I ´ve studied both Okano´s kenkojuku version of Shotokan and JKA Nakayamas´s version of Shotokan, under shihan Koji Sujimoto, and Isami Shiroma sensei both styles claim a direct lineage to master Funakoshi, both differ mainly in the height of the stances, shown here. The video seems to be of Yoshitaka "Gigo" Funakoshi. I agree there is not an absolute way of following sensei G. Funakoshi, but different aims, either as self defense, or as a behavior development path, or as a sport. that´s all.
one of my sensei's can no longer use his legs. But when he teaches us black belts, we are advanced enough to listen to his words and put his teaching into action. Is an old master the ideal teacher for a white belt? Obviously not. The white belt needs to emulate as much as he needs to listen. But for the advanced student, a master who can impart his knowledge is an unrivaled resource.
THIS is beautiful and cool - not nowaday sport called "karate". That, what we are doing now is just fight, without anything in it. Without true karate soul...
@s0ulshad0w Just theorizing here, but one of his principles, #17, states, "Low stances for beginners, natural stances for the advanced." It may be that, or perhaps this was taken in his older years, or both. Don't quote me on that, though, LOL.
@s0ulshad0w Funakoshi came from Okinawa. Look at the old styles from Okinawa: There are almost only close and higher stances. Long and low stances are a modern Shotokan thingy...
FARCE- In no way shape or form is this Gichin Funikoshi. Footage is too new and enhanced to look old, besides, this is not the style he taught at all. As a long time student of Tsutomo Ohshima I will verify that. What person would try to create such a farce and for what stupid reason?
@JimCaronArtist Is Oshima your only source of info? I studied in three separate, unassociated schools of Shotokan and they each do it the art only with slight differences. I even watched an SKA class here in NYC. Wondering why I found these differences, as well as why most teachers didn't fully understand all the bunkai of kata (despite performing it beautifully), I decided to pour myself into historical research and even studied Okinawan Karate. BTW, Oshima's way isn't the original either.
@JimCaronArtist The above "farce" isn't really a farce at all. Many Okinawan schools (Shorin schools, where Shotokan mostly came from) to this day perform the above kata in a similar yet with slight differences. Funakoshi himself originally performed and taught kata with small stances, higher from the ground (see Funakoshi's English version of his first book, To-Te Jitsu). Funakoshi's Karate evolved since he had introduced it to mainland Japan, even before Oshima became his student in 1948.
@JimCaronArtist Funakoshi's Karate had already gone through a 20+ years of evolution when Oshima arrived at it's doorstep. Even after Funakoshi's death, the art had continued to change in the hands of his many students. They, naturally, set up their own schools and put their own spin on it. Shotokai's Egami had his way, Nakayama's JKA had their way, Okano's KenkoJuku (the oldest of the mentioned organizations) had his, and even Tsutomu Oshima had his SKA. BTW they all claim Shotokan legitimacy.
@Bassai That is the most intelligent comment that I've read in a long time. Funakoshi is the man for spreading our "art". Its up to the karateka for deciding which spin on our "art" suits him. Some are hard. Some are soft. Its the karateka's choice. Thank you for a refreshingly intelligent comment. Osu
@JimCaronArtist So what does that mean? Well, my studies led to this conclusion: THERE IS NO "RIGHT" WAY OF PRACTICING SHOTOKAN. There are so many interpretations of Shotokan that have legitimate lineages to Funakoshi, that it is almost impossible to come up with a universal truth about what should be the true Shotokan way. I encourage you to do your own independent study of Shotokan history as it will open your eyes so you could see the art in a more "truthful" light. You want a bibliography?
anyone that says master funakoshi sucks is not a true karateka and I would like add this why hate on the great master who invented shotokan , he modify 2 karate styles to create shotokan , he uses shorin ryu and shorei ryu and using those 2 styles he learn from okinawa and modify it into shotokan and shotokan is one of the best styles out there and its one of the most popular styles of karate
it's so sad to see karate students talk this way... no respect or humility anymore... it reminds me of when i competed in the wkf... i scored with a chudan gyakuzuki and my opponent drops to the ground holding his face, doing anything to win, and screaming at the ref when they lose...
exactly how i teach my students not to be... these old vintage tapes are like gold to me... i respect them all for what they have done w/karate... karate is headed in a very bad direction if you ask me...
haha Gichin Funakoshi DIDN'T used to practice shotokan! shotokan is technically a creation of his son Yoshitaka Funakoshi, Master Gichin created all the philosophy and method, changing okinawan names and techniques into japanese named ones, but all the high kicks, square-closed punches (funakoshi used to hit with okinawan seiken, instead of the Yoshitaka's gyaku tzuki) and low stances etc. are creations of Yoshitaka. Check other videos.
