Martial Arts Masters

Anko Itosu (1831 - March 11, 1915) was an Okinawan martial arts master who is considered to be the “Father of Modern Karate,” a title that is ironically also shared with his student Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan Karate). A practitioner of Shuri-te, a traditional and older form of Okinawan martial arts, Itosu's modifications to traditional aspects would lead to his style later being coined 'Itosu-Ryu.' Itosu's student, Chosin Chibana, developed Itosu's style further into what is now known and practiced as Shorin-Ryu.

*Note: No known photos of Anko Itosu exist, as such, a photo of Miyake Sango, a contemporary of Anko Itosu, has circulated and was mistakenly thought to be Anko Itosu for years.  This picture has been used in place of Anko Itosu in this presentation as well due to the absence of known photos of him.  Please see the attached article under the resource section titled "Anko Itosu Photo" for more information. 

TEACHERS

-Nagahama Chikudun (Shuri-te)

-Sokon Matsumura (Shuri-te)

WRITINGS

-Ten Precepts of Karate

Jigoro Kano (December 10, 1860 – May 4, 1938)* was a Japanese educator and martial artist who would go on to become the founder of Judo, a system of martial arts rooted in Jujutsu.  He helped Judo become the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread recognition through having it inducted as an official Olympic sport. 

In conjunction to his contributions through serving on the International Olympic Committee, Jigoro Kano also served as the director of education for the Ministry of Education in Japan.  As director of education, he contributed to the successful effort to have Judo as well as Kendo become public education programs in the 1910s.

*Jigoro Kano's birthday is actually celebrated as October 28th as December 10th is his birthday according to the Japanese Lunar Calendar*

TEACHERS

-Fukuda Hachinotsuke (Tenjin Shinyo-Ryu)

-Iso Masatomo (Tenjin Shinyo-Ryu)

-Iikubo Tsunetoshi (Kito-Ryu)

WRITINGS

-Kokushi

-The Old Samurai Art of Fighting without Weapons

-Judo

-Judo: The Japanese Art of Self Defense

-The Contribution of Judo to Education

-The Principles of Jujutsu

-Principles of Judo and Their Applications to All Phases of Human Activity

-Olympic Games and Japan

-Judo (jujutsu)

-Jujutsu and Judo; What Are They?

-Jujutsu Becomes Judo

-Mind Over Muscle: Writings from the Founder of Judo

Gichin Funakoshi (November 10, 1868 - April 26, 1957) studied the traditional Okinawan styles of martial arts including Shorei-Ryu and Shorin-Ryu, from which he helped further develop Karate into what we know it as today. This development of Karate built upon the framework left by his teacher, Anko Itosu, and hence they sometimes are known to share the title of “The Father of Modern Karate."

Funakoshi changed the kanji for “karate” to mean “empty hand” instead of the traditional “Chinese hand” in order to give it a unique Japanese identity and to separate it from traditional Chinese kempo, although still borrowed much from it. Both a poet and philosopher in conjunction to being a martial arts instructor and assistant teacher in the Okinawan school system, Gichin Funakoshi wrote many philosophical martial arts works that are still in circulation today

TEACHERS

-Anko Asato (Shuri-te, Kendo, Kyudo)

-Anko Itosu (Shuri-te)

-Matsumura Sokon (Shuri-te)

WRITINGS

-To-te Ryukyu Kenpo

-Karate Jutsu

-Karate-Do Kyohan

-The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate: The Spiritual Legacy of the Master

-Karate-Do: My Way of Life

-Karate Jutsu: The Original Teachings of Master Funakoshi

-The Essence of Karate

A martial artist since his youth, Morihei Ueshiba (December 14, 1883 - April 26, 1969) served in the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War. After being discharged from the army in 1907, Ueshiba went on to study Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu under Takeda Sokaku until 1919 whereupon he joined the Omoto-Kyo shinto sect in Ayabe and opened up his first dojo. From there he would go on to open numerous dojos throughout Japan and promote the martial art of his founding, Aikido, up until his death.

TEACHER

-Takeda Sokaku (Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu)

WRITINGS

-The Secret Teachings of Aikido

-Budo: Teachings of the Founder of Aikido

-The Art of Peace

An Okinawan martial artist, Chibana Chosin (June 5, 1885 - February 26, 1969) was the first to give a Japanese name to a traditionally Okinawan style with his creation of Shorin-Ryu Karate. Chosin began his martial arts training at thirteen years old and continuously trained up until the end of his life. In his middle years, the destruction cause by World War II resulted in him losing his family, dojo and means of living, but through perseverance he was able to rebuild a new dojo and resumed teaching after the war. He went on to become the first president of the newly formed Okinawan Karate Federation in 1956 and ultimately received the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan in 1968 for his contributions to the study and furthering of Okinawan martial arts.

TEACHER

-Anko Itosu (Shuri-te)

INTERVIEW

-Okinawan Karate-Do Association Interview (October 10, 1966)

Chojun Miyagi (April 25, 1888 - October 8, 1953) began practicing martial arts at the age of nine years old in Okinawa. Learning the fundamental principles of martial arts from Ryuko Aragaki, at age fourteen Miyagi continued his training under Kanryo Higashionna. He would continue his martial arts training throughout his life, with only a two year hiatus during his service in the Japanese army from 1910-1912, and would go on to study Chinese martial arts in China on two separate occasions.

