KARATE
Shotokan
Gichin Funakoshi
is widely considered the primary "father" of modern karate
due to his efforts to introduce the Okinawan art to mainland
Japan, from where it spread to the rest of the world. Born
in 1868, he began to study karate at the age of 11, and was
a student of the two greatest masters of the time, Azato and
Itosu. He grew so proficient that he was initiated into all
the major styles of karate in Okinawa at the time. For
Master Funakoshi, the word karate eventually took on
a deeper and broader meaning through the synthesis of these
many methods, becoming karate-do, literally the "way
of karate," or of the empty hand. Training in karate-do
became an education for life itself.
Master Funakoshi was the first
expert to introduce karate-do to mainland Japan. In 1916 he
gave a demonstration to the Butokuden in Kyoto, Japan, which
at that time was the official center of all martial arts. On
March 6, 1921, the Crown Prince, who was later to become the
Emperor of Japan, visited Okinawa and Master Funakoshi was
asked to demonstrate karate. In the early spring of 1922
Master Funakoshi traveled to Tokyo to present his art at the
First National Athletic Exhibition in Tokyo organized by the
Ministry of Education. He was strongly urged by several
eminent groups and individuals to remain in Japan, and
indeed he never did return to Okinawa.
Master Funakoshi taught only one
method, a total discipline, which represented a synthesis of
Okinawan karate styles. This method became known as
Shotokan, literally the clan or the house of Shoto, which
was the Master's pen name for his poetry, denoting the sound
of the wind blowing through pines.
Wado-Ryo
On the surface Wado-ryu looks very
similar to other styles such as
Shotokan. However,
there are some important differences.
It may be argued that Wado-ryu is a
Jujutsu style rather
than
Okinawan Karate.
When first registered with the
Japanese
Dai-Nippon-Butoku-Kai in
1938 the style was
called Shinshu Wadoryu Karate-Jujutsu, a name
which reflects the hybrid nature of Wado. Wado-ryu's founder
Hironori Ohtsuka was
already a licensed practitioner in
Shindo Yoshin Ryu
and Yoshin Koryu Jujutsu when he first met the Okinawan
karate master
Funakoshi. After
having received tutelage of not only Funakoshi but later
also the Okinawan masters Mabuni and Motobu, he set off to
merge Shindo Yoshin Ryu with Okinawan Karate.
The result of Ohtsuka's efforts is
Wado-ryu. While its techniques may be very much karate in
looks, most of the underlying principles have been derived
from Shindo Yoshin Ryu. A
block in Wado may
look much like a block in Shotokan, they are nevertheless
performed from a completely different perspective. A
Shotokan practitioner is likely to force an incoming fist
out of the line of attack. A Wado expert, on the other hand,
will rather move himself out of the line of attack while
taking up a position that will gain him an advantage over
the opponent. Both ways will look almost similar to the
untrained eye, but couldn't be further apart when
considering the
tactics behind them.
Key in Wado-ryu is the principle of taisabaki, often
wrongly referred to as evasion. The Japanese term can
be translated as body-management and refers to body
manipulation so as to move the defender as well as the
attacker out of harm's way. The way to achieve this is to
move along rather than to move against. Or,
harmony rather than strength.
Perhaps the nature of Wado is
better understood when considering its Jujutsu origins. In 17th century Japan,
a young physician departed on a journey to China.
His name was Yoshitoki Akiyama.
During his stay in China he learned Chinese healing methods
as well as Chinese fighting techniques. After a while
Akiyama returned to Japan and retreated in a monastery
where he devoted himself to meditation.
During those days he also practiced and perfected his
technique. One snowy day during winter,
Akiyama sat gazing at a willow
tree. It suddenly occurred to him that the willow tree,
unlike some other trees, didn't have any broken branches,
despite the heavy snow. The willow branches simply yielded
and allowed the snow to fall off. Sturdier trees with
unyielding branches suffered much heavier from the elements
of nature. After this revelation he developed 303 techniques
which became known as Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu or Willow
Heart Style. Yoshin Ryu later evolved into Wado-Ryu but
the fundamental yielding principles have still been
preserved.
