About Shotokan Karate
The roots of karate are shrouded in mystery and not just a little controversy. What is plain is that modern karate is a fusion of the best elements of Chinese kung-fu and the Okinawan martial art To-de.
In the various areas of the Okinawan prefecture the local martial arts master would teach his variation of this hybrid art, varying not only because of the extent to which he was exposed to the Chinese forms, but also because of his own preferences as to technique and ability.
In the late 1800's two famous masters (although other famous masters later taught him as well), Anko Itosu and Anko Azato, started teaching a sickly, skinny, weak little boy named Gichin Funakoshi.
Funakoshi proved to be an intelligent, serious student and made good progress, becoming stronger, fitter and healthier as he learned.
At this time karate was shrouded in secrecy. Classes would consist of a master and at most three or four students, would be held behind closed doors and the techniques would be deliberately misdescribed just in case anybody were to overhear.
The true meaning and nature of the techniques would only be revealed to a student after many years of study with a master.
Funakoshi grew up, still practising his art, and became a school teacher. He, with his colleagues, decided that karate was too valuable a national heritage to be kept secret and proceeded to spread the word.
Karate was eventually adopted by the Okinawan education board and introduced into the high school curriculum.
The crown prince of Japan visited Okinawa, and Funakoshi was invited to demonstrate his strange and wonderful martial art. The prince was so impressed that he extended a personal invitation to come to mainland Japan and give a further demonstration at the royal court.
In the end Funakoshi stayed in Japan for the rest of his life, teaching the techniques and philosophy of karate-do.
Funakoshi refused to name his style of karate. His students however wanted to be able to identify it and named it for him.
Amongst his other accomplishments Funakoshi was a great writer and poet. The pen name under which he published was 'Shoto', meaning pine waves, and the Japanese word for club or hall is 'kan'. Thus Funakoshi's club was born.
Near Funakoshi's home town on Okinawa is Mt. Torao. After a long days teaching and several hours of karate practise Funakoshi would walk up Mt. Torao and meditate beneath the stars. Mt. Torao is heavily wooded with pine trees and in later life Funakoshi explained that the breeze blowing through these trees sounded like waves breaking on the shore. Thus being one of his greatest poetic inspirations he adopted 'Shoto' as his pen name.
Mt. Torao translates as 'tigers tail mountain', viewed from a distance it looks like a tigers tail. Shotokan is symbolised by the tiger, a traditional Chinese design, implying that 'the tiger never sleeps'.
So this symbol embodies eternal vigilance and strength, and the serenity of Funakoshi's peaceful meditating mind.