There is a strong possibility this is Gichin Funakoshi, though who really knows for sure? It may look a bit choppy, or perhaps too high of stances, or maybe too low (whatever your opinion is), but keep in mind that this is probably not how he would have performed the kata if he was by himself. A master such as funakoshi knows that people copy what they do, so they do what they want their students to learn. People must first practice low stances, and separate moves so as to learn them properly.
In response to this and other videos, its not the old man, O-Sensei Funakoshi. Looks like Takeshi Shimoda or even Shigeru Egami from the early days. If its after 1935, it will be Egami. He is too tall to be Yoshitaka.
@PanicusVulgaris its the old shotokan dojo, but its not funakoshi gichin, I think its one of his sons, but sure its not his son gigo ( funakoshi yoshitaka )
Before you make a comment on Funakoshi's technique, just remember that if it wasn't for him, a lot of us wouldn't be albe to practice Karate today. Show some respect.
People comment that the Kata is bad and that Funakoshi sucks, but thats missing the point. Everything gets adapted and improved in sports. Every Olympics sees world records broken, but that doesn't mean the previous person sucked. People learn from techniques and adapt them. Years ago, pro surfers just went along the wave, now they do aerial 360s etc. Whilst this Kata is sloppy with the rocking back and forth and head bobbing up and down etc, the principle and power is there to learn from!
I wonder if we do the katas correctly today. In heian shodan today the shuto for example is practiced as a block , in the old days the shuto in the same kata was a hit. First shuto block , second hit in the neck area. You can see this by the fact that funakoshi's hand,while performing the shuto, is far from his body. The technique today teaches us that the hand must be very close to the body. I really don't get it. I've seen this shuto work in a real life situation as a hit ot as a block.
Well, I take Chung Do Kwan, the first form of tae kwon do which is basically shotokan karate with like 2 switched out forms and six steps that are focused more on kicks (Please don't take that as a cue that we fight like these sports guys, they are sloppy and unbalanced). Anyway, we learn that all strikes can be blocks and all blocks can be strikes so that could possibly explain the ambiguity of the technique.
@AussieBassist i agree, and i would like to add, how could ppl say he sucks? HE STARTED SHOTOKAN. its like saying Benjamin franklin sucks at discovering electricity. Plus, is is kata in a early form, when it was still being made, so dont criticize haters.
furthermore his teqnques are shorter but they are still correct, there is one way to do it correctly, but there are many ways to applicate it. and one more thing those who know of funakoshi and respect him, keep that, but remember to be polite, and respect others opinions(though they are disagreable) respect was one of the ten codes of funakoshi's Dojo-kun
please i study one of the ancient okinawan arts, if there is one thing i have learned it is that each person has a particularly similar but different technique due to the different flexability of their bodies, funakoshis technique is exallent, it only seems bad because he is doing it slowly for people to pick up upon,
what do you mean looks weak???? Hell!!! how many years have you been practising karate??? how much you know about styles?? about Gichen's masters?? about himself?? about Yoshitaka?
LOOK!!! Its a BLACK belt he's wearing... If you think the kata of this BLACK belt is weak... and you can see that the dojo is SHOTOKAN itself... it means A) he is really funakoshi B)he is one of FUnakoshi's black belt students.... Weak?? you'd better think about what YOU know &know not..
His knife hands look lighting fast! Everything else is kind of lame, especially when compared to today's standards of low stances, focus and power. But then again, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here discussing karate, so all the respect in the world to Funakoshi!
Esecuzione Perfetta
8558Hack 2 months ago
El que dijo Shotokan es una mierda, lavate el orto puto
nederland614 2 months ago
shotokan is shit!
acerwk 3 months ago
@acerwk Grow up you retard
UncleDeadly75 3 months ago
@UncleDeadly75 Get lost stupid
acerwk 3 months ago
I ´ve studied both Okano´s kenkojuku version of Shotokan and JKA Nakayamas´s version of Shotokan, under shihan Koji Sujimoto, and Isami Shiroma sensei both styles claim a direct lineage to master Funakoshi, both differ mainly in the height of the stances, shown here. The video seems to be of Yoshitaka "Gigo" Funakoshi. I agree there is not an absolute way of following sensei G. Funakoshi, but different aims, either as self defense, or as a behavior development path, or as a sport. that´s all.
