Ｔｈｅ　ｈｉｓｔｏｒｙ　of ＪＡＰＡＮＥＳＥ　ＫＡＲＡＴＥ ●ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ2／Ｔｈｅ　course about development of Karate in Japan

The course about development of Karate in Japan (from Okinawa to the mainland of Japan)

Sensei Gichin Funakoshi (The Father of modern Karate)

Although Karate-gi is the splendid uniform of karate, it was seriously influenced of Judo as the design and the belt color system. Because there was no uniform of Karate in Okinawa. It sees a photograph of those days,　the upper half of the Karate master's body was nakedness and he wore trousers like Bermuda pants.
　When did it become the present Karate-gi style from?
The gymnastics exhibition would be held in Tokyo in 1922. The Okinawa Prefecture also participated in this,　and Karate was exhibited in a public place for the first time. The Sensei Gichin Funakoshi performed Karate-Enbu as representation of Okinawa at this time. By invitation of Jigoro Kano　(the founder of judo) whｏ looked at this gymnastics exhibition, Gichin Funakoshi performed Karate-Enbu also at the Kodokan　(the headquarter of Judo). Furthermore, Funakoshi's schooling of Karate was held at the Kodokan for a while. The judo clothes which Funakoshi borrowed at this time,　changed with Karate-ｇi later. It seems that the exchange with Judo at Kodokan also determined the fate of Karate to now from after that.

　These words are often heard.
“Throwing and joint attacking were also in old style of Ryukyu Karate”.
“The modern Karate is the Budo of punching and kicking,but no throwing and no joint attacking”.

　It will be certain that the exchange with Judo was concerned with one of the reasons which came to be said in these way. To be sure,the prototype of Karate had many technique for punching and kicking. But it had the technique for throwing,joint attacking and weapons too.

　Why the technique of throwing and joint attacking were lost from modern Karate?
　Why modern Karate have a few flexibility as martial arts?

　It is the situation for spreading Karate in mainland of Japan. Already Judo which has the extreme technique of throwing and joint attacking, exists in mainland of Japan. It was unavoidable to show much the same work as Judo when Karate would be rooted from Okinawa to mainland of Japan in future. Therefore it was more advantageous naturally for spreading Karate as Budo of punching and kicking which are not in Judo.
　The Sensei Gichin Funakoshi changed the Japanese word character for inscribing of “Karate” in 1935. Because it means the name of old Kingdom in China. This is depended from the situation of the Japan-China relationship of those days. It is the reason that the Japanese word of “Karate” means “empty-hand”.

Birth of the four major schools in Japan (Goju-Ryu, Shotokan-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Wado-Ryu)
　Karate permeated gradually in mainland of Japan.　But it has been needed the signboard name or school name for appeal of the technical difference and the tradition system. The “Goju-Ryu” gave the school name first of all. One after another,many karate schools started to give the school name in mainland of Japan. It calls “the four major schools” especially to　Goju-Ryu,　Shotokan-Ryu,　Shito-Ryu　ａｎｄ　Wado-ryu.

What is the Goju-Ryu school? 　The Goju-Ryu school was created by of the “Naha-te” graduate. The name of “Goju” originates in Japanese language taken from the book of “Bubishi” which was the document of Chinese Kung-fu method.	↑Sensei Chojun Miyagi
What is the Shotokan-Ryu school? 　The Shotokan-Ryu school was created by Gichin Funakoshi of the “Shuri-te” graduate. Gichin Funakoshi is called the Father of Karate in mainland of Japan, but he didn't give the school name as “Shotokan”. The Dojo “Shotokan” was founded in 1939. 　By the way, the Japanese word of “Shoto” means the Pen name of Gichin Funakoshi, and the Japanese word of “kan” means a “Dojo” which is a hall for exercise. The “Shotokan-Ryu” school was given the school name by the Funakoshi's pupils of the Dojo “Shotokan” graduate.	↑Sensei Gichin Funakoshi
What is the Shito-Ryu school? 　The Shito-Ryu school was created by Kenwa Mabuni. The Founder Kenwa Mabuni studied all of Ryukyu Karate(“Shuri-te”,　“Naha-te”　and “Tomari-te”). It is the Shito-Ryu school which covered all the technical systems of the Ryukyu Karate. At the beginning, The Founder Kenwa Mabuni gabe the school name as "Mabuni-Ryu". 　But he changed his school name as “Shito-Ryu” when he was granted a title of “Renshi” from the Dainihon-Butoku Kai Association.　By the way, The word of “Shito” originates in Janapnese language taken from the initials of two persons'name, Kanryo Higaonna and Anko.Because Kenwa Mabuni was their pupil.	↑Sensei Kenwa Mabuni

What is the Wado-Ryu school?
　The Wado-Ryu was created by Hironori Otsuka. His native place was the mainland of Japan. The founder of mainland native was one and only in the four major schools. The Founder Hironori Otsuka studied JuJitsu of Shinto-Yoshin-Ryu from the first. Since then he learnd to the Karate master Gichin Funakoshi, and formed a friendship with two Karate masters, Choki Motobu and Chojun Miyagi.
　The technical style of “Wado-Ryu” was taken the strong point of JuJitsu and Ryukyu Karate by the founder Hironori Otsuka.

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