Riki Gi Tan Karate

Training Locations
Alexandra Hills
Birkdale
Ipswich

Short Introduction

Karate-do is a Japanese word which means "The way of the empty hand." Karate is not just a method of combat. It emphasizes self-discipline, positive attitude, and high moral purpose. It is taught professionally at many levels and under various oriental names, as self-defense, as competitive sport, and as freestyle exercise. The martial arts are over 1000 years old and originated in the Orient, specifically China. At first, the arts were used purely for training in monasteries. Later they were used as a method of self-defense by the Chinese peasants against armed bandits. Karate as we know it was developed in Okinawa, a small island off the coast of Japan. During the Japanese occupation of Okinawa, it was illegal for the Okinawans to have weapons, so they trained secretly, using their bodies and some farming tools for protection against Japanese soldiers. In Japan, there are now four main styles of Karate-do: Goju-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Shotokan, and Wando Ryu.

Shotokan
Karate was first brought to Japan by an Okinawan, Gichin Funakoshi, in 1922. Today the art is chiefly associated with Japan. In 1935, a committee of karate supporters raised enough money to build the first karate dojo in Japan. Funakoshi opened this, his first dojo in 1936. The dojo was called "Shotokan" after "Shoto", Funakoshi's pen name when writing poetry in his youth. It was at the time of the opening of his dojo that Funakoshi arranged a formal system for Kyu and Dan grades. Shotokan and other styles of karate have spread throughout the world with Shotokan being one of the most practiced styles. It is a very strong style, and has a total of 26 kata in its syllabus (not including the Taigyoku kata.) Gichin Funakoshi is considered to be the "Father of Modern Karate" by practitioners and students of not just Shotokan, but also many other styles.

Goju-Ryu
Goju-Ryu karate-do was founded in the late 1920's by Chojun Miyagi. Goju-Ryu is translated as "hard/soft style". It is a blend of two different martial arts.
Okinawa Te (the predecessor to karate) is the one identified as hard, and Shaolin Kung Fu (with an emphasis on White Crane style) is soft. However, soft does not mean weak, rather it describes the flowing or gentle techniques which require concentration to execute and are no less effective than hard techniques. Goju-Ryu is characterised by soft circular blocking techniques and quick, strong counter attacks dealt rapidly. It is a close range self defense system, practiced widely throughout the world.

Riki Gi Tan
Riki Gi Tan means "power, technique, discipline". It is a traditional karate style formed from a blend of Shotokan and Goju-Ryu styles. Riki Gi Tan uses kata, principles and techniques from both of these parent styles. From Goju-Ryu comes the circular, flowing blocks and kata such as Saifa, Seiunchin, and Sepai. Taken from Shotokan are powerful blocks and strikes and kata including the Heian series, Bassai Dai, Empi, and Kanku Dai. Many of Riki Gi Tan's techniques are used in both Shotokan and Goju-Ryu. Riki Gi Tan Karate began in 1999, founded by Sensei Alan Bess, and aims to teach traditional techniques with an emphasis on power technique and discipline.

Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi was born in Shuri, Okinawa in 1868. As a boy, he was trained by two famous masters of that time. Each trained him in a different Okinawan martial art. From Yatasune Azato he learned Shuri-te. From Yatsune Itosu, he learned Naha-te. It would be the melding of these two styles that would one day become Shotokan karate.

Funakoshi-sensei is the man who introduced karate to Japan. In 1917 he was asked to perform his martial art at a physical education exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Education. He was asked back again in 1922 for another exhibition. He was asked back a third time, but this was a special performance. He demonstrated his art for the emperor and the royal family! After this, Funakoshi-sensei decided to remain in Japan and teach and promote his art.
Gichin Funakoshi passed away in 1957 at the age of 88. Aside from creating Shotokan karate and introducing to Japan and the world, he also wrote the very book on the subject of karate, "Ryukyu Kempo: Karate-do". He also wrote "Karate-Do Kyohan" - The Master Text, the "handbook" of Shotokan and he wrote his autobiography, "Karate-Do: My Way of Life". These books and his art are a fitting legacy for this unassuming and gentle man.

