| Although the basic forms of self defense
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| | systemization of karate as we know it
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| are probably as old as the human race,
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| | today was Funakoshi Gichin. He was born
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| the art of karate as it is practiced
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| | in Shuri, Okinawa, in 1869, and when only
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| today can be traced directly to the
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| | a boy of eleven began to study karate
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| Okinawan technique called, in Japanese,
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| | under the two top masters of the art at
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| Okinawate-te (Okinawa Hands). This system
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| | the time. In time he became a karate
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| of defense in turn is a descendant of the
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| | expert in his own right. He is credited
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| ancient Chinese art of chuan-fa
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| | to be the first man to introduce karate
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| (kung-fu).
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| | to Japan proper, when he gave exhibitions
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| Little is known about the historical
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| | in 1917 and again in 1922 at
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| development of karate in Okinawa, but
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| | physical-education expositions. The art
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| there is an interesting story to be told
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| | soon caught on in Japan, and Funakoshi
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| about it. About five hundred years ago,
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| | traveled throughout the country giving
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| the famous King Hashi of the Okinawan Sho
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| | lectures and demonstrations. The main
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| dynasty succeeded in uniting the Ryukya
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| | universities invited him to set up karate
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| islands into one kingdom. To ensure rule
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| | teams, and hundreds of people studied the
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| by law and to discourage and potential
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| | art under his guidance.
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| military rivals, he seized all weapons in
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| | As the study of karate in Japan became
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| the kingdom and made the possession of
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| | increasingly popular, many other experts
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| weapons a crime against the state. About
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| | from Okinawa came to give instruction. At
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| two hundred years later, Okinawa became
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| | the same time the ancient native Japanese
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| part ot the domain of the Satsuma clan of
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| | hand-to-hand fighting techniques of
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| Kyushu, and for a second time all weapons
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| | jujitsu and kendo (sword fighting) were
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| were seized and banned. As a direct
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| | being widely practiced, and modern sports
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| result of these successive bans against
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| | imported from the West were becoming
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| weapons, it is said that the art of
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| | popular. Karate soon took over many
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| empty-handed self defense call Okinawa-te
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| | elements from these, and the basis was
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| underwent tremendous development.
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| | laid for the modern Japanese-style
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| The man most responsible for the
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| | karate.
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