Midnight Train,B.S.,Pharm.D., Bushi



Now I've set about writing this article to inform the uninformed about the truth behind the word (oft glamourized) Karate.
Karate, as you know it, is NOT what you think you know.
Please...enjoy.


In late 1921, Funakoshi Gichin was invited by then Prince Hirohito to demonstrate his quaint 'art' of to-te jutsu in Tokyo.
Funakoshi jumped at the chance. At the time, Japan was fascinated with Kobujutsu-Taiiku-Tenrankai (Athletic exhibitions of Ancient Martial Arts) but were moreover stymied because most of these came from China, a country they were not on good terms with.
However, Okinawa had become an independant prefecture back in 1879, seperate from the ruling Satsuma Clan of Japan. This had allowed them to establish trade routes to China, and trade...martial skills.
Well, Funakoshi Sensei travelled to Tokyo and demonstrated. The Japanese went nuts. They had to have more.
Unfortunately, because of the distaste of the Chinese and all things named Chinese, Sensei changed the names of several of the Kata (formalized practices) and had to come up with a name for his style that was a little less foreign.
His teacher, Azato Anko, had referred to it, as many before had...to-te jutsu (literally Chinese hand fighting).
Unacceptable. Initially, Master Funakoshi changed it to Ryukyu Kenpo To-te (The Chinese Art of Chuan Fa from Ryukyu (Okinawa))
When interest grew, pressure increased for a more Japanese name and so in 1935, the ideo grams describing to-te were officially changed to read karate-do (empty hand way) and was used first in Funakoshis new book titled Karate-do Kyohan.
But why did he choose Kara-te do? Not why you may think. Although the literal traslation means "empty hand" the word Kara refers not just to the fist or knifehand thrown in martial arts. In addition, it refers to the state of mind one must procure before learning and practicing martial arts. One must be empty. Zanshin...perfectly aware. Empty of all fear, hatred, anger, and ego. Able to react instead of act. Becoming one with one's body and mind.
Also, to learn, you must first empty your cup of knowledge before it can be filled. Forget what you think you know.
As with all things Oriental, it is a bit esoteric. The ending do in Karate-do means literally 'the way'. A way of learning or path to study Karate. Kind of like adding -ology at the end of all those university courses. Physio-ology, Bio-ology, etc. The style I study is Shorin-ryu karate.
Shorin-ryu itself has been broken into various 'specific styles'.
Originally, in Okinawa, a student would just add -te (hand) to the end of the city in which they studied. Mainly there were three cities where you could do this. Shuri, Tomari, and Naha.
Naha would become the capital of Okinawa and Naha-te would eventually become Goju-ryu. Perhaps most famous for it's founder Chojin Miyagi, whom the character Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid was patterned after. Naha was a seaport and Naha-te, as a result, reflects this in their wide stances and powerful leg movements. (As if in water) Also is where the weapons such as the net and short spear and turtle shell shield came from.
Tomari was the smallest of the three cities and Tomari-te would eventually be absorbed into Shuri-te.
Shuri was the city where the famous Shuri castle was and practitioners practiced Shuri-te which would eventually become known to the world as Shorin-ryu.
The three 'sub-styles' of Okinawan karate would practice all the same techniques but each would put their own twist on it. Kind of like how churches split off from each other today.
My style, Shorin-ryu can be further broken down into substyles. All of which can be traced back to one teacher...the incomparable Matsumura Sokon (1797-1889). Often referred to as 'Bushi' Matsumura, he trained specifically 4 individuals that I want to talk about who went on to specialize the style after his death.
Anko Itosu, founder of the Kobayashi Shorin-ryu system. He used only 3 marks to make the character for Sho when writing his style. This word "Shorin" was derived from
the Okinawan pronounciation of the Chinese word for Shaolin. And the character
for it was adapted as such. Shaolin, or Shorin in Japanese, literally means
pine forest. Specifically, the pine forest at which the Shaolin temple in China was
built. The character for Sho written with 3 strokes for the Kobayashi system is more correctly translated as 'yellow pine forest' while the 4 stroke kanji can be translated
more closely to 'small pine forest'. Tomato, tomatoe you may say. They both refer to the same forest in the same country where the same Shaolin studied, but they couldn't be more different. The 4 stroke version was adopted by Chotokyu Kyan, founder of Shobayashi Shorin-ryu, Eizo Shimabuku, founder of Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu, and Nabe Matsumura (Sokon Matsumura's grandson) founder of Matsumura Seito (orthodox) Shorin-ryu. I am a student of the latter.
After many name changes my current style is Okinawan Matsumura Seito Karate and Kobudo Federation.
So you can tell there are literally thousands upon thousands of sub-styles today. (and thats just from Okinawa). Every time some new guys thinks he's a master...bam...new style based on the old. This is why no matter how hard you try you can never learn "all of karate". There are too many variations. Master Funakoshi recommended spending 4 years on each kata. Only after years of study does one realize you are not learning to defeat some enemy, some opponent. Rather, solely to overcome a more ominous enemy: the self. Compared to what lay before or behind the deshi (disciple), nothing compared to what lay within.
So you see, what started out as simply to-te, can no longer be simply referred to as such.
So please, do not insult me by referring to my art as Tae-Kwon-Do, Krotty, or Kung fu.
Each of these other styles have their own rich history of which, I'm sure they are just as proud.
Please ask a martial artist the name of his style...don't tell him...after all, he DOES know 'krotty'.