Karate

The Island of Okinawa found in the Ryeukeu islands between the north coast of Japan and the south coast of china is the birth place of karate. Relations between china and Okinawa came up in 1372 and that was when karate found its emergence. The 15 th 16 th century saw karate going in to hiding because the war lords did not like what it practiced and preached. The confiscating of weapon led to karate becoming a deadly defensive system to use against armed and unarmed enemies.

Master Gichin Funakshi, a teacher, poet and philosopher was the founder of Shotokan. His poetry was signed in Shoto and that is how Shotokan arose. The name means waving pines as his home was located on the edge of a pine forest and Kan means house or school. Today the name is interpreted as the school or method of Funakoshi.

The first Shotokan was established in 1936 outside Okinawa in Tokyo. Eventually this led to establishment of the Japanese Karate Association in 1955 where Funakoshi was Chief Instructor. He remained with the institution till April 1957 when he died at the age of 88.

Instructor Bios - coming 12/29/07

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