Karate: Japanese Self-Defense

NOTE: I could really use some additional information here to round out the descriptions. Please email me (todd at myhreweb.com) if you have any pointers, web page sources, etc.

Kenwa Mabuni

Kenwa Mabuni (1887-1952) is the founder of the Shito-ryu style of Karate. Mabuni was an Okinawan born man, the son of a 17th generation Samurai (called the Bushi (warrior) class). During his time, the martial arts (Okinawa-te) was known according to the village where it was practiced: Shuri-te (the hand of Shuri), Naha-te and Tomari-te. Mabuni learned Shuri-te from Itosu, who was a student of Matsumura, and Naha-te from Higashionna. Mabuni also learned several empty hand katas and Kobudo (weapon) katas from Arakaki (1840-1918), and some white crane Kung Fu forms from Woo Yin Gue, a chinese tea merchant in Okinawa.

Ankoh Itosu

Ankoh Itosu (1830-1915) has a student of Matsumura.

Sokon Matsumura

Sokon Matsumura (1792-1887) was the forefather of Shorin-Ryu.

Kanryu Higashionna

Kanryu Higashionna (1853-1915) mainly learned Kempo in China's Fukien province under Liu Liu Kung.

Gichin Funakoshi

Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) was the founder of the Shotokan-ryu style. He was responsible for introducing Karate to Japan in the 1920's. He was also responsible for changing (or defining, depending how you look at it) the meaning of the word Karate-do.

He changed the 'kara' symbol in Karate from the old symbol, meaning 'China', to the new symbol, meaning 'empty'. In his book Karate-Do Nyumon, he writes: "Just as an empty valley can carry a resounding voice, so must the person who follows the Way of Karate make himself void or empty by ridding himself or all self-centeredness and greed. Make yourself empty within, but upright without. This is the real meaning of the 'empty' in Karate.

"...Once one has perceived the infinity of forms and elements in the universe, one returns to emptiness, to the void. In other words, emptiness is none other than the true form of the universe. There are various fighting techniques - yarijutsu ['spear techniques'] and bojitsu ['stick techniques'], for example - and forms of martial arts, such as judo and kendo. All share an essential principle with Karate, but Karate alone explicitly states the basis of all martial arts. Form equals emptiness; emptiness equals form. The use of the character [for 'empty'] in Karate is indeed based on this principle."

The result of this change is that Karate-do, which formerly translated loosely to 'Chinese hand', now translates to '[the way of the] empty hand'.

Chojun Miagi

Chojun Miagi (1888-1953) was the founder of the Goju-ryu style, and a student of Higashionna.

Hironori Ohtsuka

Hironori Ohtsuka (1892-1982) was the founder of the Wado-ryu style of Karate. Originally a master of Shindo Yoshin-ryu Jiu-Jitsu, he also studied Shotokan under Funakoshi.

Ryusho Sakagami

Ryusho Sakagami (??-1994) was one of Mabuni's early students. He established the Shito-ryu Itosu-kai organization, and was appointed by Mabuni to the position of third generation head of Itosu-ryu Karate-do. Sakagami became famous for his knowledge of all Japanese Budo, and was regarded as a walking encyclopedia of styles, lineage, technique, and kata until his death.

Sakagami's son (Sadaaki) currently runs the Itosu-kai organization from Yokohama, Japan. In America, Shito-ryu is run by Demura under the name Japan Karate-Do Federation.

Fumio Demura

Fumio Demura (??-) was a student of Sakagami. He is now in the USA, running the Japan Karate-Do Federation (which was originally established in cooperation with Dan Ivan of Shotokan).

Fumio Demura currently teaches in his dojo in California. He currently holds the positions of President/Chief Director of JKF International, Director/Chief Instructor of Japan Karate-Do Federation, and Director/Chief Instructor of Shito-ryu Genbukai Karate-do (USA).

References:

Karate-Do Nyumon, Gichin Funakoshi (foreword available here)

Karate-Do Kyohan, Gichin Funakoshi (prologue available here)