If there’s one man who can be credited with popularizing karate, it’s Gichin Funakoshi. This account by Richard Kim looks at how the shotokan founder went from sickly boy to respected master.
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Shotokan
In 1921, Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) introduced Okinawan karate to Japan. Gichin Funakoshi developed his simpler style of karate from studying the Okinawan karate styles of shorei-ryu and shorin-ryu.
In 1939, Gichin Funakoshi built his first official karate dojo in the Mejiro neighborhood of Toshima in Tokyo. He called it the House of Shoto (Gichin Funakoshi’s pen name), or as most call it today, Shotokan. From this house came several different organizations that, because of creative differences, evolved into two distinct associations: the Japan Karate Association and the Shotokai. The major disagreement arose from the notion of having students attend competitions, which was contrary to Gichin Funakoshi’s vision.
Like most karate styles, shotokan is an “external” style with training that focuses on basics, forms and sparring. Basics and forms use deep, wide stances in order to cultivate balance, power and leg strength. Advanced levels of shotokan introduce grappling and aikido-like skills. Sparring uses stances and basic movements which, after years of training, enable a student to deliver their techniques with speed and efficacy.
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Gichin Funakoshi: Creator of Shotokan Karate
– February 26, 2013
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Kyle Funakoshi: Advanced Strategies to Improve Your Shotokan Techniques (Part 2)
– March 15, 2012
In Part 1 of this article, martial arts instructor Kyle Funakoshi — son and student of Kenneth Funakoshi (who appeared on the June 1992 cover of Black Belt), as well as fifth cousin of the legendary Gichin Funakoshi — began breaking down advanced strategies for better shotokan techniques. Part 1
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Kyle Funakoshi: Advanced Strategies to Improve Your Shotokan Techniques (Part 1)
– March 12, 2012
When you want to get good at anything, it’s always best to go to the source. When that anything is shotokan karate, the first source that comes to mind is anyone with the surname Funakoshi.
Enter Kyle Funakoshi, a martial arts instructor based in Milpitas, California. He grew up in Hawaii,
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Shito-Ryu Karate Trailblazer: Fumio Demura
– November 21, 2011
Ask the average karate practitioner to name the main styles of Japan, and chances are he’ll rattle off shotokan, goju-ryu and wado-ryu with no trouble. But unless he’s really up on his art, there’s a good chance that he’ll stumble over the name of the fourth major style, snap his
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Matt Larsen: Teaching the U.S. Army How to Fight
– November 11, 2011
Back in 1983, I heeded the call of Uncle Sam and joined the U.S. Army. Basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, was easy enough and mostly fun, what with the M16 rifles, M60 machine guns, hand grenades, Claymore mines and LAWs (light anti-tank weapons). A martial artist interested in state-of-the-art
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Shotokan Karate Fake to Back Kick – Kyle Funakoshi
– March 23, 2011
Shotokan karate expert Kyle Funakoshi (a relative of the great Gichin Funakoshi!) demonstrates a fake to a back kick! See more techniques in the January 2010 issue of Black Belt!
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Shotokan Karate Front Kick to Reverse Punch
– March 23, 2011
Shotokan karate expert Kyle Funakoshi (a relative of the great Gichin Funakoshi!) demonstrates a front kick / reverse punch technique with amazing speed!
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Shotokan Karate Reverse Punch to Front Kick
– March 23, 2011
Shotokan karate expert Kyle Funakoshi (a relative of the great Gichin Funakoshi!) demonstrates a reverse punch to the face and front kick to the body!
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Kyle Funakoshi: Why Karate is Still Important
– March 23, 2011
Shotokan karate expert Kyle Funakoshi (a relative of the great Gichin Funakoshi!) answers a reader’s question during his cover shoot for the January 2010 issue!
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Shotokan Karate Black Belt Lyoto Machida: 2009 MMA Fighter of the Year
– March 20, 2011
It’s satisfying to watch someone work his way to the top in his chosen field, especially when it’s something as unpredictable as the mixed martial arts. It’s even more gratifying when that person exemplifies qualities you respect and wish more people would emulate. So it’s with no small sense of
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