Karate-dō in Japan
Karate-dō in Japan took on a somewhat different shape. One of Japanese Karate’s differences was the meaning of Karate-dō; it was changed from ‘China Hand Way’ to ‘Empty Hand Way’. Other differences in Okinawan Karate and Japanese Karate were due to the often combining of Okinawan styles, varying curricula, and no organized standards of grading proficiency, thus seemingly very unorganized to the Japanese mind. Additionally, the Okinawan teachers, very often, were resentful toward the Japanese for the treatment of Okinawans in general and thus did not reveal certain teachings. Japanese Karate thereby evolved and developed from its Okinawan Karate-dō roots into its own unique form. Japanese Karate-dō includes many styles; the three main ones are Shotokan, Kyokushin, and Wado-ryū.
Gichin Funakoshi was the founder of Shotokan; he brought together two Okinawan styles of Karate, Shorin-ryū and Shorei-ryū. Funakoshi standardized and blended the two styles, by lengthening the stances, modifying the katas (formal training exercises), and even changing the name of the katas to Japanese names. This “Japanizing” of Okinawan Karate was imperative in order to make it more acceptable to the Japanese philosophical and aesthetic ideals. Gichin Funakoshi is largely responsible for spreading karate through out Japan.
Shotokan Karate is a form of unarmed combat - "Karate" means "empty hand". However the "karate-ka" also uses their feet, knees and elbows. Karate as a martial art was cultivated in the island of Okinawa, south of mainland Japan. After many years, the development of Karate as a means of self defence gained tremendous popularity, as the Japanese government on the island had prohibited the use of weapons. Because of this national policy, the self defence techniques were developed into a unique Okinawan martial art of "Karate" or "empty hand". In 1922, Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate, introduced Karate to mainland Japan during the first National Athletic Exhibition held in Tokyo. The demonstration turned out to be a great success due to the inspiring personality of Master Funakoshi. He taught only one method, a total discipline, which represented a mixture of Okinawan styles. This method became known as Shotokan, which literally means "Pine waves Hall".
Sensei Gichin Funakoshi
Master 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. Funakoshi Gichin was also the founder of what is now known as Shotokan karate. His style of karate originated from him having trained under two famous Okinawan karate masters, Yasatsune Azato and Anko Itosu. After being observed by the Japanese Minister of Education during a karate demonstration, Funakoshi was asked to bring his karate to Japan for instruction in the universities there. His introduction of the previously "secret" art of karate allowed the martial arts to grow to previously unheard of numbers. In 1936, Japanese karate-ka gathered donations to build the first official karate dojo, which they named Shotokan in honour of Funakoshi Sensei.
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