Investigations into the history of karate

Iraha Chōkō 伊良波長幸 (1901–1986) is relatively unknown in the karate world.  A few months ago, while researching another topic, I came across his memoirs, in which he also writes about karate and his relationship with Funakoshi Gichin (1868–1957). His memoirs are part of a series of several volumes published in Japan between 1980 and 1986. Volume 6 alone contains ten life stories of different people. Looking through my collection of old photographs this week, I came across Iraha again. His name appears on a photo I took at the Okinawa Karate Museum of Hokama Tetsuhiro in 2008. The photo shows a text by Tō’on-ryū founder Kyoda Jūhatsu 許田重発 (1887–1968), written by Iraha Chōkō. It is described as Kyoda’s karatedōkun 空手道訓, Kyoda’s karate teachings. While researching the scroll, I learned that it was already included in Hokama’s 1985 book 沖縄空手道の歩み Okinawa Karatedō no ayumi” (History of Okinawan Karatedō).

Hokama (1985: 431), Courtesy of Silvio Marche

Sources:

Hokama, Tetsuhiro (1985): 沖縄空手道の歩み Okinawa Karatedō no ayumi” (History of Okinawan Karatedō)

Iraha Chōkō, in: 私の戦後史 第６集 Watashi no sengo-shi dai 6-shū (My Postwar History Volume 6). Naha: Okinawa Taimasu-sha

Thanks to Rich Senbukai, Mario McKenna and Joe Swift for helping me to better understand the scroll.