Through combining traditional Okinawan styles of martial arts with Chinese based martial arts, Chojun Miyagi founded the Goju-Ryu style of martial arts. Goju-Ryu translates as “hard-soft style” to reflect the writings laid out in the influential Chinese martial arts work known as the Bubishi, where Go represents hard linear techniques and Ju represents soft circular open hand techniques. Perhaps the most notable unique characteristics of Goju-Ryu compared to other styles of the time was the integration of the Chinese influenced Sanchin and Tensho breathing Katas that are now present in many offshoot styles of Goju-Ryu such as Isshin-Ryu and Kyokushin.

TEACHERS

-Kanryo Higashionna (Naha-te)

-Ryuko Aragaki (Tomari-te)

WRITINGS

-Karate-Do Gaisetsu. Outline of Karate-Do

-Historical Outline of Karate-Do, Martial Arts Of Ryukyu

-The Meeting of Okinawan Karate Masters

-Breathing In and Breathing Out in accordance with Go and Ju, a Miscellaneous Essay on Karate

Kenwa Mabuni (November 14, 1889 - May 23, 1952) was an Okinawan martial artist and one of the first to introduce Karate to mainland Japan. He began training in martial arts at age thirteen under Anko Itosu and from his teachings would go on to be one of the first to further develop and help promote the Pinan Katas laid out by Itosu. Mabuni continued his martial arts training once Chojun Miyagi introduced him to Kanryo Higashionna, from whom he learned Naha-te and would go on to learn from various other martial arts masters over the course of his life.

Mabuni was also a police officer in Okinawa and would often provide hand to hand combat training to fellow police officers as well as conduct martial arts training for school age children in the various school districts. Leaving behind a concise legacy, Mabuni contributed greatly to the furthering of martial arts in the 20th century and has left behind a series of books on his systemic teaching methods.

TEACHERS

-Anko Itosu (Shuri-te)

-Kanryo Higashionna (Naha-te)

WRITINGS

-Karate Kenpo: The Art of Self-Defense

-Karate-Do Nyumon

Born to a family of Ryukyuan royalty before the kingdom's dissolution, Choki Motobu (April 5, 1870 - April 15, 1944) spent countless time in his youth independently training in the traditional Okinawan art of Te through a combination of using a makiwara board and lifting heavy stones. While he would go on to study under many Okinawan martial arts masters, his independent training earned him a reputation of being a “crude street fighter” and he would often get into street brawls. He placed strong emphasis on practical fighting skills and in terms of Kata practice, focused primarily on the Naihanchi Kata, as he believed it encompassed the most useful tools for Kumite.

Motobu's fame as a martial artist gained headway after reportedly defeating and knocking out a Russian boxer and strongman in a ring fight in 1925. As word of his fighting prowess spread, he was encouraged by many, including famed boxer Sonny Liston, to open up a dojo and begin teaching. While Motobu's views on martial arts differed greatly, especially from those of his contemporary Gichin Funakoshi, his views and style appealed to many at the time and continues to today.

TEACHERS

-Sokon Matsumura (Ryukyu kobujutsu)

-Sakuma Pechin (Ryukyu kobujutsu)

-Anko Itosu (Shuri-te)

-Kosaku Matsumora (Tomari-te & Jigen-Ryu)

WRITINGS

-Okinawan Kempo Karate

-My Art and Skill of Karate

-Martial Artists of Ryukyu: A Legacy

-Kumite of the Classic Okinawan Karate

Tatsuo Shimabuku (September 19, 1908 – May 30, 1975) was an Okinawan martial artist who began studying Karate at thirteen years old. Learning Shorin-Ryu in his youth and later Goju-Ryu, he would go on to create Isshin-Ryu (One Heart Style) combining elements of both. To this creation, Shimabuku is supposed to have said,

“Naihanchi is mother to Shorin-Ryu and Sanchin is father to Goju-ryu. When these two come together then Isshin- ryu is born.”

In a story from Black Belt Magazine, this creation was due to the following anecdote regarding a dream he had;

“In a dream, a man wearing wooden geta shoes walked up to Shimabuku and said 'Sensei, fight me.' Shimabuku held out his left hand with his palm open and said 'I do not want to fight you, go away.' But the man did not leave. Instead, he encircled Shimabuku with a ring of fire. Shimabuku kept a cool head, reached into a water tank and doused the flames with water. He then awoke and the man was gone.”

Believed to have been a dream from the goddess Isshinryu no Megami, Isshin-Ryu was formed and Shimabuku formally took the name Tatsuo, meaning “Dragon Man.” Spreading Isshin-Ryu to the United States through teaching marines stationed in Okinawa, Isshin-Ryu is still a popular style widely practiced today.

TEACHERS

-Chotoku Kyan (Shuri-te & Tomari-te)

-Chojun Miyagi (Goju-Ryu)

-Choki Motobu (Motobu-Ryu)

-Taira Shinken (Ryukyu Kobudo)

WRITINGS

-Code of Isshin-Ryu