Karate and Self Defense
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Karate (empty hand) is a martial art of Ryu-kyu-an origin. Recent research indicates that it developed from a synthesis of indigenous Ryu-kyu-an fighting methods and southern Chinese martial arts.
Kara means (among other things) empty, and te means hand. Karate is known primarily as a striking art, featuring punching, kicking, knee/elbow strikes and open handed techniques. However, grappling, joint manipulations, locks, restraints, throws and vital point striking are inherent to the art. Alternately, some modern schools of karate refer to their art as karatedo-, or literally "way of empty hand."
Here is a long history with dates of Karate foundations,
this focuses on Shotokan and Goju Ryu which have many tyied in backgrounds.
1888 (Meiji 21-25)
April 25 - Chojun Miyagi is born in Higashi-Machi (Naha-shi) Okinawa. His original birth name was Matsu Miyagi, Matsu meaning Pine Tree.
1898
Higa Seiko, founder of Shodokan Gojuryu was born on November 8, 1889, in Higashi-Machi district of Naha - Okinawa. Higa Seiko originally trained with Kanryo Higaonna and following the latter’s death, continued training under Chojun Miyagi. Higa Seiko was the first student to teach Gojuryu at a branch Dojo, although he did so without permission from Miyagi. It is believed that he would have been the original successor to Chojun Miyagi Sensei.
1909
Jitsumi [Gogen] Yamaguchi was born on January 20, 1909 in Miyakonojo, Shonai near Kagoshima city in the Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu - Japan, The third son of Tokutaro and Yoshimatsu Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi Sensei is also founder of the All Japan Karate do Association Gojukai, a Japanese Organization teaching Gojuryu. It is primarily through Yamaguchi Sensei that Gojuryu was introduced to the world.
1916
Chojun Miyagi Sensei returned to Okinawa at this time. [This is an approximate recorded time based on Taisho 5 period].
Chojun Miyagi Sensei begins teaching Kempo at his backyard Dojo.
1917 - Miyagi Sensei became successor of Naha-Te at the same time Funakoshi Gichin was asked to demonstrate Okinawa-Te before the Dai Nippon Butokukai at the Butokuden. Karate [as Tou-te] makes its first public demonstration outside of Okinawa in Kyoto - Japan.
1918 - Chojun Miyagi Sensei formed the Ryukyu Tou-te Kenkyu-Kai [Tou-te: which means China Hand] to ensure the preservation of Karate do as an Okinawa treasure. The Club was established in Asahigoaka, Wakasa-cho, and Naha-Shi. The co-founders were Chojun Miyagi Sensei, Hanashiro Chomo, Motobu Choyo and Kenwa Mabuni.
1921 - Chojun Miyagi and Gichin Funakoshi demonstrate Tou-te [soon to be called Karate and after being recognized by the Butokukai will be called Karate do] in Tokyo. March 10th - Miyagi Sensei [Naha Te] and Funakoshi Sensei [Shuri Te] demonstrate Tou-te to Prince Hirohito [who would later become Emperor of Japan - WWII], whom visited at the Prefecture Teachers College Okinawa before touring European. The Crown Prince never stopped talking of the impressive demonstration during his entire trip to Europe. So Goju and Shotokan have a common history with Miyagi and Funokoshi and were demonstrated to the Price soon to be the last Emperor of Japan. In fact it was asked of Funokoshi to train the Royal Guard’s a more aggressive form of Shotokan and that is where Shotokai comes from. It is Shotokan with more emphasis on protecting the Emperor of Japan in mind.
1923
Funakoshi Gichin Sensei returns to Tokyo and works as both a school-teacher and opens a Karate do institute and naming it the Shotokan [Pine waves house]. This later became the name of his style.
1924
September 18 - Gichin Funakoshi [founder Shotokan Karate do] and Hironishi Ohtsuka [founder of Wadoryu Karate do] approached Yasuhiro Konishi [Ryobukai - Shindo Jinenryu Karate do] requesting permission to use his training hall for teaching Karate do [at the time, Yasuhiro Konishi Sensei was only teaching Kendo and Jujutsu]. This request notes the first official Toute club at any University of mainland Japan.
1929 - Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei and friend Jitsuei Yogi write to Chojun Miyagi inviting him to Japan. Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei later received introduced [1931] to Chojun Miyagi by Jitsuei Yogi [September 27, 1912 - November 1997] for direct study.
1930 - Chojun Miyagi Sensei named Karate do Division Chairman of the Okinawa Prefecture Athletic Association.
Chojun Miyagi Sensei received an invitation to demonstrate at the All Japan Martial Arts Demonstration to be held on May 5, 1930.
Chojun Miyagi submits the name "Gojuryu" to the Dai Nippon Butokukai in Kyoto for official recognition as a Budo art [Karate do]. This is the officially recorded year Chojun Miyagi Sensei becomes the first to give his style of Karate do a formal name, calling it Gojuryu.
November - Karate do is officially recognized by the Okinawa Gymnastics association and is further recommended.
Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei and Jitsuei Yogi Sensei establish Ritsumeikan Dai Gaku Karate Kenkyu Kai a school based Gojuryu Karate do however currently still primarily known as Toute.
A Gojuryu Karate do Club is established at Kansai University in Osaka as well as at the Osaka Medical University, Osaka Medical College and the Kansai Graduate School.
1931 - According to Gogen Yamaguchi in his autobiography, this is the year that Jitsuei Yogi Sensei [September 27, 1912 - November 1997] introduced Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei to Chojun Miyagi [although he was first invited in 1929] for direct study.
1933 - Chojun Miyagi Sensei was appointed Chief of Karate do for the Okinawa branch of the Dai Nippon Butokukai. The Dai Nippon Butokukai awarded Chojun Miyagi the title of Kyoshigo [Shihan-Kyoshi], 2nd highest title.