TheKallas 4 months ago
one of my sensei's can no longer use his legs. But when he teaches us black belts, we are advanced enough to listen to his words and put his teaching into action. Is an old master the ideal teacher for a white belt? Obviously not. The white belt needs to emulate as much as he needs to listen. But for the advanced student, a master who can impart his knowledge is an unrivaled resource.
ndileonardo 6 months ago
THIS is beautiful and cool - not nowaday sport called "karate". That, what we are doing now is just fight, without anything in it. Without true karate soul...
BozeProcJa 8 months ago
Hm. Funakoshi-shishou seems to have a higher stance. Who can tell me why is that so?
s0ulshad0w 9 months ago
@s0ulshad0w Just theorizing here, but one of his principles, #17, states, "Low stances for beginners, natural stances for the advanced." It may be that, or perhaps this was taken in his older years, or both. Don't quote me on that, though, LOL.
deek77 8 months ago
@deek77 yeah! iv read that before too! thanks!
s0ulshad0w 8 months ago
@s0ulshad0w A book I have says it was his son who lowered the stances
micirv20 6 months ago
@s0ulshad0w
Age. The older people gets, the higher their stances. No I'm not kidding.
brickshooter 6 months ago 2
@s0ulshad0w Funakoshi came from Okinawa. Look at the old styles from Okinawa: There are almost only close and higher stances. Long and low stances are a modern Shotokan thingy...
xaven1978 6 months ago
Pure BUSHIDO. The modern Karate is a sport, not a Japanese martial art.
balermapsychobilly 11 months ago
FARCE- In no way shape or form is this Gichin Funikoshi. Footage is too new and enhanced to look old, besides, this is not the style he taught at all. As a long time student of Tsutomo Ohshima I will verify that. What person would try to create such a farce and for what stupid reason?
JimCaronArtist 1 year ago
@JimCaronArtist Is Oshima your only source of info? I studied in three separate, unassociated schools of Shotokan and they each do it the art only with slight differences. I even watched an SKA class here in NYC. Wondering why I found these differences, as well as why most teachers didn't fully understand all the bunkai of kata (despite performing it beautifully), I decided to pour myself into historical research and even studied Okinawan Karate. BTW, Oshima's way isn't the original either.
Bassai 1 year ago
@JimCaronArtist The above "farce" isn't really a farce at all. Many Okinawan schools (Shorin schools, where Shotokan mostly came from) to this day perform the above kata in a similar yet with slight differences. Funakoshi himself originally performed and taught kata with small stances, higher from the ground (see Funakoshi's English version of his first book, To-Te Jitsu). Funakoshi's Karate evolved since he had introduced it to mainland Japan, even before Oshima became his student in 1948.
Bassai 1 year ago
@JimCaronArtist Funakoshi's Karate had already gone through a 20+ years of evolution when Oshima arrived at it's doorstep. Even after Funakoshi's death, the art had continued to change in the hands of his many students. They, naturally, set up their own schools and put their own spin on it. Shotokai's Egami had his way, Nakayama's JKA had their way, Okano's KenkoJuku (the oldest of the mentioned organizations) had his, and even Tsutomu Oshima had his SKA. BTW they all claim Shotokan legitimacy.
Bassai 1 year ago
@Bassai That is the most intelligent comment that I've read in a long time. Funakoshi is the man for spreading our "art". Its up to the karateka for deciding which spin on our "art" suits him. Some are hard. Some are soft. Its the karateka's choice. Thank you for a refreshingly intelligent comment. Osu
njtr 11 months ago
@JimCaronArtist So what does that mean? Well, my studies led to this conclusion: THERE IS NO "RIGHT" WAY OF PRACTICING SHOTOKAN. There are so many interpretations of Shotokan that have legitimate lineages to Funakoshi, that it is almost impossible to come up with a universal truth about what should be the true Shotokan way. I encourage you to do your own independent study of Shotokan history as it will open your eyes so you could see the art in a more "truthful" light. You want a bibliography?