This is a photo of a memorial to Gichin Funakoshi. This memorial to Master Funakoshi was erected at Enkaku-ji Temple in Kamakura in 1968. The calligraphy at the right is by the master; that at the left is by Asahina Sogen, chief priest of the temple, and reads, "Karate ni sente nashi" (There is no first attack in karate).

History of Okinawa
It is believed that Shotokan's ancestor martial art(s) came to Okinawa long ago (there are no written records that indicate any dates). From about the mid-fourteenth century, Okinawa began heavy trading with its other island and mainland neighbours. It is generally assumed that this contact with outside peoples allowed their respective fighting styles into Okinawa. Then, about five hundred years ago (1470), a ban was placed on Okinawans having weapons. Then, two hundred years later (1609), any weapons that the Okinawans did have were confiscated by the Japanese when they took control of the island. It is generally believed that Okinawa-te (which it became called), gained acceptance as a means of self-defense due to these prohibitions.

It is believed that about two hundred years ago, a man named Sakugawa, of Akata, traveled to China. When he returned to Okinawa, he was a karate (China hand) master. Also, about 150 years ago, Ku Shanku, of China, came to Okinawa to teach with some of his students. Other Okinawans were also taught by various Chinese military personnel. It is also said that Okinawans named Matsumura and Gusukuma were taught by a southern Chinese man who drifted ashore. These two men, Matsumura and Gusukuma were the men who would teach Masters Azato and Itosu, who would teach Gichin Funakoshi.

Gichin Funakoshi began studying under Azato and Itosu in 1879. In 1902, he gave histories first formal private demonstration of karate. Then, in 1903, he introduced karate into the public school system at the Men's Normal School and the Daiichi Middle School. In 1906, he gave the first public demonstration of karate in Okinawa. In 1912, karate began being taught to the Imperial Navy. In 1914, Funakoshi began giving demonstration all over Okinawa. And, by 1917, karate was ready to move into Japan.

History of karate in Japan

So, Funakoshi sensei was doing quite a lot to promote his art in his homeland of Okinawa. Word eventually made its way to Japan, which as we all know had a very rich martial history. So, in 1917, Gichin Funakoshi was invited to Japan to demonstrate his karate at the Butokuden in Kyoto.
Funakoshi continued to travel to Japan giving exhibitions, but Shotokan's "big" break came in 1922. The Japanese Ministry of Education asked Funakoshi to participate in a demonstration of ancient Japanese martial arts at the Women's Higher Normal School in Tokyo. After the demonstration, Jigaro Kano, the founder of judo, approached Gichin. He asked Funakoshi to stay longer in Japan and show him (Kano) some basic techniques.


Months later, when he next tried to leave, Funakoshi was approached by the painter Hoan Kosugi. He also wanted instruction in karate for himself and members of his artists group. So, Funakoshi again postponed returning home and began first organized teaching of karate in Japan at the Tabata Poplar Club. While teaching at Tabata, Funakoshi decided to remain in Japan. He would spend the rest of his life teaching karate to the Japanese people.
While in Japan, Funakoshi wrote the first book ever on karate. Entitled "Ryukyu Kempo: Karate". Hoan Kosugi, who is also credited with designing the Shotokan tiger, designed the book. Four years later the book was re-released with the new title "Renten Goshin Karate-jitsu". His next book, "Karate-do Kyohan" was written in 1935.


Funakoshi continued to teach and give exhibitions. In 1928, he was asked to give a demonstration for the royal family of Japan. For Funakoshi this would have been enough but of honour, but it was made all the greater because the demonstration was done on the palace grounds!
Karate's popularity continued to grow. Karate clubs had been and continued to spring up at colleges, universities and businesses throughout Japan. All this time, Funakoshi kept a dojo at the Meisei Juku. However, time and a 1923 earthquake eventually created the need for a new place to train. Funakoshi was offered to use space at the kendo hall of Hiromichi Nakayama. Eventually, Funakoshi was given another great honour. Nationwide, karate practioners chipped in to pay for the construction of a dojo dedicated to the instruction of Funakoshi's karate. In 1936, the Shoto-kan was born!
 
© 2005 - Riki Gi Tan Karate.
The Riki Gi Tan club is a brisbane / south east queensland based karate school with dojos with in the redlands shire ( capalaba & alexandra hills ), MT Gravatt & Ipswich , QLD , Australia .