History of Gishin Funakoshi 1868-1957

Many of the fathers of Taekwondo studied in Japan with Gishin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan. In order to better understand the roots of Taekwondo, it is important to get some perspective upon the teacher of it's founders.

Gishin Funakoshi who was born in 1868, was a sickly and weak child. Luckily for him his best friend was the son of the Tote-jitsu master, Anko Yasutsune Azato. Azato took on the young Gishin as a student in order to build up his health, strength and confidence.

Gishin learned from Azato Tote (karate) and also presumably sword fighting because Anko Azato who was also a master of Jigen-Ryu Kenjitsu. Anko was not mentioned in my article on Tote-jitsu because it appears that he only had one student, Gishin Funakoshi. This from Funakoshi's book Karate-do Nyumon.

He also studied with the well known Anko Itosu but claimed that the greatest part of what he learned about Tote was from Master Azato, not Itosu. Gishin’s study with Azato had to take place in secret because the ruling government of the time forbade all Okinawans from practicing the martial arts in public.

Azato gave the world the famous saying: “Think of the hands and feet of anyone who has trained in Tote as swords. They can cut or kill with a touch” and “Know the enemy and know yourself, this is the secret key to strategy.”

Click here learn more about Gishin Funakoshi and the Taekwondo-4self-mastery.com website.

Yours in the Spirit of Wisdom

Childan Sam Naples
Grandmaster Chun Taekwondo Jidokwan
www.taekwondo-4self-mastery.com