karate and introducing to Japan and the world, he also wrote the very book on the subject of karate, “Ryukyu Kempo: Karate-do”. He also wrote “Karate-Do Kyohan” - The Master Text, the “handbook” of Shotokan and he wrote his autobiography, “Karate-Do: My Way of Life”. These books and his art are a fitting legacy for this unassuming and gentle man.
China
As there is no written record of the begins of the martial arts, we must rely on word of mouth and legend. So, it is believed that about 1400 years ago, a monk named Daruma (or Bodhidharma) left India to spread the word of Buddhism. One of the places he went was China. In China, he made his way to the Shaolin Temple to teach. Once he started teaching, a problem arose. The monks would pass out due the strenuousness of his training methods..
To get the monks into shape, Daruma decided to show them a way to get into better physical condition. The exercises he showed them are in the Ekkin Sutra. With the practice and perfection of these exercises, the Shaolin monks gained a reputation for their abilities. These exercises would eventually become known as Shorin-ji Kempo and become the forbearer of karate..
Again, since there is no written record, it is difficult to know what happened when, but it is believed that martial arts then began to spread through out China. And as the Chinese made contact with other foreign cultures, they would pass their arts on to these peoples. One of the cultures they made contact with were the Okinawans.
Okinawa
It is believed that Shotokan’s ancestor martial art(s) came to Okinawa long ago (there are no written records that indicate any dates). From about the mid-fourteenth century, Okinawa began heavy trading with its other island and mainland neighbors. It is generally assumed that this contact with outside peoples allowed their respective fighting styles into Okinawa. Then, about five hundred years ago (1470), a ban was placed on Okinawans having weapons. Then, two hundred years later (1609), any weapons that the Okinawans did have were confiscated by the Japanese when they took control of the island. It is generally believed that Okinawa-te (which it became called), gained acceptance as a means of self-defense due to these prohibitions.
It is believed that about two hundred years ago, a man named Sakugawa, of Akata, traveled to China. When he returned to Okinawa, he was a karate (China hand) master. Also, about 150 years ago, Ku Shanku, of China, came to Okinawa to teach with some of his students. Other Okinawans were also taught by various Chinese military personnel. It is also said that Okinawans named Matsumura and Gusukuma were taught by a southern Chinese man who drifted ashore. These two men, Matsumura and Gusukuma were the men who would teach Masters Azato and Itosu, who would teach Gichin Funakoshi.
Gichin Funakoshi began studying under Azato and Itosu in 1879. In 1902, he gave historys first formal private demonstration of karate. Then, in 1903, he introduced karate into the public school system at the Men’s Normal School and the Daiichi Middle School. In 1906, he gave the first public demonstration of karate in Okinawa. In 1912, karate began being taught to the Imperial Navy. In 1914, Funakoshi began giving demonstration all over Okinawa. And, by 1917, karate was ready to move into Japan.
Japan
So, Funakoshi sensei was doing quite alot to promote his art in his homeland of Okinawa. Word eventually made its way to Japan, which as we all know had a very rich martial history. So, in 1917, Gichin Funakoshi was invited to Japan to demonstrate his karate at the Butokuden in Kyoto.
Funakoshi continued to travel to Japan giving exhibitions, but Shotokan’s “big” break came in 1922. The Japanese Minsitry of Education asked Funakoshi to participate in a demonstration of ancient Japanese martial arts at the Women’s Higher Normal School in Tokyo. After the demonstration, Gichin was approached by Jigaro Kano, the founder of judo. He asked Funakoshi to stay longer in Japan and show him (Kano) some basic techniques.
Months later, when he next tried to leave, Funakoshi was approached by the painter Hoan Kosugi. He also wanted instruction in karate for himself and members of his artists group. So, Funakoshi again postponed returning home and began first organized teaching of karate in Japan at the Tabata Poplar Club. While teaching at Tabata, Funakoshi decided to remain in Japan. He would spend the rest of his life teaching karate to the Japanese people.
While in Japan, Funakoshi wrote the first book ever on karate. Entitled “Ryukyu Kempo: Karate”. The book was designed by Hoan Kosugi, who is also credited with designing the Shotokan tiger. Four years later the book was re-released with the new title “Renten Goshin Karate-jitsu”. His next book, “Karate-do Kyohan” was written in 1935.
Funakoshi continued to teach and give exhibitions. In 1928, he was asked to give a demonstration for the royal family of Japan. For Funakoshi this would have been enough but of honor, but it was made all the greater because the demonstration was done on the palace grounds!
Karate’s popularity continued to grow. Karate clubs had been and continued to spring up at colleges, universities and businesses throughout Japan. All this time, Funakoshi kept a dojo at the Meisei Juku. However, time and an 1923 earthquake eventually created the need for a new place to train. Funakoshi was offered to use space at the kendo hall of Hiromichi Nakayama. Eventually, Funakoshi was given another great honor. Nationwide, karate practioners chipped in to pay for the construction of a dojo dedicated to the instruction of Funakoshi’s karate. In 1936, the Shoto-kan was born!
Tags: Gichin Funakosi, History, Karate, Okinawa, shotokan