Although karate is regarded as a Japanese art it has it’s origins in Okinawa. Okinawa is part of the Ryukyu islands situated between Japan and China. Okinawan martial arts exponents developed the art of “Okinawa – te” having learned many of their skills from visiting Chinese diplomats and sailors.  

Gichin Funakoshi.

In our training hall or “Dojo” we have a photograph of the founder of modern Shotokan Karate Gichin Funakoshi (1868 – 1957). He was an Okinawan school teacher and student of Chinese classics and martial arts. He is credited with the introduction of “Okinawa – te” martial arts techniques which became known as “Karate-do” to Japan.  

Many Masters.

As a school teacher he was assigned to instruct in many schools in different parts of Okinawa and travelled extensively through the major martial arts centres on the island. As a result he was able to study under many excellent masters from different backgrounds over a long period of time. After many years he was able to synthesize the best elements of the techniques he learned creating a new system. Master Funakoshi used the pen name “Shoto” or “waving pines” when he wrote calligraphy. Funakoshi’s style became known as “Shotokan” (pronounced “show – toe – can”) meaning “the house of Shoto” named after his training hall.  

Style Characteristics.

Shotokan karate is both a young and an ancient art. Ancient because it’s roots are deeply buried in the past and young because as it is expressed today it is an art less than 100 years old. This style is known for it’s long low stances and powerful dynamism in it’s execution. Shotokan teaches relatively fewer techniques than other styles preferring the concept of teaching a thorough knowledge of a few techniques rather than superficial familiarity with numerous techniques. Balance and muscle control are emphasised in training. Shotokan karate is physically distinguished from other karate systems in adapting nearly everyone of it’s techniques to a linear fighting style. It’s philosophy being that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line!

 Karate History.

The Okinawan martial art of “Okinawa – te” was imported to Japan and customized into the essentially Japanese art of “Karate”.The history of Shotokan Karate began when the Okinawan Master Gichin Funakoshi performed a demonstration in 1917 for the Japanese Ministry of Education. This was when karate was seen in Japan for the first time. The Japanese were interested but they were suspicious of anything purely Okinawan. 

Exhibitions.

On March 6^th 1921 the Crown Prince of Japan Emperor Hirohito visited the island of Okinawa on his way to Europe. The Okinawan Department of Education asked Funakoshi Sensei to give a karate demonstration at the Great Hall of Shuri Castle. The Prince was fascinated and Funakoshi Sensei was asked to demonstrate his art at the First National Athletic Exhibition in Tokyo. Here he was approached by members of the Sho family who were direct descendants of the “Shotai” – the last king of Okinawa. Master Funakoshi agreed to stay in Japan for a few weeks. 

Judo.

The founder of the Japanese wrestling art of Judo, Jigaro Kano Sensei requested a karate demonstration at the Kodokan the Judo headquarters. So with the help of Shinkin Gima the katas “Kanku Dai” and “Naihanchi” (“Tekki” to the Japanese) were performed. In time Master Kano was taught the basic karate strikes, blocks, punches and kicks which were incorporated into the advanced Judo kata practice. 

Teaching in Japan.

Following official requests from the Military Academy, the Tokyo Bar Association and the Society for Research in High School Physical Education Funakoshi Sensei stayed permanently to follow his destiny which was to teach karate to the Japanese people. 

First Karate Club.

In 1922 the first formal Japanese karate club was established at the Meisei Juku – a dormitory and school for new Okinawan students in the Suidobata section of Tokyo. At this time Master Funakoshi supported himself by cleaning the dormitory and tending the gardens while teaching karate in the lecture hall at night. 

Earthquake.

Unfortunately many of his finest students were killed in a great earthquake so Master Funakoshi was forced to take a job making stencils at the Daiichi Sogo Bank in Kyobashi. As this was far from the original dormitory he was invited to relocate his training at the Dojo or training hall of Hiromichi Nakayama a great Kendo Sensei. This was an unprecedented move by a Japanese traditional sword fighting teacher. Allowing this new foreign art of karate to be practiced in the same dojo as a more traditional Japanese martial art was a great honour for Master Funakoshi. 

Athletic Fame.