Bassai 1 year ago 3
This is Pinan Nidan
mrthebillman 1 year ago
anyone that says master funakoshi sucks is not a true karateka and I would like add this why hate on the great master who invented shotokan , he modify 2 karate styles to create shotokan , he uses shorin ryu and shorei ryu and using those 2 styles he learn from okinawa and modify it into shotokan and shotokan is one of the best styles out there and its one of the most popular styles of karate
TheShotokankarateguy 1 year ago
Brought up so many memories....
catahuanco 1 year ago
it's so sad to see karate students talk this way... no respect or humility anymore... it reminds me of when i competed in the wkf... i scored with a chudan gyakuzuki and my opponent drops to the ground holding his face, doing anything to win, and screaming at the ref when they lose...
exactly how i teach my students not to be... these old vintage tapes are like gold to me... i respect them all for what they have done w/karate... karate is headed in a very bad direction if you ask me...
likeke34 1 year ago
@likeke34 I know right...
shotojojo1986 1 year ago
This guy looks more like Obata or one of Funakoshi's older students...but it's definitely not Funakoshi Gishin.
deadguy29 1 year ago
pe msm nao ééééééé!!!!!
dnlglrt3 1 year ago
Shotokan RULES!!!
ifsanchez79 1 year ago 3
haha Gichin Funakoshi DIDN'T used to practice shotokan! shotokan is technically a creation of his son Yoshitaka Funakoshi, Master Gichin created all the philosophy and method, changing okinawan names and techniques into japanese named ones, but all the high kicks, square-closed punches (funakoshi used to hit with okinawan seiken, instead of the Yoshitaka's gyaku tzuki) and low stances etc. are creations of Yoshitaka. Check other videos.
soparamens 1 year ago
Maybe he is showing his students how he does NOT want to see them perform Shodan!
roglowe 1 year ago
STANCE?!?!? He looks like a mummy who has been just woken up. :D NOOB
Need3D 2 years ago
Im well confused. The Heian Shodan lookz so much lyk the Shotokan version. I always thought Gichin taught the Shotokai style.
jjb1989 2 years ago
Comment removed
toxi87 1 year ago
The question is not : is Funakoshi or not?. The question is : this is not Shotokan Karate!!!
pumatraca 2 years ago
There is a strong possibility this is Gichin Funakoshi, though who really knows for sure? It may look a bit choppy, or perhaps too high of stances, or maybe too low (whatever your opinion is), but keep in mind that this is probably not how he would have performed the kata if he was by himself. A master such as funakoshi knows that people copy what they do, so they do what they want their students to learn. People must first practice low stances, and separate moves so as to learn them properly.
SamRoda 2 years ago
i know this kata from Kyokushin karate , but then again , Mas Oyama had studied with funakoshi and adopted some kata ,so its barely a surprise :)
QuanYin71 2 years ago
In response to this and other videos, its not the old man, O-Sensei Funakoshi. Looks like Takeshi Shimoda or even Shigeru Egami from the early days. If its after 1935, it will be Egami. He is too tall to be Yoshitaka.
ukflamenco 2 years ago
I don't think that this is Gichin, but maybe Yoshitaka Funakoshi, or some of his students!
agnmp 2 years ago
This is NOT! Funakoshi Gichin Sensei!
PanicusVulgaris 2 years ago 19
@PanicusVulgaris its the old shotokan dojo, but its not funakoshi gichin, I think its one of his sons, but sure its not his son gigo ( funakoshi yoshitaka )
riemman2 1 year ago
off course is him!
You can see by the old style kata, some moves have changed, but the essence is still the same!
Funakoshi, we salute you!
hugodiamond 2 years ago
Thanks a lot for this videos.
This is really master Funakoshi?
neko84 2 years ago
This is not Gichin Funakoshi.
Winterdenni 2 years ago 3
that is identical to a Tae Kwon Do form
johnnyfive21978 2 years ago
:D Hehe, right, because thats copied from karate.
DudeNumberOnePlus 2 years ago
i wonder, how people are able to say the founder of shotokan canÄt make the katas he made.
leidenschaftfaul 2 years ago
Before you make a comment on Funakoshi's technique, just remember that if it wasn't for him, a lot of us wouldn't be albe to practice Karate today. Show some respect.
watts18269 2 years ago 3
People comment that the Kata is bad and that Funakoshi sucks, but thats missing the point. Everything gets adapted and improved in sports. Every Olympics sees world records broken, but that doesn't mean the previous person sucked. People learn from techniques and adapt them. Years ago, pro surfers just went along the wave, now they do aerial 360s etc. Whilst this Kata is sloppy with the rocking back and forth and head bobbing up and down etc, the principle and power is there to learn from!
