Even
though the Okinawans have always been known as a peaceful people, Karate was born out of
necessity. In 1477 Sho Hashi, the King of Chuzan, banned the possession of all weapons.
Then, in 1669 the manufacturing of ceremonial swords was also band and the Okinawans were
left with no weapons at all. They had no means by which to protect themselves.
Okinawa
is one of The Ryukyus Islands, which are made up of some 60 islands south of Japan. These islands are located 500 miles from the
Chinese mainland. They are located in such a position as to foster trade. Traders coming
from China brought with them fighting skills, which they shared with the Okinawans, who
learned these skills, and then taught them in secrecy.
The
main character in the development of karate was Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura
(1796-1884). Matsumura learned these skills and passed them on to Yasutsune Itosu
(1830-1915) and Yasutsune Azato (1827-1906), the two instructors of Gichin Funakoshi.
Gichin Funakoshi was born in Shuri, Okinawa on November 10, 1868. Gichin
Funakoshi learned and taught Karate-do in secrecy
until 1902. At that time he performed a demonstration for Shintaro Ogawa, commissioner of
schools for Kagoshina Prefecture. Gichin Funakoshi introduced Karate to Japan in 1922.
Gichin Funakoshi is known as the father of modern Karate-do.
In
early 1936 Funakoshi’s students honored him with the first formal Dojo, complete with
a plaque over the door, which read “Shoto-Kan”, meaning house of Shoto. Shoto
was Gichin Funakoshi’s pen name. And so the term Shotokan Karate was coined. Today, Shotokan Karate is practiced in almost
every country of the world and is the most widely practiced martial art today. Gichin
Funakoshi died April 26, 1957.
