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Review: About the Taekwondo spirit
For the academic study of karate, it is also important to think outside the box. I always look to see what’s new on the market and what scholarly approach the authors have chosen for their research of other martial arts disciplines. There is no question that norms, values and ideals play a role in Korean… Continue reading
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A poem by Funakoshi Gichin unearthed recently
It was in 1922 that karate began to be popularized outside of Okinawa Prefecture by Funakoshi Gichin 船越義珍 (1868–1957). A hundred years have passed since then. In this context, the Okinawa Karate Academy on November 24, 2022 dedicated a lecture to Funakoshi’s time on Okinawa: 空手普及100年 一 船越義珍の足跡をたどる一 (100 Years of Karate Popularization: In the… Continue reading
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Matsumora Kōsaku heroic tales
Matsumora Kōsaku 松茂良 興作 (1829–1898) was a famous Okinawan karate master from Tomari. Over the course of several months in 1938, his heroic tales were written down in a number of fictional short stories in the newspaper Ryūkyū Shimpō. Based on the stories also a stage play was set up which had been advertised in… Continue reading
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Analysis of Itosu’s letter in Hungarian academic magazine
There is a very interesting article about Itosu Ankō’s 糸洲安恒 (1831-1915) 1908 letter also known as the “Ten Lessons of Itosu” 糸洲十訓 (Itosu jūkun). For the Hungarian academic magazine Távol-keleti Tanulmányok (Journal of East Asian Cultures) the author Gábor Richárd Gottner (Master’s degree in Japanese Studies and member of the Japanese Studies Doctoral Programme of the Eötvös… Continue reading
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Analysis of 1940 karate clip
In the reportage “Ryūkyū no Fūbutsu” 琉球の風物 (Ryūkyū scenery), karate in Okinawan was probably captured on film for the first time. Yanagi Muneyoshi 柳宗悦 (1889–1961), founder of the Japanese folk art movement, traveled to Okinawa with his team in 1940 and captured the unique karate training scenes. Recently, Sakihara Kyōko from the Okinawa Prefectural Museum… Continue reading
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Karate mentioned in a diary from 1911?
There is a certain fascination with early descriptions of the indigenous martial arts of Ryūkyū in Western literature. The overviews are numerous. In this context, we certainly think of the “boxer’s position of defense” mentioned by Basil Hall (1818), the “well-trained fighter” described by Ernest M. Satow (1873) who “can smash a large earthen water-jar,… Continue reading
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Review: About the changing values in kyūdō
For the academic study of karate, it is always important to think outside the box. I regularly look to see what’s new on the publication market and what scholarly approach the authors have chosen for their research of other martial arts disciplines. Kyūdō 弓道 or the “way of the bow” is the art of Japanese… Continue reading
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Tracing the forgotten masters
Before World War II, thousands of people left the Ryūkyū Islands and emigrated overseas. The first wave of emigration was to Hawaii in the early 20th century, followed by a wave to various Pacific islands in the 1920s and several migrations to America. Although these emigration movements are fairly well researched, not much is known… Continue reading
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Master Funakoshi 1937 in Korea
Funakoshi Gichin 船越義珍 (1868–1957) is known as the father of modern karatedō. In 1922, he left his home Okinawa for Tōkyō and demonstrated his karate at various occasions and eventually decided to devote his further life to spread the benefits of a lifelong karate training. His efforts were extensive. He wrote articles and books about… Continue reading
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Articles on unveiling of the Itosu monument in 1964
On May 30, 1964, Master Chibana Chōshin 知花朝信 (1885–1969) and adoptive grandson Itosu Angō 糸洲安剛 (1915–1996) gathered family, friends, karateka and officials to remember Itosu Ankō 糸洲安恒 (1831–1915). Very close to his burying place in Furushima 古島 in Mawashi, a stone monument was unveiled to commemorate the venerable master. On that occasion, speeches were held… Continue reading
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Investigations into the history of karate 