What is Shotokan Karate
Gichin Funakoshi was born in 1868, in Yamakawa-Cho, in the city of Shuri, Okinawa, in the Ryukyu Kingdom (which became part of Japan in 1879).
He was a famous martial arts expert in Okinawa where the style was a blend of Okinawan and Chinese martial arts, often referred to as To Do Te or Bushi No Te. His heritage comes from his father Gisu, the only son of a samurai line. Funakoshi is credited with making Karate (meaning 'empty hand') popular in mainland Japan through a series of public demonstrations and the development of university karate clubs, and dojos. Karate is mainly a weaponless martial art that uses punching, striking, kicking and blocking as basic techniques. This style of Karate eventually became known as Shotokan, after the name of the dojo where Funakoshi taught. Shotokan is considered a traditional and influential form of 'Karate-do' (a path to self-knowledge and karate as a way of life rather than the study of the technical aspects of fighting). Someone who studies Karate is known as a 'Karateka'. For more information on the founder of modern Shotokan Karate Gichin Funakoshi the click here. |
The Shotokan Tiger Symbol
The symbol is properly called the Tora No Maki or The Tiger Scroll. The drawing was originally created by a Japanese man named Hoan Kusugi who was a friend and student of Sensei Funakoshi. The character up in the northeast quadrant of the circle is part of his signature.
When Sensei Funakoshi created our system of Martial Arts he chose the tiger as the animal symbol to represent Shotokan because it signified strength, power and tenacity. |
The tiger in the traditional circular image is a traditional Chinese design that implies “the tiger never sleeps”. It symbolizes therefore the keen alertness of the wakeful tiger and serenity of the peaceful mind.
The shotokan tiger is drawn within a circle to show that the power of the tiger, like the power of shotokan is contained. It indicates that this power should never be used on a whim. The power is only unleashed or broken from the circle in order to defend ourselves or others who cant defend themselves from a violent attack.
The shotokan tiger is drawn within a circle to show that the power of the tiger, like the power of shotokan is contained. It indicates that this power should never be used on a whim. The power is only unleashed or broken from the circle in order to defend ourselves or others who cant defend themselves from a violent attack.