"KARATE-DO"
MEANING: "EMPTY HAND WAY"(WESTERN TRANSLATION) THE CORRECT MEANING IS:"HAND OF EMPTYNESS"(EASTERN BUDDHISM TRANSLATION)
KARATE-DO DOES NOT MEAN "NO WEAPONS!"
SHOTO = "NICKNAME" FOR GICHIN FUNAKOSHI SENSEI
SHOTOKAN = SHOTO'S DOJO(TRAINING HALL)
SHOTOKAI = SHOTO'S ASSOCIATION (THE ORIGINAL FORM OF SHOTO KARATE-DO)
SHOTO KARATE-DO = A FORM OF SHOTOKAI, BASIC/ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING STREETWISE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAMME AS AN EXTRA (training in a natural evolving form from its original Chinese influence)
HISTORY OF SHOTO KARATE-DO IN OKINAWA
From 1368 to 1644 there was a long history of cultural exchange between China and the Ryukyu Islands dating back to the Ming dynasty. To-di (Chinese Hand) was mostly developed and brought to Okinawa during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). The bodygaurds of the Okinawan Royal Family at Shuri Castle were all devoted students of To-di and trained in the styles available at that time, they also changed the style to suit their own needs as bodygaurds. Karate (Okinawan Gung Fu) spread and developed around the three villages of Shuri, Naha and Tomari, where the Chinese influence was greatest. The arts from Shuri and Tomari became known as Shorin Ryu (Shaolin temple style) and the arts from Naha became as Shorei Ryu (Enlighten spirit style), Master Gichin Funakoshi brought Shorin Ryu to main land Japan and it developed into modern Shoto Karate-do. Shorei Ryu developed on Okinawa and formed into Kojo Ryu, Goju ryu and Uechi Ryu.
OKINAWA, SHURI CASTLE
PRE WW2 DURING WW2 PRESENT DAY
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THE MARTIAL ARTS TREE OF TIME
Bodhidharma - Gung Fu - India (440ad - 528ad)
Bodhidharma began his life as a royal prince in Southern India in the Sardilli family in 440 A.D. In the midst of his education and training to continue in his father's footsteps as king, Bodhidharma encountered the Buddha's teachings. He immediately saw the truth in Lord Buddha's words and decided to give up his esteemed position and inheritance to study with the famous Buddhist teacher Prajnatara. Bodhidharma rapidly progressed in his Buddhist studies, and in time, Prajnatara sent Bodhidharma to China, where Buddhism had begun to die out, to introduce the Sarvastivada sect Buddhist teachings to the Chinese. Bodhidharma arrived in China after a brutal trek over Tibet's Himalayan Mountains surviving both the extreme elements and treacherous bandits. Bodhidharma traveled to the recently constructed Shaolin temple in the south of China, where the monks refused him admission. Bodhidharma sat meditating facing a wall for the next 9 years, supposedly burning holes into the wall by staring at it. Only then did the monks of the Shaolin Temple respect Bodhidharma and allow him inside. There, he found the monks so out of shape from a life of study spent copying scrolls that he introduced a regimen of martial exercises based on yoga techniques. These teachings helped to develope the bloodflow and stamina needed for enhanced meditation helping the monks to practice and form thier Zen buddhism beliefs. The monks were inspired to study the combative movements of birds and animals. After many years of studying the monks formed the martial art of Shorin-Ji Kempo which formed into many later schools of Gung fu.
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Wong Chung-yoh -Hsing-I - China (Late 1600's) "No picture found"
Very little is known about Wong Chung-yoh. He taught a style of martial arts known as Hsing-I (XingYi), in China in the late 1600's. His school was located in the Foochaw harbor, in the Fukein province of China. His most notable student was Chatan Yara who produced the lineage for most modern martial arts.
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Chatan Yara - Okinawa-te - Okinawa (1668-1756) "No picture found"
Born in Chatan, Okinanwa. In 1680, at the age of 12, he began to study Hsing-I under Wong Chung-yoh in China. In 1700, after 20 years of study, he returned to Okinawa. He was a master of Okinawan weapons and introduced the concept of chi to Okinawa-Te. Chatan Yara and Matsu Higa are both recorded as Instructors of Peichin Takahara.
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Matsu Higa (1647-1721).
Born in 1647 and having died in 1721, Matsu Higa is a legendary martial artist in Okinawan history who was a direct influence on the development of karate and Kobudo, especially with respect to Bojutsu. A resident of the island of Hama Higa, he was perhaps a student of the Chinese emissaries Zhang Xue Li and later Wanshu, who would have taught him techniques of Chu'an fa. Okinawan history relied mainly on oral tradition prior to the 20th century, so it is difficult to separate fact and fiction. It is said that Matsu Higa had forearms like tree trunks and that he could crush a coconut in his bare hands, though he stood only 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) tall and weighed about 140 pounds (64 kg). Legends state that Matsu Higa with his bo stood up to the head-hunters of Formosa and to Japanese pirates from the north and never lost a battle. What is known, however, is that Matsu Higa was an Instructor of Peichin Takahara, who in turn taught Sakugawa Satonushi. Matsu Higa was one of the first to codify a system of Kata and techniques. His contributions live on in several weapons katas, especially for tonfa, sai, and bo.
