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Gichin Funakoshi was born in Shuri, Okinawa in 1868. Funakoshi described himself as a small child who lacked self-confidence and was very shy. Fortunately his classmate was the son of karate master, Yasutsune Azato. Funakoshi soon was training in Azato's backyard. This had to be done secretly and at night since martial arts was forbidden by the Japanese government. Funakoshi believed it was this training that made him strong, energetic and gave him confidence.
The Japanese government affected Funakoshi's life. At that time, Okinawan men wore a topknot hairstyle and Funakoshi kept this style as encouraged by his family in order not to break their own traditions. The Japanese government did not allow the Okinawans to keep this hairstyle since it was a cultural symbol of the Samarai. In Japan, cutting the topknot was generally viewed as a punishment. Funakoshi set off to become a doctor and had passed the medical entrance exam. The government would not allow him into the medical school unless he cut off his topknot. Funakoshi ended up having to cut off his topknot to get employment in Okinawa. He had become a schoolteacher instead which left him with free time to continue practicing karate.
During a routine military entrance medical exam, the Japanese military doctors were impressed by a group of young men who they discovered practiced karate regularly. This impressed the government and the Okinawan education department allowed karate to be part of the physical fitness program in school in 1902.
Funakoshi's reputation grew as a karate master. In 1921, he gave a demonstration to Japan's Prince Hirohito. The prince invited him to perform at another athletic demonstration in Japan. It was there that Funakoshi met Jigaro Kano, founder of Judo. Kano asked Funakoshi to stay. Funakoshi was honored by the request and decided to stay, though he could not afford to bring his wife and two sons from Okinawa. Funakoshi worked at a college in Tokyo as a janitor, watchman, and gardener while living in a dormitory. The lecture hall in his dormitory was his first Japanese dojo. Funakoshi taught university students, office workers, and military students in this dojo and outside on the yard. As his classes grew, he moved to another location, sharing with a fencing instructor. By 1936, his students raised enough money to open a dojo dedicated to karate. He named his dojo "Shotokan" after his pen name Shoto. Funakoshi wrote poetry and used the name 'Shoto' meaning "pine wave." Funakoshi enjoyed relaxing after a strenuous workout by taking walks and watching the wind blow through the pine tree forests.
Funakoshi became well known as an authority in karate and while working for a
karate research group at the Keio University, he convinced the group to change
the translation of the characters for 'karate' from "Chinese Hand" to "Empty
Hand." He felt the style had become quite different from the Chinese kung fu
style and this would help it to become a Japanese art versus a Chinese art.
Funakoshi was successful in introducing karate to Japan. His success is
evident today as Shotokan karate is thought of as a Japanese martial art.
After World War II, Funakoshi taught American soldiers and airmen. He taught
at a U.S. Air Force base in Tachikawa during the American occupation. He made
a three month tour to Air Force bases in the United States attracting a large
American audience. At the end of the tour, Funakoshi sent his best students to
teach in the U.S. and Europe.