The term Wado-ryu can be
broken into three parts: Wa, do and ryu.
Wa can be read to mean harmony. Do is a
Japanese term for way. ryu simply means
style. Wa or harmony shouldn't be interpreted as
pacifism in any way.
It is merely the acknowledgment that yielding is sometimes
more effective than brute strength.
However, modern karate competition
tends to transform Wado-Ryu away from its roots towards a
new generic karate that appeals more to the demands of both
spectators and competitors.
From April 1st, 1981, after the
split-up of
Wadokai, Hironori
Ohtsuka sensei changed the name of his organization into
Wado-Ryu Karatedo Renmei, with Renmei meaning
'group' or 'federation'. After his death in 1982, his son
Jiro Ohtsuka
continued the style under his leadership. He became the
second grandmaster of Wado Karate and honored his father by
taking the name Hironori Ohtsuka II.
A third major Wado organization,
Wado Kokusai (Wado
International Karate Federation), was founded in 1989 by
Tatsuo Suzuki
Sensei.
Kuokushin-Kai
The founder of Kyokushin,
Masutatsu
Oyama, was born
Choi Yeong-Eui on
27
July
1923 in southern
Korea. Some debate exists as to Oyama's actual history and
activities before establishing the Kyokushin organization.
However, the following is the generally accepted story of
Oyama's early life.
As a
young child, Oyama reportedly studied Chinese and Korean Kempo.
In 1938, he is said to have emigrated to Japan and studied
Judo and Okinawan
Karate under
Gichin Funakoshi. He
reportedly attained upper rank or "dan"
status in both disciplines, although there is no
confirmation that he actually did so. Also, at this time it
is believed that he took his Japanese name, Masutatsu Oyama,
in order to better assimilate into Japan. Masutatsu, or
simply, Mas, Oyama was the name he would primarily use for
the rest of his life. After World War II, Oyama is said to
have trained in
Goju-Ryu karate
under a Korean master- So Nei Chu. During this time, he
reportedly retreated into the mountains for almost three
years to karate train in solitude. Again, some doubt exists
as to whether Oyama really stayed in the mountains for three
years, or if it was for a somewhat shorter time.
Nevertheless, it is generally believed that Oyama engaged in
some type of intense, full-time martial arts training during
this period and also traveled to the U.S. to engage in
exhibition bouts with professional wrestlers.
In 1953, Oyama opened his own
karate dojo, named "Oyama Dojo," in Tokyo but continued to
travel around Japan and the world giving martial arts
demonstrations, reportedly including the fighting and
killing of live bulls with his bare hands. His dojo was
first located outside in an empty lot, but eventually moved
into a ballet school. Oyama's own curriculum soon developed
a reputation as a tough, intense, hard-hitting, but
practical style. He also developed a reputation for being
"rough" with his students, often injuring them, perhaps
purposefully, during training sessions. As the reputation of
the dojo grew, students were attracted to come to train
there from in and outside Japan and the number of students
grew. Many of the eventual senior leaders of today's various
Kyokushin-based organizations began training in the style
during this time. In 1964, Oyama formally organized the
style of karate as Kyokushin-kai.
Kyokushin Today
Controversy has plagued the
Kyokushin organization (Internationalkrate
organization kyokushinkaikan, usualy
shortened to IKO) since the death of Mas
Oyama. Shokei Matsui assumed leadership
based on a will that soon became contested.
In a meeting of the branchchiefs it was
decided by vote to request Matsui to
relinquish the leadership, and when he
refused to do so the organization split into
what is today known as IKO1 and IKO2
(shinkyokushin). Many other splits and rifts
soon followed. In the resulting power and
legal struggles, many factions of the
original IKO has formed. Many using the
identical IKO name and claiming to be the
one and original organization, with
differing and hotly debated arguments and
proof to support this.
