Master Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957)
The Father of Modern Karate
Gichin Funakoshi 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.
