Menu

Belt Testing

Sensei Gichin Funakoshi

Gichin Funakoshi is widely considered the "father" of modern karate due to his efforts to introduce the Okinawan art to mainland Japan. From Japan, it spread to the rest of the world.

Funakoshi was born in 1868 during the Meiji Restoration period of 1868. At the age of 11, Funakoshi was amused with a schoolmate/friend’s ability to do these neat tricks with his body; his friend was the son of Yasutsune Azato. They started to play together under Azato’s supervision. As Funakoshi grew into a man, due to his relationship with Azato, he had the opportunity to train with the master’s of Okinanwan karate, including Matsumura.

Over the years, Funakoshi developed into his “own” style; a combination of Shoreiji-ryu and Kobayashi Shorin-ryu. At the time, it was known as karate-jutsu. Later it became known as Shotokan!

In 1917, Funakoshi traveled to Kyoto, Japan and demonstrated karate for the first time ever in Japan. The demonstration was held at the Butoku-den.

On March 6th, 1921 the Crown Prince (who later became the Emperor of Hirohito) stopped in Okinawa to check on the development of the schools. The Crown prince asked Funakoshi to perform a karate demonstration at the Great Hall of Shuri Castle. As a result, by 1922 karate had spread into mainland Japan.

During the period of 1930-1935, development of Funakoshi’s karate continued and students went on to form the core group of Funikoshi disciples. On January 29, 1939, Funakoshi bowed and entered the Funikoshi’s first dojo. His students had hung a plaque over the door; the kanji said: “Shoto-Kan”. Translated, this means the “hall of Shoto”. That moment was the birth of Shotokan karate.