1934 - Dated March 23rd - Chojun Miyagi Sensei issues his "Karate do Gaisetsu" [Outline on Karate do]. This is also the year that Peter Urban is born founding father of East Coast USA Gojuryu in 1959. Peter is someone I believe we all know, at least I know him directly from Sensei Lenchus I assume you know him much better than I.
1936 -
Karate do is recognized as an official Budo by the Okinawa Ken Taiyuku Kyokai Karatebu.
1945 Tada Seigo Sensei establishes Nihon Gojuryu Karatedo Shikai, Nihon Seigo-Kan Karatedo Shikai, and Nihon Seigo-Kan In Kyoto City. While Gogen Yamaguchi is separated from his family and forced to gather in Shotoku Camp in Nekka Province [Manchuko] and taken prisoner by the G.P.U. [Gossudarstvennoye Politicheskoye Upravleniye / Obyedinennoye], a strong national division of the Russian Police. Family members [non-government commissioned] are allowed to return Japan.
Shinzato Sensei was Miyagi Sensei's chosen successor to Gojuryu. It is accepted by all that Shinzato Sensei was Miyagi's best student. Shinzato Sensei died in 1945 during the "Battle of Okinawa" in WWII.
1949
Gogen Yamaguchi opens a Dojo in the Taito ward of Asakusa, then part of Nihonzatsumi now known as Tokyo.
May - The followers of Gichin Funakoshi form the Nihon Karatedo Kyokai translated as the Japan Karatedo Association.
1950 May - Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei officially reorganized and formed the All Japan Karatedo Gojukai in Tokyo (the original JKF Gojukai). 30,000 members are contacted throughout the country to help 'set up shop'.
1952 Chojun Miyagi Sensei is named "Chairman" of the "Gojuryu Advancement Society".
1953 [Showa 28]
October 8th - Miyagi Sensei dies never having named a successor or given anyone an official Black Belt. Some say he told the students of the garden Dojo and his wife, which Ei'Ichi Miyazato was to be Chief. However, Miyagi Sensei's death came early and unexpected; therefore he had not yet prepared for the future of Gojuryu and had never officially appointed a successor.
November - Senior students of Miyagi Sensei meet at the house of Genkai Nakaima. Those present include Seiko Kina, Meitoku Yagi, Jitsue Yogi, Ei'ichi Miyazato and Koshin Iha.
Upon the death Chojun Miyagi, Meitoku Yagi Sensei assumes the position of "Chairman" of the Gojuryu Advancement Society". A position vacated by the death of Chojun Miyagi Sensei.
Seikichi Toguchi Sensei creates Shoreikan Gojuryu Karatedo club and becomes a permanent member of the Gojuryu Karatedo Advancement Society.
Yutaka Ishikawa Sensei begins studying Gojuryu Karatedo.
The present day 'Dai Nippon Butoku Kai' was reestablished with a new charter and the new philosophical vision. The Late Kumao Ohno Sensei was instrumental in this process as the vice chair. The Honorable Jigo Higashi Fushimi, the supreme abbot of Shorenin Temple in Kyoto, a brother to Empress of Emperor Hirohito became the chairman of the new society.
December 1953 - Eichi Miyazato Sensei began teaching at Chojun Miyagi Sensei's Garden Dojo (Tsuboya, Naha City).
Ei'ichi Miyazato Sensei would later assume Miyagi Sensei's teaching role at the Naha Police Academy.
1962
Gosen Yamaguchi Sensei, son of Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei, introduced Gojukai in San Francisco, at the University of San Francisco.
1964
May 1st - Japan Karate Federation established with Gogen Yamaguchi as a senior co-founder. The first joint demonstration of the federation is held at the Tokyo Budokan where Gogen Yamaguchi performs Superinpei.
April - Shozo Ujita Sensei accedes to President of Wakayama Karatedo Federation.
June 15 - Gosei Yamaguchi arrives in San Francisco, California - and joins his brothers Goshi and Gosen.
1973
April - Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei opens the world's first karate college [an experimental concept]. This unique and experimental concept includes instruction in:
Wado-Ryu; Hinori Otsuka
Shito-Ryu; Manzo Iwata
Rembukan; Hiroyasu Tamae
Gojuryu; Goshi Yamaguchi
Ryukyu Kobudo; Motokasu Inoue
Yoga; Gogen Yamaguchi.
Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei resigns from his position as President of the Japan Karatedo Federation Gojukai (JKF Gojukai). He maintains his positions of leadership in his organizations the All Japan Karatedo Gojukai Association [JKGA] and his fledgling organization the International Karatedo Gojukai Association [IKGA].
1989
Gogen Yamaguchi Sensei died on May 20th of this year. His oldest son, Gosei Yamaguchi oversees Gojukai USA, and Goshi Yamaguchi Sensei [Yamaguchi's youngest son] oversees the All Japan Karatedo Gojukai [JKGA] and International Karatedo Gojukai [IKGA].
1990 June 10th - Litigation begins over official register of the JKA marking the beginning of two associations both claiming legal rights of the JKA.
So all forms of Karate date back to Okinawa, they were the ones who adapted chinese martial arts into okinawan style. Okinawa is closer to mainland China than Japan mainland is so it first was introduced to MA by the chinese, hence Okinawan Kenpo is a direct off branch of Chinese 5 animal styles, where SHotokan and Goju Ryu are not, they are linear by nature and not circular. SO in a way yes all Karate comes from Okinawa, but not ALL of todays Dojos thats say Okinawan Karate means that it is Shotokan, it could be that, Goju Ryu, Kenpo or a few other styles.
this focuses on Shotokan and Goju Ryu which have many tyied in backgrounds.