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Peichin Takahara - Okinawa-te - Okinawa (1683-1760) "No picture found"
Peichin Takahara was born in the village of Akata Cho in Southern Shuri, Okinawa. Peichin means "senior", it is an honorary title of the feudalist cults of Japan. He was a Buddhist monk of the Shaolin Temple, and an expert in martial arts. Peichin Takahara was revered as a great warrior and was first to explain the concept of the word "do", meaning "way". The attributes of the "way" include ijo - the way: compassion, humility and love; katsu - the laws: a complete understanding of all the techinques and forms of karate, dedication seriousness of karate that must be understood not only in practice, but in actual combat. He was the first teacher of Sakugawa.
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Tode Sakugawa Satonushi - Shuri-te - Okinawa (1733-1815)
Okinawa-te spread through Okinawa and developed into three branch styles. The three distinct styles became known for the cities they were praticed in, Shiri, Naha, and Tomara, with the thre styles being known as Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te. Tode Sakugawa was born in Shuri, Okinawa. He studied Okinawa-te under Peichin Takahara and Kenpo under Kusanku. Tode Sakugawa combined Chinese Kenpo techniques with Okinawa-te.
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Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura - Shuri-te - Okinawa (1796-1893)
Sokon Matsumara was born in Yamagawa Village, Shuri, Okinawa to an upper-class (shizoku) family. In 1812, at age 18 Matsumara began training under Sakugwa. In approximately 1830, at the age of 34, he went to China and studied the Shaolin style of Chinese Kenpo. He was nick-named "Bushi" which means Warrior.
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Azato "Anko" - Shuri-te - Okinawa - (1827-1906)
Okinawan Karate Master, governor, military chief. Also known by the name Tonochi, Azato trained under Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura. Although he excelled in archery and swordsmanship, Azato was also accredited with bringing even the best swordsman (carrying katana) down with his bare hands. Azato was an Instructor of Master Gichin Funakoshi.
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Yasutsune Itosu "Anko" - Shuri-te - Okinawa (1830-1915)
Born in Yamagawa Village, Shuri, Okinawa. He began his To-te (karate) study under Nagahama Chikudon. At the age of 16 he started to train Karate with Master Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura. He was another Instructor of Master Gichin Funakoshi.
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Gichin Funakoshi-Japan(1868-1957) Gichin & Yoshitaka Funakoshi Yoshitaka Funakoshi
Born in Shuri, Okinawa. In 1879 at age 11 he began his study of Naha-te under Yasutsune Azato. Later he trianed in Shuri-te under Yasutsune Itosu. In 1922 he was invited to Japan and demonstrate his style of Martial arts. He was persuaded to stay and teach in Japan and whilst there, he founded Shotokan Karate and Sung TaeKwon (Tae Kwon Do) Most modern styles of sport karate today stem from his teachings but not in the way he intended them to progress. After Gichin Funakoshi's death his intended way for Karate to progress was carried on by the Shotokai (Funakoshi's close friends, family & students) The JKA of which he was the original founder went against his wishes and formed the modern day sports karate which now lacks a lot of the original techniques and the real benifits for the mind & body as it was intended.
"The ultimate aim of Karate lies neither in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants"
FUNAKOSHI GICHIN SENSEI (1868-1957)
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Shigeru Egami - Japan(1912-1981)
In 1932 he entered the University of Waseda where he studied karate under Master Takeshi Shimoda. It was at Waseda that he meet and trained under Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of the shotokan school.
Master Egami invested heavily in the practice of karate. He trained with masters Takeshi Shimoda and Yoshitaka (Gigo) Funakoshi, he also participated in numerous demonstrations throughout Japan to promote the practice of this martial art that was then very little known.
In 1935, the Shotokai association was created in order to gather students for Master Gichin Funakoshi. Master Egami became one of the Master Funakoshi‘s seconds for his training activities. In 1955, Master Egami was named the principle professor of the Karate club of the University of Gakushuin.
At Master Gichin Funakoshi‘s death in 1957, the shotokan school split into 2 large groups, the Shotokai Association and the J.K.A (Japan Karate Association). Master Egami with Master Genshin Hironoshi exerted a great influence on the orientation of the training and drive of the Shotokai group. During this time, he was named the principle master of the karate club of the Universities of Chuo and Toho. A top student and friend of Master Egami, Gichin Funokoshi Sensei & Master Yoshitaka (Gigo) Funokoshi is Mitsusuke Harada Sensei MBE who continue's to follow karate-do shotokai in its natural progressing form to this day with his association (KDS)
Master Egami & Yoshitaka Funakoshi Master Shigeru Egami Master Egami & Mitsusuke Harada
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