Karate-do: way of the empty hand
Shotokan: House of Shoto. Shoto was Gichin Funakoshi's pen name used when he wrote poetry.Karate can be traced back at least 1400 years to Daruma, the founder of Zen Buddhism in Western India. Over the next centuries, karate made its way to China, where it developed into two distinct styles: Shorin (Shaolin) Kung Fu, known for dynamic, complex movements,  and Shokei, a more linear, powerful style. From China, eventually karate was introduced to the island of Okinawa, continuing its development as an art and fighting style.

The duality of Karate, a seemingly violent martial art which stresses non-violent, peaceful behavior, is better understood in its historical perspective. Starting out as a Buddhist form, steeped in philosophy, humility, and peace, Karate was necessarily further developed and utilized as a martial art by Okinawans protecting themselves through long periods of dominance and weapons bans.

Gichin Funakoshi (1868 - 1957)

Gichin Funakoshi was born in Okinawa in 1868. As a young, frail boy his parents brought him to Yasutsune Itosu to learn the martial art of Naha-te in order to strengthen him. He also was trained in the art of Shuri-te by Yasutsune Azato. It became natural as he progressed for Funakoshi-sensei to eventually blend the two arts together into what we now know as Shotokan Karate.

In the 1920's, while in his fifties, Funakoshi gave some demonstrations in Tokyo, effectively bringing his Okinawan art of karate to mainland Japan. By teaching karate to university students at night, Funakoshi earned enough means to open his first dojo. By the end of the 1920's there were karate clubs at Tokyo University and Keio University. Many of Funakoshi's top students went forth and opened their own dojos. Karate flourished in Japan and became formally recognized as a Japanese martial art in 1941.

By all accounts, Funakoshi was a humble, quiet man. Yet he was very adamant in his beliefs, in particular regarding Shotokan. He believed that Kata (forms) was Karate, and that studying and perfecting kata was the only way to become expert in karate. When he arrived in Japan, he brought 16 kata with him, and he believed that 3 years should be spent on perfecting each of the kata. While others placed emphasis on tournaments and championships, Funakoshi stressed kata and perfection of technique. Master Funakoshi believed the ultimate goal of Shotokan is the individual striving for self-perfection in karate, as well as in other aspects of life. He believed in humility, awareness, and being at peace with one's self and others.