(Judan in Shotokan)
(1868-1957)
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| Sensei Gichin Funakoshi (Judan in Shotokan) |
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| "The father of modern karate" (1868-1957) |
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| Sensei Gichin Funakoshi was born in 1868 in the district from Yamakawa-Cho on the island of Okinawa in the archipelago of Ryu-Kyu, when began the Meiji era. He was a cultivated man and a poet of reputation. He followed the moral code of his ancestors and observed the prohibitions of the past. Faithful to his principles, he considered that the Samurai must have an impeccable appearance. Each morning Sensei Funakoshi would turn to the Imperial Palace and inclined with a deep respect, he accomplished the same action facing Okinawa. | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Of fragile and even sick nature, it is as of his childhood that his parents made him study karate to overcome his handicaps. At primary school, his health improves and he decides to commit himself to the art of karate to achieve a true control. He became friends with a pupil in his class, the son of Yasutsune Azato, one of Okinawa's biggest experts in karate. His everyday practice of karate exempted him for all his life from having recourse to a doctor. While on medical subject, an anecdote tells that the birth of Sensei Funakoshi is registered in 1870 in the official registers. Sensei acknowledges in his biography to have falsified the registers to obtain the authorization to present himself at the entrance examination Tokyo medical school. Unfortunately, at that time, two parties were opposed to each new reform, Ganko-to and Kaika-to. The family of Sensei, attached since several generations to the minor nobility of Okinawa supported Ganko-to, the party of the "stubborn people". This party refused the elimination of the old male hairstyle, symbol of virility and maturity. The medical school refused to integrate the pupils who continued to follow old manners; Sensei's destiny was thus sealed. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Master Gichin Funakoshi | |||||||||||||||||||
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Putting an end to his medical ambitions, he decided to pass the examinations of schoolmaster and became, at 21 years old, assistant in a primary school. Therefore he taught students during the day and did his karate training at night at Azato. At the time the government had proscribed the practice of karate and the trainings were to take place in secrecy. Sensei Funakoshi then met Master Itosu, an aristocrat of Okinawa and friend of Azoto. Sometimes Sensei learned under their double supervision of the spiritual and technical aspects of karate. | ||||||||||||||||||
| In 1902 Sensei made a demonstration in front of the people in charge of the province of Kagoshima. In 1912, the Okinawan Shobukai chooses him to carry out a demonstration with for the Japanese navy. He was noticed by the admiral of the imperial fleet. Sensei went back to Japan for the first time in 1917 to make a demonstration at the Butokuden of Kyoto. Sensei then goes back there five years later for a second demonstration in front of the Japanese National Education Minister. Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, required him to make an other demonstration in kodokan. Success was immediate and the requests for courses flowed. Sensei never returned to Okinawa. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Master Funakoshi teaching karate | |||||||||||||||||||
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