Supreme Master
Funakoshi Gichin (1868-1957)
The Father of Modern Karate
Funakoshi Gichin was born on
Nov 10, 1868 in Yamakawa, Shuri, Okinawa Prefecture. He was of samurai lineage,
from a family which in former times had been vassals of Ryukyu Dynasty nobles.
By age 11 he had already made a name for
himself in Ryukyu-style martial arts. Beginning his training under Master Azato
Anko, it wasn’t long before he equaled his master in ability, and shared with
him the distinction of being the “most accomplished” martial artist in the
field. He also learned karate-jutsu (written with characters that mean
“Chinese-hand martial art”) from Master Itosu Anko. Both his teachers were
impressed by his nobility of character.
As over the years he pursued his training and
continuously developed his remarkable skills, Master Funakoshi became chairman
of the Okinawa Martial Arts Society, as well as an instructor at the Okinawa
Teacher’s School. Then in 1922, when he was 54 years old, he introduced
Okinawan karate-jutsu at the first Ministry of Education (now Ministry of
Education, Science, Sports, and Culture)-sponsored Physical Education
Exhibition. This introduction, the first ever public display of karate-jutsu in
Japan, was a stunning success. And the previously unknown martial artist
Funakoshi Gichin rose to instant fame throughout the Japanese world of martial
arts.
Immediately the founder of
modern judo, Kano Jigoro, invited Master Funakoshi and his pupil Gima Shinkin
to the Kodokan judo dojo to give a demonstration of kata. The highly-attended
event filled the Kodokan dojo to capacity. It was so well-received that Master
Funakoshi found himself pressed on all sides to stay in Tokyo.
Excited by the opportunity to further promote
the martial art that he had done so much to introduce to Japan, Master
Funakoshi subsequently began teaching it at Tokyo’s Meiseijuku, a dormitory for
Okinawan students there. In 1922, he published a book entitled “Ryukyu Kempo
Karate.” It was the first formal exposition in Japan on the art of
karate-jutsu. Not only were its contents fresh and novel, it was also
beautifully written, and immediately created an unprecedented karate boom.
As the popularity of
karate-jutsu began to spread, Master Funakoshi produced the first ever “Dan
Ranking Certification” in April, 1924.
Around the same time, with the encouragement
of his teacher of Buddhism, Abbot Furukawa Gyodo of Enkakuji Temple in
Kamakura, Master Funakoshi started practicing Zen. He contemplated the
well-known Buddhist teaching that says “form is emptiness and emptiness is
form.” He began to see the relevance of that teaching to his martial art, and
ultimately changed the characters for karate from kara + te (“Chinese” +
“hand”) to kara + te (“empty” + “hand”).
Then, in order to popularize
the “local” Okinawan martial art in the rest of Japan, Master Funakoshi
synthesized a complete system of techniques and theory, and changed the Chinese
and Okinawan names of the kata into standard Japanese. In 1929, after much thought
and reflection, he also changed the name of karate-jutsu (“Chinese-hand martial
art”) to karate-do (“the way of karate,” or “the way of the empty hand”). He
then defined the Twenty Precepts of Karate, and established a grand karate
philosophy.
At last the way of karate had come into its
own, and was gaining popularity all across Japan. The number of people wishing
to begin training was growing daily—so much so that it became difficult to find
a place for them to practice. So in 1939 Master Funakoshi established the
“Shotokan” dojo, which he built at his own expense. (“Shoto” was the literary
first name he used when doing calligraphy and writing poetry. “Shoto” means
“Pine Waves,” and refers to the sound of wind blowing through the pines, which
resembles the sound of ocean waves.)
By this time, Master Funakoshi had long been
teaching karate to high-school and university students. As a result, karate
clubs had sprung up at higher education institutions all over Japan which is
another reason why karate has become as respected as it is today.
In the air raids of World War
II, the Shotokan dojo was destroyed, and the growth of karate came to a halt.
But after the war, followers of Funakoshi’s way re-grouped, and in 1949 they
formed the Japan
Karate Association, with
Funakoshi Gichin as Supreme Master.
On April 10, 1957, the
Ministry of Education gave official recognition to the JKA, and it became a
legal entity. A mere sixteen days later, at the age of 89, Master Funakoshi
passed away. A large public memorial service was held at the Ryogoku Kokugikan
(Ryogoku National Sumo Hall), attended by more than 20,000 people, including
many famous names who came to pay their respects.
A memorial monument to Master
Funakoshi was established at Enkakuji Temple in Kamakura. Members of the JKA
pay an honorary visit on April 29th each year, the date of the Shoto Festival.
Significant
events in the life of Funakoshi Dai Sensei's life.
Dai Sensei Funakoshi was born
in Naha City of Okinawa Prefecture in the year 1870. In the year 1913, he
became Chairman of the Okinawan Shobukai. In 1922 the first public performance
of Karate was given by Dai Sensei Funakoshi when the Education Ministry of
Japan organized an Athletic exhibition program in Tokyo where Karate was
included as one of the disciplines This demonstration led to Master Funakoshi
being persuaded to stay and teach in Tokyo. From 1924 the Master started
teaching Karate at the various Universities like Tokyo University, Takushoku
University, Waseda University, Todai and Keio University .
In1929, Master Funakoshi
authored his first booknamed - 'Ryukyu Boxing Karate'. and changed the
calligraphy of Karate from Karate-jutsu to Karate-do. In the 1936, Master
Funakoshi wrote a textbook of Karate-do for which he was honoured by the
Emperor of Japan. It was only later however, in 1943 that he wrote his most
famous book - an Introduction to Karate-do. In the year 1948, The Japan Karate
Association was established with Master Funakoshi as it's Head and in 1954,
Japan officially honoured Master Funakoshi for his contribution to Karate-do.
In 1955, the Master established the Yotsuya dojo of the JKA. Dai Sensei Gichin
Funakoshi passed away on the 26th of April, 1957.
