History & stories about people / Martial artist.
Kōsaku Matsumora was a respected practitioner of Tomari-te, a style of Okinawan martial arts that developed in the Tomari region. Kōsaku Matsumora was born in 1829 and received his training from various masters, including Karyu Uku and Kishin Teruya. He emphasized the development of technique, character, and discipline in his teachings and had notable students Read More ...
Matsumura Sōkon, also known as Sōkon “Bushi” Matsumura, was a revered martial artist from Okinawa who made significant contributions to the development and preservation of traditional Okinawan martial arts. Matsumura Sōkon was born in 1809 in Yamagawa Village, Shuri, Okinawa. He began his martial arts training at a young age under the tutelage of the Read More ...
Sakugawa Kanga, also known as Tōdī Sakugawa or Tōde Sakugawa, was a renowned martial arts master from the Ryukyu Kingdom, which is now part of modern-day Okinawa, Japan. He lived during the 18th century and is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the development of Okinawan martial arts. Sakugawa Kanga was Read More ...
Shōshin Nagamine, born on July 15, 1907, in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, was a renowned karate master who made significant contributions to the development and promotion of traditional Okinawan martial arts. He dedicated his life to the study and preservation of Okinawan karate, leaving behind a lasting legacy. Nagamine’s martial arts journey began at a young Read More ...
Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) was a renowned martial artist and the founder of Shotokan Karate, one of the most popular styles of karate today. He was born in Shuri, Okinawa, which was then an independent kingdom and began his martial arts training at a young age under various Okinawan masters. He is often referred to as Read More ...
Bodhidharma, also known as Da Mo in Chinese, was a Buddhist monk and the founder of the Chan or Zen school of Buddhism. He is considered to be a legendary figure in Buddhist history, and his life is shrouded in myth and legend. According to tradition, Bodhidharma was born in the 5th or 6th century Read More ...
Yoshitaka “Gigo” Funakoshi was born in Okinawa in 1906. Already from childhood, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which was also the cause of his death in 1945. Yoshitaka began his formal training in Karate when he was 12 years old, as a means to improve his health. At the age of 17, Yoshitaka travelled with Read More ...
Re-examination of the Itosu Ankō photo Only a few karate masters have had as much influence on karate development as Itosu Ankō (Itosu Yasutsune), he was born in Gibo Village (Shuri, Okinawa) in 1831. Itosu Ankō was the teacher of Choyu Motobu, Choki Motobu, Gichin Funakoshi, Kenwa Mabuni, Chōshin Chibana, Chojun Miyagi and many more. Read More ...