In 1924 at the age of 56 instead of considering retirement Master Funakoshi entered and qualified in the “Tokyo Invitational Prize Contest for Athletes”. Through the 20’s and 30’s he continued to train and teach at Sensei Nakayama’s Kendo Dojo and the number of active students increased until his fame got him an invitation to demonstrate before the Imperial Household. 

Collegiate Karate.

Prof. Shinyo Kasuya of the Department of German Language and Literature at Keio University invited Master Funakoshi to teach a group of students. This Keio club was the first collegiate karate club in Japan and is still active today. By 1926 the Tokyo University Karate Club was officially chartered followed in the 1930’s by clubs at Takushoku, Chuo Shodai (now known as Hitotsubashi University), Gakushu – in, Hosei, Nihon, Meiji and others. Incidentally our own Master Kanazawa attended Takushoku University. Today there are over 200 collegiate karate clubs in Japan. Karate made its greatest progress on campus but it also became popular through instruction at employee groups at companies such as the Tokyo Dept. Store, Tokyo Railroad Co., the Matuzakaya Dept. Stores and others. 

First Karate Hall.

In 1935 a committee was formed which organized funding in order to build a free standing karate dojo and construction in Zoshigawa began in mid 1935. So in the spring of 1936 Master Funakoshi now aged sixty eight bowed and entered the first purpose built karate dojo in Japan. As a tribute to him from karate students all over Japan a plaque was hung over the door inscribed with the character  “Shoto Kan “ - “the hall of Shoto”.By 1940 this Dojo was filled to capacity with karate students. Japan’s defeat in World War Two brought only a temporary halt to martial arts development in the country.

Japan Karate Association.

In 1949 Master Funakoshi’s students, the university clubs, the “Old Boys” clubs and the private dojos all over Japan organized themselves into the “Nihon Karate Kyokai” – the Japan Karate Association (J.K.A.). They named Sensei Funakoshi as their chief instructor. Isao Obata the Chairman was the wealthy president of his own trading company. The first J.K.A. President was a politician with major influence Kinchinosuku Saigo. These people did not have time to run the J.K.A.’s daily administration so the board of directors hired a full time paid staff to run the organization. Masatomo Takagi a business manager and 5^th. Dan in karate was hired as General Secretary. Sensei Masatoshi Nakayama was made Chief Instructor to conduct daily training at the headquarters. Kimio Ito was appointed Director of Administration and Hidetaka Nishiyama was named Chief of the Instruction Committee. 

Class Structure.

Some background information is required in order to understand what happened next. Both ancestry and wealth contributed to an individual’s position in the Japanese institutional class structure especially in the colleges and universities. Even today a Japanese family’s wealth and position have a large bearing on which university the children attend. The “big three” colleges in terms of social and political prestige are Keio, Waseda and Hosei. These three along with Takushoku represented the best collegiate karate in Japan. Takushoku (which is also known as Takudai ) was not part of the “establishment” of colleges. Takushoku University was created before World War II for the purpose of training administrators for overseas work and the graduates majored in economics, importing, exporting and international law. 

Friction.

The types of jobs available to Takudai (Takushoku) graduates were not considered prestigious by the old line university graduates and a lot of class friction was evident in the J.K.A. between upper echelon “Old Boys” and “lower class” Takushoku graduates who were highly expert in karate. Disputes arose over business practices, philosophy and training methods. The class division among administrators centered on the fact that the Takudai staff (Takagi and Nakayama) were being paid for teaching karate.  

Commercial Karate.

In 1955 the J.K.A. opened the first commercial dojo in the preview room of Kataoka Movie Centre. Old liners (including Isao Obata of Keio) felt it was immoral to be paid for teaching. Others felt it was wrong to market karate. The Hosei Old Boys, the Obata and Keio group left the J.K.A. and the Takudai keeping in line with their training went on to develop karate internationally. 

Competitions.

The Takudai group felt the best way for international recognition was to develop the sporting aspect of karate with rules and competitions. This was not new because since 1936 college clubs had engaged in exchange training sessions (“Kokangeiko”) testing each other on a freestyle basis. Without formal rules these sessions often developed into bloodbaths. The Old Boys had refused to acknowledge this conduct as it was contrary to Sensei Funakoshi’s principles of karate. However after some experimentation and discussion the J.K.A. directors and leaders of other karate styles openly encouraged freestyle matches. 

