The first written records of Asian martial arts are found in India. Their martial art was called Virami (vee rah me), or Vijramusthi (veej ra moosht hee). Virami means “warrior’s methods” and was standard training for the Kshatriya or warrior cast. Its empty handed techniques included striking, kicking, joint locks […]
Many of the members of the Kshatriya or warrior’s class in India become monks. Indian Virami, “warrior method”, was taken with the monks who traveled to China to teach Buddhism. Specific names and dates are not reliable, although some accounts claim that Buddhism was first transmitted from India to China […]
Geographically, Okinawa is in close proximity to Taiwan and mainland China, so a lot of trade and cultural exchange took place between those countries. Chinese tradesmen and diplomats often visited Okinawa and brought Chuan-fa, “fist methods” with them. The modern idea that Karatedo, earlier called Tode, was developed by poor […]
Sensei Toyama in Japan In 1930 Kanken Toyama left Taiwan, returned to Okinawa briefly, and then moved to mainland Japan and on March 20th, 1930 established his home and dojo in the Shimo Meguro district of Tokyo. Toyama’s home was in an “L” shape. The short part of the “L” […]
In 1967 Hanshi 10 Dan Isao Ichikawa moved permanently to Vienna, Austria. Soon after that he was joined by his brother, Shihan Nobuo Ichikawa, and together they founded Karatedo Doshinkan. Thus began a new era of traditional Karatedo. Hanshi Isao Ichikawa & Shihan Nobuo Ichikawa (1970) People have gone to […]
Starting in 1970 the founders of Karatedo Doshinkan, Hanshi Isao Ichikawa and Shihan Nobuo Ichikawa, began visiting the United States to teach. Many people who had studied other forms of Karatedo for many years quickly recognized their Karatedo as the most authentic and far reaching that they had ever seen, […]
Overview We cannot learn Karatedo from a book, but we can learn ABOUT it from books. We do not need to learn about Karatedo history in order to derive the many benefits of Karatedo Doshinkan training. It is best if we spend most of our Karatedo time just training! Assuming […]