AussieBassist 2 years ago 24
I wonder if we do the katas correctly today. In heian shodan today the shuto for example is practiced as a block , in the old days the shuto in the same kata was a hit. First shuto block , second hit in the neck area. You can see this by the fact that funakoshi's hand,while performing the shuto, is far from his body. The technique today teaches us that the hand must be very close to the body. I really don't get it. I've seen this shuto work in a real life situation as a hit ot as a block.
lynxSSJ 2 years ago
Well, I take Chung Do Kwan, the first form of tae kwon do which is basically shotokan karate with like 2 switched out forms and six steps that are focused more on kicks (Please don't take that as a cue that we fight like these sports guys, they are sloppy and unbalanced). Anyway, we learn that all strikes can be blocks and all blocks can be strikes so that could possibly explain the ambiguity of the technique.
MarsHolst20 2 years ago
And it is the same in Shotokan. Depends on a teacher.
zwierze 2 years ago
@AussieBassist i agree, and i would like to add, how could ppl say he sucks? HE STARTED SHOTOKAN. its like saying Benjamin franklin sucks at discovering electricity. Plus, is is kata in a early form, when it was still being made, so dont criticize haters.
hovac 1 year ago
@AussieBassist Well said!
HOHORUS 1 year ago
this really doesn't look like funakoshi...might this be gigo?
jippzmcghee 2 years ago
crazy u....
funakoshi is the father of modern karate.
this vid is very old and u should tanks him for all he gave us. karate has developed a lot tanks funakoshi....read his history!
clodoreide 2 years ago
karate was very cool martial arts but funakoshi killed karate he change evrything just save kata..
mehle3 2 years ago
furthermore his teqnques are shorter but they are still correct, there is one way to do it correctly, but there are many ways to applicate it. and one more thing those who know of funakoshi and respect him, keep that, but remember to be polite, and respect others opinions(though they are disagreable) respect was one of the ten codes of funakoshi's Dojo-kun
thebringerofjustic 3 years ago
please i study one of the ancient okinawan arts, if there is one thing i have learned it is that each person has a particularly similar but different technique due to the different flexability of their bodies, funakoshis technique is exallent, it only seems bad because he is doing it slowly for people to pick up upon,
thebringerofjustic 3 years ago 2
what do you mean looks weak???? Hell!!! how many years have you been practising karate??? how much you know about styles?? about Gichen's masters?? about himself?? about Yoshitaka?
LOOK!!! Its a BLACK belt he's wearing... If you think the kata of this BLACK belt is weak... and you can see that the dojo is SHOTOKAN itself... it means A) he is really funakoshi B)he is one of FUnakoshi's black belt students.... Weak?? you'd better think about what YOU know &know not..
Wolfeugene 3 years ago
have a look at this it looks much stronger
Gigo Funakoshi heian godan
alun191 3 years ago
looks weak cant belive thats him
alun191 3 years ago
No good!
acerwk 3 years ago
hey ma non e' mica funakoshi quello!!!!
karategirl71 3 years ago
He changed his stance in the last punch, something I have never seen in my life.
KSchwarz 3 years ago
me neither. however, I have seen this in kata of ryobukai, well the ryobukai posted on youtube.
WadoAJ 3 years ago
Wow, that would be considered extremely fuzzy and lame today!
Interesting to see how the old-timers did it.
Btw, this is not Funakoshi.
Derukugi2 3 years ago
It is Egami Shigeru performing, not Funakoshi Gichin.
michide 3 years ago
compared to the hipmovements of today this was lame
atpforever1 3 years ago
Anywa, I think that it may be Gigo his son, not Gichin in that Heian Shodan...
smootlik 3 years ago
His knife hands look lighting fast! Everything else is kind of lame, especially when compared to today's standards of low stances, focus and power. But then again, if it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here discussing karate, so all the respect in the world to Funakoshi!
smootlik 3 years ago
I like your sense of respect man
tigermix83 3 years ago
it's interesting seeing how much shorter the stances were..also his back stance almost looked more like a cat-stance
jippzmcghee 3 years ago