World Of Swords

It is commonly held that Gichin Funakoshi is the father of modern Karate. Well, he could be considered such, except that something odd happened a century ago, that puts forth a slightly different idea. We've got to give him credit for sharing karate, but was his karate the true art?

I know what I write here is not going to be what a lot of people want to hear, there will be a few people who are going to argue and oppose me. However, the history that I am about to relay did occur, it is the real story. That said, please know that I do respect Gichin Funakoshi, one cannot underestimate his importance.

In turn of the century, last century, Japan, people, same as people all over, loved the human cockfight. It wasn't uncommon for people to gather to watch gladiatorial contests between different arts and artists. Certain of these gladiators even offered open challenges to the audience, step up if you think you can beat me.

One night a Russian strongman threw down the gauntlet to the Japanese audience. One can imagine the outraged audience, and the surprise when a frumpy, old Okinawan stepped up to the ring and prepared to fight. The year was'21, and Karate was about to become famous.

Motobu Chōki was 52 years old when he stepped into the ring that night. He had studied with virtually every Okinawan Karate master in Okinawa, and he had, when he was young and impetuous, honed his art in the violent red light districts of his island home. This history, and a daily regimen of makiwara, and perhaps the hint of royal blood and pride in his veins, served him in good stead.

One punch later, a punch almost too fast to be seen, Motobu climbed out of the ring, the Russian strongman lay sprawled and snoozing the fist snooze. Reporters went wild, wrote their stories, and submitted them to the editors. Editors went wild, and, since they didn't have any photos of Motobu, but they did have a picture of a guy doing karate, they popped in the wrong picture.

So Gichin Funakoshi, a mild school teacher from Okinawa, got credit for the violent knock out and ultimate karate prowess of Motobu Choki. And Motobu, though he did teach karate and have an effect, because he wasn't fluent in the japanese language, and because the media did such a bang up job of reporting, got no credit. And Funakoshi is credited with spreading Karate to the world, yet, it wouldn't have happened without Motobu's one punch one kill competence and attitude.

Now, you have to ask yourself who has the true art, a school teacher who benefited from the wrong picture, or a rough cob who walked the walk. Yes, Funakoshi's karate is excellent, and generations of karateka have contributed to the art. However, there is still that one incident, provided by a man who could do the one punch one kill technique, which presents a different argument for who had the True Art.

Al Case has analyzed traditional Karate for 4O+ years. He has written hundreds of articles for the magazines, and had his own column in Inside Karate. He is the originator of Matrixing Technology, and you can argue with him, pr perhsp pick up a free ebook, at Monster Martial Arts

Tags: classical karate, funakoshi, gichin, gichin funakoshi, karate, karate instruction, karate master, Martial Arts, online karate, shotokan, shotokan karate, true karate

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