The widow of Oyama
dying recently (June 2006) after a long
illness. The youngest of Oyama's daughters
Kikuko (also known as Kuristina) has
maintained the original Honbu Dojo with her
husband, Yoshikazu Suzuki, after it was
returned to them by Matsui in anticipation
of a court order to do so in 1999, and
recently formed a organization using the IKO
name.
The organizations
that resulted from the split after Oyama's
death are generally recognised as three IKO
groups. The Matsui IKO group (often known as
IKO1) led by Shokei Matsui, is reportedly
the largest most commercially oriented.
Shinkyokushinkai, currently led by Kenji
Midori, formed the World Karate Organization
(often known as IKO2) is the second largest.
It originaly used the IKO name but was
recently renamed to be allowed more freedom
from confused situation in japan. Last of
the 3 large groups is the "Matsushima" IKO
group (often known as IKO3) led by Yoshikazu
Matsushima. Other groups include the the "Tezuka"
IKO group (often called IKO4) led by Toru
Tezuka, which split out from the Matsushima
group in 2000. The Rengokai (or Kyokushin
Union), formed 2001. The Kyokushin-kan group
created by Hatsuo Royama who left the Matsui
group in 2003. The International Federation
of Karate (IFK) of "Hanshi" Steve Arneil of
England, also a long time student and former
Branch Chief of Oyama who left Oyama's
organization in 1991, before Oyama died. The
most recent group is the IKO created by
Oyamas daughter after winning the copyrights
to the names in court. It is usualy called
"IKO Oyama" or "IKO Oyama family"
Many Kyokushin
groups throughout the world have chosen to
focus their experience around the philosophy
of Kyokushin as a method of self-improvement
and discipline. The Kyokushin way teaches
its students that the most important aspects
of training are not the ability to knock
down an opponent. Instead, the person must
contemplate the technique and understand
that the true meaning of the Kyokushin way
is not in violence, but the mastering of
oneself. An important philosophy is never to
do what you cannot undo, and never use more
violence than is prompted or necessary.
Through understanding of this comes the
ability to fight on an elite level, but
fighting is not the Kyokushin student's
overall goal.
Goyo-Ryu
The historical progression of
Goju ryu can be traced back to China and like Shorin
ryu and Shotokan can define its modern roots in
Okinawa.
Exposure to Chinese kempo
dates back as far as 1372 when King Satto of the
Ryukyu Dynasty sent his brother Taiki as an envoy to
China with tributes for the Chinese Emperor Chu Yuen
Cheang of the Ming Dynasty. It was at this point
that a cultural exchange began. In that same year
the Ryukyu Dynasty was formally invested by the
Chinese Emperor as a tributary state of China. The
Emperor in turn sent envoys every other year to
Okinawa in order to promote a cultural exchange.
This exchange was welcomed by the Okinawans and
certain aspects of Chinese culture became integrated
into Okinawan culture. (These delegations continued
regularly up until 1866).
Among the delegates sent were
many masters of Chinese kempo and during their stay
at Shuri and Naha, taught their art to members of
the nobility and others of their class.
Simultaneously, the
Okinawans sent delegations of nobleman to mainland
China until 1874. Some of these nobles remained in
China while others returned home after extended
stays. Eventually a Ryukyuan settlement was formed
in the Fukien province known as "ryukyukan".
In 1392 during the reign of
King Satto a community of Chinese artisans and monks
were sent to live in the village of "kume" (very
close to what is now downtown Naha). These Chinese
were made responsible for conducting matters of
trade and communication between Okinawa and China.
In addition they taught kempo to the villagers.
The result of Chinese
instruction in Okinawa and Okinawans returning home
with exposure to Chinese fighting arts, was the
spread of kempo throughout Okinawa.
The banning of weapons in
1470 during the reign of King Sho Shin spurred the
birth of two main schools of combat. The first was
known simply as "te". "Te" refers to hand or "tode"
(China Hand). This was developed and practiced
largely by members of the nobility. The second
school of combat was known as Ryukyu kobudo.
Ryukyu kobudo was the study
of weapons largely practiced by farmers and
fisherman. It focused on the study of farm
implements and fishing tools as weapons. Practice in
both methods of combat took place in private and
mostly by night. The golden age of Okinawa continued
until its invasion by Japan.
