 Born in Shuri, Okinawa, Itosu trained under karate
greats Sokon “Bushi”Matsumura and Kosaku Matsumora.
His good friend Yasutsune Azato recommended him to the position
of secretary to the king of the Ryukyu Islands. He was famous
for the superior strength of his arms, legs and hands. Itosu was
said to have even walked in the horse stance (from which he received
his nickname, Anko). Itosu supposedly was easily able to defeat
Azato in arm wrestling. Itosu had very strong hands and could
crush a thick stalk of bamboo with his vice-like grip. It is said
that he walked past the imperial tombs everyday and would practice
his punches against the stone walls that lined the road. Itosu
believed that the body should be trained to withstand the hardest
of blows. In the tradition of Itosu, Pinewood Karateka train intensely
to develop a powerful body and spirit.
Describing the art in his own words: "Karate
means not only to develop one's physical strength but to learn
how to defend oneself. Be helpful to all people and never fight
against one person. Never try to strike if possible. even when
taken unawares, as perhaps meeting a robber or a deranged person.
Never face others with fists and feet. As you practice karate,
try to open your eyes brightly and keep your shoulders down, stiffen
your body as if you are on the battleground. Imagine that you
are facing the enemy when you practice the punching or blocking
techniques. Soon you will find your own striking performance.
Always concentrate attention around you. A man of character will
avoid any quarrels and loves peace. Thus the more a karateka practices
the more modest he should be with others. This is the true karateka."
Below is a letter written by Itosu Sensei in October
of 1908. This letter preceded the introduction of karate to Okinawan
schools and eventually to the Japanese mainland.
Tode did not develop from the way of Buddhism or
Confucianism. In the recent past Shorin-ryu and Shorei-ryu were
brought over from China. They both have similar strong points,
so, before there are too many changes, I should like to write
these down.
1. Tode is
primarily for the benefit of health. In order to protect one's
parents or one's master, it is proper to attack a foe regardless
of one's own life. Never attack a lone adversary. If one meets
a villain or a ruffian one should not use tode but simply parry
and step aside.
2. The purpose
of tode is to make the body hard like stones and iron; hands and
feet should be used like the points of arrows, hearts should be
strong and brave. If children were to practice tode from their
elementary-school days, they would be well prepared for military
service. When Wellington and Napoleon met they discussed the point
that tomorrow's victory will come from today's playground'.
3. Tode cannot
be learned quickly. Like a slow moving bull, that eventually walks
a thousand miles, if one studies seriously every day, in three
or four years one will understand what tode is about. The very
shape of one's bones will change.
Those who study as follows will discover the essence
of tode:
4. In tode
the hands and feet are important so they should be trained thoroughly
on the makiwara. In so doing drop your shoulders, open your lungs,
take hold of your strength, grip the floor with your feet and
sink your intrinsic energy to your lower abdomen. Practice with
each arm one or two hundred times.
5. When practicing
tode stances make sure your back is straight, drop your shoulders,
take your strength and put it in your legs, stand firmly and put
the intrinsic energy in your lower abdomen, the top and bottom
of which must be held together tightly.
6. The external
techniques of tode should be practiced, one by one, many times.
Because these techniques are passed on by word of mouth, take
the trouble to learn the explanations and decide when and in what
context it would be possible to use them. Go in, counter, release;
is the rule of torite.
7. You must
decide whether tode is for cultivating a healthy body or for enhancing
your duty.
8. During practice
you should imagine you are on the battle field. When blocking
and striking make the eyes glare, drop the shoulders and harden
the body. Now block the enemy's punch and strike! Always practice
with this spirit so that, when on the real battlefield, you will
naturally be prepared.
9. Do not overexert
yourself during practice because the intrinsic energy will rise
up, your face and eyes will turn red and your body will be harmed.
Be careful.
10. In the
past many of those who have mastered tode have lived to an old
age. This is because tode aids the development of the bones and
sinews, it helps the digestive organs and is good for the circulation
of the blood. Therefore, from now on, tode should become the foundation
of all sports lessons from elementary schools onward. If this
is put into practice there will, I think, be many men who can
win against ten aggressors.
The reason for stating all this is that it is my
opinion that all students at the Okinawa Prefectural Teachers'
Training College should practice tode, so that when they graduate
from here they can teach the children in the schools exactly as
I have taught them. Within ten years tode will spread all over
Okinawa and to the Japanese mainland. This will be a great asset
to our militaristic society. I hope you will carefully study the
words I have written here.
"Tode"
Sakugawa | Sokon
Matsumura | Kanryo
Higaonna | Seisho
Aragaki
<< Return to top >> |