Contest Rules.

The Japan Karate Association contest rules which made up three chapters and sixteen articles were finished in August 1956. Immediately collegiate clubs and other dojo’s began holding tournaments to try out their skills and to help train judges and referees. The first All Japan Karate – Do Championship Tournament took place in June 1957.  

Instructor Training.

At the same time the J.K.A. began an intensive instructor training programme with only the very best young karate exponents (“karateka”) being selected after graduating from college with a 2^nd. Dan (“Nidan”) in karate. An intensive year of study followed where student instructors studied karate, psychology, physics, anatomy, business management, history and philosophy of physical education, sports and other subjects. On completing the training programme and achieving 3^rd. Dan (“Sandan”) they were assigned one year’s teaching internship. The result of this difficult apprenticeship was the production of about a dozen highly proficient karate instructors well prepared to “export” the art overseas. 

First Karate Book.

In Japan Sensei Funakoshi continuously developed the art of “Te” (“hand”) he had studied in Okinawa under the  legendary Masters Azato, Matsumura and Itosu. He wrote his first book “Ryuku Kempo Karate” published by Bukyo – Sha in 1922. By textbook standards this was an instant bestseller but went out of print for a while when the book’s plates were destroyed in the great Kanto earthquake of September 1^st 1923. It was not printed again until 1926 being reprinted by Kobundo as “Rentan Goshin Karate – Jutsu” (“Strengthening of Willpower and Self Defence through Techniques of Karate”). 

Anti Chinese Feelings.

Master Funakoshi adapted the Okinawan fighting style to suit Japanese taste embracing spiritual discipline, self defence and a form of competition. In the 30’s anti Chinese feelings grew in Japan. In 1933 he substituted the ideogram “kara” meaning “T’ang” or “China” with another ideogram also pronounced “Kara” but meaning “empty”. He did this as part of the condition of membership of “Dai Nippon Butokukai” (“The Great Japan Martial Virtues Association”.) By 1935 he had changed “Karate Jutsu” (“China Hand Art”) to “Karate Do” (“Empty Hand Way”). These changes upset many Okinawan masters. 

No Weapons.

When he renamed the art Funakoshi had specific points in mind. Pure Japanese karate does not involve using weapons as opposed to the Okinawan art. This fact gives literal meaning to the term “empty hand”. At a deeper level there is the concept of “unselfishness” where the karate practitioner empties the mind of the concept of personal ego in order to develop spiritual insight into the training and to respond appropriately to the attacker. In his writings he says ........ 

“As a mirror’s polished surface reflects whatever stands before it and a quiet valley carries even small sounds, so must the student of karate – do render the mind empty of selfishness and wickedness in an effort to react appropriately toward anything encountered. This is the meaning of “kara” or “empty” in Karate – do” 

The Way.

“Do” is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese ideograph “Tao” (pronounced “dow”). “Tao” or the way is the dominant idea in all Chinese philosophy, the foundation of the ancient world concept. All things are related and influence each other. In karate –do the art and the artist will merge. Each will influence the other. The art was becoming more than just a way of fighting. It was a method of personal development which appealed to the Japanese concept of “Budo” or “Way of the Warrior.” 

Spirit.

The indomitable fighting spirit developed by the karate exponent through hard training could be put to use for the benefit of society.

In another book “Karate – do Nyumon” he explained ......  

“The spirit of karate practice and the elements of training are applicable to each and every aspect of our daily lives. The spirit borne of bearing down and gritting your teeth against the cold in winter training or blinking the sweat from the eyes in summer training can serve you well in your work. The body that has been forged in the kicks and blows of intense practice will not succumb to the trials of studying for a difficult exam or finishing an irksome task. One whose spirit and mental strength have been strengthened by sparring with a never say die attitude should find no challenge too great to handle. One who has undergone years of physical pain and mental agony to learn one punch, one kick should be able to face any task no matter how difficult and carry it through to the end. A person like this can be said to have truly learnt karate.”

The fighting art from Okinawa was “turning Japanese”!