The invasion of Okinawa by
the Satsuma clan in 1609 (Reign of King Sho Nei)
continued the ban on weapons which further fueled
the growth of underground fighting arts. Okinawa had
become a puppet state of Japan and the Shogun leyasu
maintained the weapons ban and forced Okinawa to
continue a facade of loyalty to China to create the
illusion that nothing had changed in Okinawa.
After the Meiji restoration
in Japan, the Ryukyu Dynasty was declared a
territory of Japan. In 1879 under the Meiji
government, the Ryukyu Dynasty was made into a
Japanese prefecture.
The history of Goju-Ryu
begins in the mid eighteen hundreds with Kanryo
Higaonna as its grandmaster. Higaonna Kanryo
traveled to China to study kempo and returned to
Okinawa to integrate it into the Okinawan art of
Naha-te.
This, and other
documents relating to Goju-Ryu history can be found
at the IOGKF History web page. This document
originally derived from the book Traditional
Karate-do - Okinawa Goju Ryu, Volume 1 by Morio
Higaonna, where a much more detailed history can ge
found.
Okinawa
Okinawa is an island south of Japan, situated in near equal distance between
China and Japan. A secret indigenous weaponless martial art developed
(called Te, “Hands”) that experienced strong chinese influences. Chinese
sailors, traders and businessmen brought their martial art to Okinawa during
their import/export business travels. In addition, many original Okinawan
masters travelled to China to learn Chinese boxing (Ch’uan Fa, “The fist
way”) directly from Chinese masters.
Having aquired new skills, in
particular what is nowadays referred to as White Crane Kung Fu, these
masters would return to Okinawa and begin to teach an art that had both
original Okinawan and also Chinese heritage. This new way of fighting was
called
To-De,
“Chinese Hands”, to indicate the Chinese origin of many of the techniques.
In Okinawa, there were three
villages that, although only few miles apart, each developed their own style
of To-De. In the port town of Naha,
Naha-Te
developed. In the more aristocratic Shuri, the ancient capital of Okinawa,
Shuri-Te
developed, and further north in Tomari, Tomari-Te developed.
This seemingly unlikely isolation
has its foundation partly in the geographical location of these villages,
with a river separating Naha in the south from Shuri and Tomari in the
North, but also by its very different social classes, with business and
commercial trade enterprises in Naha, the King and aristocracy in Shuri, and
farmers and country people in Tomari.
Okinawa has a long history of
both chinese and japanese suppression that outlawed the possession of
conventional weapons (such as swords). Thus, Okinawan martial arts developed
a unique range of substitute weapons that in many cases were derived from
farming tools. The use of these weapons is still practiced today in many
Karate styles of Okinawan origin.
Shito Ryu
Though
karate was first introduced to Japan during the 1920's, its
traditions in Okinawa are centuries old, and, like many Japanese and
Okinawan arts, its roots can be traced to ancient China. Tote (also
called simply Te), meaning “hand”, was an art of self-defense that
had been undergoing development in Okinawa for centuries. Because of
trade and other relationships between Okinawa and China, it is
probable that it was influenced by the Chinese fighting techniques
known as Chuan-fa. Chuan-fa traces its origins back more than one
thousand years. It is believed that the Chuan-fa fighting art called
Nan-Pei-Chun, which was developed in the Fukien Province of China,
had the greatest influence on the development of Okinawan Tote.
However, there are no written records giving a clear line of
development for Tote.Okinawa
was unified under King Shohashi of Chuzan in 1429, and later, during
the reign of King Shoshin, an edict was issued prohibiting the
practice of the martial arts. It is known that an order prohibiting
weapons was promulgated by the Satsuma clan of Kagoshima after they
gained control of Okinawa in 1609. Tote then became a last means of
self-defense, but since the Satsuma clan clamped down severely on
this, it had to be practiced in great secrecy. For the Okinawans,
there was no alternative and they developed it into the art we know
today.
