A Brief History of Shotokan Karate
Master Gichin Funakoshi Shotokan's founder
Shotokan Karate-Do was founded by Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) and is an amalgamation of three major regional schools of Okinawan martial arts: Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te. Okinawan martial arts had been heavily influenced by Chinese martial arts for many centuries, due to the presence of a major port at Naha, close to the towns of Shuri and Tomari. After the banning of weapons in Okinawa, first by the Okinawan Emperor and later by the Japanese Satsuma Clan, development of the Okinawan martial arts accelerated. Major changes were made in the 19th century by a number of masters, including some such as Itosu and Azato, who would later be Funakoshi's instructors. Little is known in detail about the martial arts of the period, due to the destruction of the major Okinawan towns and Shuri Castle (including all written records) during the invasion of Japan in the Second World War.
Funakoshi began studying Shorin-ryu in the city of Shori as a child. As karate was illegal until about 1901, Funakoshi studied in secret. Around 1905, when nearing 40 years of age, Funakoshi opened his first karate class. In 1921, he was requested to give a demonstration of martial arts to the Emperor of Japan. The Emperor was so impressed that Funakoshi was invited to perform a demonstration at the First National Athletics Exhibition in Tokyo in 1922. In 1924, karate began development in Japanese universities, and the first official karate dojo was opened by Funakoshi in 1936. Called the Shotokan, or Shoto's Hall, this dojo gives its name to the style of karate developed by Funakoshi — Shoto, which may be translated as "billowing pine trees," was Funakoshi's pen name while writing poetry in his youth.
Inheritance and Evolution
Gichin Funakoshi passed much of the responsibility for teaching to his son Yoshitake (or Gigo) early in the 1930s. Under Yoshitake's leadership, Shotokan Karate was substantially revised. Changes included the introduction of low stances and long attacks in combination, an expanded range of kicks, changes to the way kicks were delivered, and the implementation of pre-arranged kumite and free fight training. In 1936, Karate Do Kyohan was published, establishing a technical framework for Shotokan, and in 1943 Gichin and Yoshitake published Karate-do Nyumon. In 1945, after a lifetime of illness, Yoshitake Funakoshi died. Gichin Funakoshi died in 1957, eight years after the initial formation of the Japanese Karate Association (JKA) and the year of the first "All Japan Championships".
A Difference in Opinion
As Shotokan karate grew in size, it was inevitable that various instructors would have differing opinions on its development. In 1956, a group of Shotokan karate-ka, opposed to a growing sport orientation, formed the Shotokai (Shoto's Council). The main body remained the Japan Karate Association (JKA). In 1977, again relating to the perception of an increasing emphasis on sport rather than to karate's budo or spiritual nature, Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa, one of the most technically brilliant Shotokan practitioners, formed Shotokan Karate International (SKI).
For the same reasons, in 1989 Sensei Taiji Kase (together with Sensei Shirai), another famous Shotokan exponent who had trained with both Gichin and Yoshitake Funakoshi, formed the World Karate-do Shotokan Academy (now Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha Karate-do). Kase-Ha aims to ensure that black belts and instructors continue to progress in the advanced technical aspects of Shotokan; it concentrates on the effectiveness of Shotokan as a martial art (as distinct from a sport), including kata bunkai, or applications.
From Japan to Australia
In 1972, one of Sensei Kanazawa's exceptional students, Sensei Frank Nowak, introduced Shotokan Karate International (SKI) to Australia and later in 1986, formed his own organisation, Zanshin Shotokan Karate Do, based in Australia.
In 2005, some 15 years after Sensei Nowak's death, one of his senior students Sensei Stephen Xepapas formed the school of Tora Shotokan Karate Do, combining the teachings of both Sensei Frank Nowak and Sensei Taiki Kase.
