Maejin Gichin Funakoshi, born in 1868 to a Samurai heritage, began karate training in his childhood with Yasutsune Azato (1827-1906) and Yasutsune Itosu (1830-1915). His capabilities were highly advanced at an early age, and he ultimately rose to chair the Okinawan Martial Arts Society.

Funakoshi first demonstrated karate to the Japan Ministry of Education in 1922: the reaction was overwhelming. The demand for karate enabled him to remain in Japan and begin teaching. He published the book “Ryukyu Kempo Karate" and the style continued to grow in popularity across Japan. Funakoshi worked with the Japanese Education Ministry to introduce Karate in schools.

Over the next few years Funakoshi worked methodically to secure a permanent place for Karate in Japan. He introduced the Dan certification system, articulated all of the techniques and theory, and completely translated the symbology and language from its Chinese and Okinawan roots into Japanese.

In 1939, with Karate's popularity growing across Japan, Funakoshi opened the country's first Karate dojo, the Shotokan--a reference to his own pen name--in Tokyo.

During WWII the original dojo was destroyed by bombs, and organized Karate was stalled throughout the country. Following the war martial arts were banned under U.S. occupation. When the ban was lifted there was a resurgence, especially in schools , and in 1949 the Japan Karate Association (JKA) was formed with Funakoshi as its first Supreme Master.

Funakoshi died in 1957, sixteen days after the JKA was offically recognized by the Japan Education Ministry. He was honoured with monuments all over Japan, including at the Enkakuji Temple in Kamakura, which draws an annual pilgrimage of JKA members in honour of Master Funakoshi.

Clearly his legacy is the global community of Karate practitioners who strive to learn and advance the martial art that he brought into the world. Most traditional styles of Japanese Karate can trace their roots directly to Funakoshi or his early students. Funakoshi successfully transformed the traditional Okinawan and Chinese forms into a style that would survive the turbulence of the times and trancend global boundaries to become one of the most widely studied martial arts in the world. Deservedly, he is widely regarded as the father of modern Karate.

Check out vintage films of Master Funakoshi:
Tekki Nidan