Page 51 - Martial Science Magazine April 2018

GICHIN FUNAKOSHI karate art was only practiced on

closed doors.

In the end of the decade of 1910,
船越義珍 Funakoshi had numerable students
that could do without problems,

The Father of the modern karate teach and lure adepts to his martial
art style, and make the people had
interest to the martial art.

he master Gichin Funakoshi, On this period, the trains some For two times, Funakoshi went to
was one premature on Novem- karate styles, between them, the the Continental Japan to venture
Tber 10, 1868 in Shuri, the pro- Shōrei ryū style (昭霊流) & Shōrin- himself, in the years of 1917 and
vince of Okinawa.Nowadays, it is a ryū (少林 流) named in 1933 by 1922. In 1922, Funakoshi gains
district on the city of Naha, in the master Chosin Chiban, being one admiration and the friendship of
island of Okinawa, but in the old of the oldest styles of Okinawa. a remarkable person at that time,
times, it was an ancient city in the The trainings were always per- Kanō Jigorō (嘉納 治五郎) Japa-
capital of Ryukyu. formed at night, by the fact that nese athlete and the judo founder,
martial arts were not well-seen by that also was impressed by with the
Funakoshi was the only child of society at that time, the trainings excellence of Funakoshi techni-
Gisu, he was brought to live with were very rough and the Master ques, and asked him some lessons,
his grandparents. Anko’s karate methods include the and then, Funakoshi started to visit
fists practice, kicks and kata. Kano no Kodokan , the judo word
As he entered on the primary temple for the knowledge changes.
school, Funakoshi meets Anko Master Asato had an own kata tra-
Asato’s son (糸 洲 安 恒) a Karate ining method that was called (hito In the year of 1930, Funakoshi
Master, that due to the friendship kata san nen) a Kata practiced in creates the Dai-Nihon Karate-do
between Gichin Funakoshi and his 3 years. Kenkyukai with the intention of
son, Funakoshi starts to go fre- conveying the teachings between
quently to his house, and then he After years of training, Funakos- the students of karate-do, in the
strengthens his friendship bonds hi starts to feel the benefits of the year of 1936 he changes the name
with the Master Anko’s family. karate art, because being him a again to Dai-Nippon Karate-do
person fragile and sloppy as a Kenkyukai.
Even having passed the admission child, now he is full physical force
exam on the college to the medicine and with a better health, due to the In the year of 1936, Funakoshi
course, Funakoshi didn’t frequent karate practice. built the first (松濤館 Shōtōkan) In
the college because of political Tokyo, he had the idea of changing
issues of the time. Being a philo- During the visit of the school ins- the karate name to ‘’empty hand’’ (
sophy student and classic chinese pector of the Kagoshima Shintaro 空手) that before was called ‘’Chi-
and japanese teachings, Funakoshi Ogawa in the year of 1902, Fu- na’s hand’’ (唐 手).
started to work as an assistant tea- nakoshi impressed everyone with
cher in Okinawa. his karate demonstrations, inclu- Funakoshi continues in Tokyo tea-
ding the Ogawa Inspector that ching in definite form, in the year
After some time going to Master made an immediate report to the of 1949, the Funakoshi students
Anko’s house, Funakoshi starts to education ministry, talking about create the Japan Karate Associa-
make night trips to Asato’s house to the art virtues and so the karate tion (JKA), still having the Gichin
receive karate instructions. becomes officially authorized on Funakoshi as the honorary boss of
the schools, because until then the the JKA, however, in the practice,

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