Karate-Do: My Way of Life

A must read, for anyone wanting to learn more about Karate.

This book is said to be the auto-biography of master Gichin Funakoshi. In his book Funakoshi describes how he was introduced to karate, how he had to sneak to his master, because Karate was forbidden by the Government. He tells short stories that happened to him (like: being attacked by thieves) and how useful Karate turned out to be through his life. As the title says, Funakoshi's idea was that Karate trains your body and mind and is thus a way of life. Karate in his opinion is not about fighting. At the back of the book he even points out that winning 100 of 100 battles is not as praiseworthy as subduing an enemy without fighting. Karate is not fighting, it is a martial art. It is not about being strong and though against others, but against oneself. If you believe that Karate is a fighting sport. If you believe that the tournaments and winning is all what this art is about, by all means avoid this book, for you will not understand its message. If however you are really open-minded and understand what I wrote above, you are up for an interesting read. And I believe that every Karateka should be interested in the origin of the art. That is what you will find here. No techniques, fighting guidelines and things like this. Just the interesting stories of a gentle and reasonable Taoist that Funakoshi was.

SHAME ON ME! I wrote a poor review on this product thinking I had purchased it new. In looking into my order i see it is a used copy of the book. It is in really good condition for being used. Sorry for my poor review!

Having practiced karate for just under two years, I thought this book would help me better to understand the true meaning of karate. I knew that commitment, respect, endurance, strength, etc. were all values, but after reading this book about the life of Gichin Funakoshi, it has really opened my eyes to what karate really is. First and foremost, this is an autobiography. It isn't an action book full of stories of fighting and taking down the bad guys. It's a foray into his life, how he feels about karate, and what it has meant to him and his family. He tells of his successes and failures, tips for healthy living and longevity, and most of all, what karate means to him. Gichin Funakoshi was responsible for bringing karate to mainland Japan, which allowed it to spread throughout the world following World War II. In this book, he brings new meaning to all of those sayings and phrases that you see pasted throughout dojos all over the country, like spirit, tranquility, and respect. I think anyone involved in any martial art, especially karate, should read this book. I'm glad I did, and it is definitely something I'll read again in the future.

Gichin Funakoshi wrote this book very late in his life, and as such, it reads a bit like having a conversation with an old man. There appear to be details that have been ommitted, and some of those that are included are questionable, but time has a way of doing that to memory. The book does give some insight into how karate was taught and learned prior to being exported to Japan, and thus the rest of the world, in the early 20th century. I think it the book also conveys well how that karate transitioned into what we practice today through its introduction into the school curriculum and its subsequent export. In the essays and short stories that make up the book, Funakoshi also details his opinions as to how one should live his or her life and how that life is improved through the practice of karate and the values instilled in one through practice. As brief history of karate and a window into how the old-timers thought and trained, I think this book is well worth a read.

If you are a practitioner of Okinawan karate any style past or present, you should read this book. It was very interesting and I really enjoyed reading about him. It’s not a very long book and it’s well written.

This is a great book for anyone taking Shotokan Karate. This is more of an autobiography on Funakoshi. I think his life is very interesting. He tells of how he was a very sick boy but became 100 times healthier through his study of karate. This book gives his philosophy on the way he lived his life. He reminds us that everybody starts out as a beginner and the true nature of what karate really is. Anyone can learn karate, there is nothing super human about it. If you are interested in the origins of karate and how Shotokan became organized and introduced to the world, then this would be a great book for you. It's an easy read and very much enlightening.

Great book, OSS!

Tenia muchos años buscando está obra para mi hermano, una agradable sorpresa el haberlo encontrado

Karate Do : My way of life As the title suggests , discipline , routine ,mind control ; Book written by Ginchin FUNAKOSHI , who was the founder of Shotokan Karate-Do.The book gives insight into the era , the lifestyle , karate , struggle , biography,philosophy etc. The book is both about the art and spirituality. Very compact. Printed in South Korea by Dai Nippon Printing Co , LTD. Publisher is Kodansha. Nice packing and delivery on time. Thank you.

This book is short but content rich. In it Funakoshi tells the story of his early life, of his beginning to study Karate and then his pursuit to expand it as an art. Funakoshis style is very simple and clear, understated and humble, but none the less full of meaning. His personality oozes through each paragraph. He provides perspectives on karate and the way he sees is the correct approach to the art. He relates many stories about his studies, including a moment of grandeur when he stands on his house roof in a typhoon or when his master stares down a bunch of thugs rather than electing to fight them. It is clear Funakoshi took great pride in how his students perpetuated the art he developed, and he also relates some more emotional moments; such as financial poverty and visiting a Japanese war memorial with the commandant of the US air base it is within. Not quite the political or world figure Jigoro Kano was he none the less made a profound contribution to the world in developing his Ryu of karate and this book illustrates that journey. A good read for anyone interested in karate philosophy, how Shotokan karate was developed, and in the life of Gichin Funakoshi.

Gichin Funakoshi foi o artista marcial, poeta e educador responsável por levar o Karatê da ilha de Okinawa para o Japão, estabelecendo as bases doutrinais e técnicas mais importantes para a consolidação desta arte no século XX. Neste livro, Funakoshi disserta livremente, de modo semi-cronológico, sobre uma quantidade relevante de episódios de sua própria biografia, trazendo-nos informações relevantes sobre a história do Karatê. Podemos destacar algumas dessas informações. A região em que se encontra Okinawa, conhecida como as Ilhas de Ryukyu, sofreu em 1609 uma invasão das tropas de Shimazu, Daimyo de Satsuma, que estabeleceu um decreto de banimento de armas para todos os cidadãos. Os chamados “shizoku”, de classe mais abastada, começaram a praticar em sigilo, no entanto, certas técnicas marciais originadas na China, dada a forte influência da cultura deste país nas Ilhas Ryukyu, por conta de suas importantes relações comerciais com a província de Fukien, ao sul da China. Acredita-se que os “shizoku” praticavam o “kempo” (ou boxe) chinês e que deste tenha se originado o Karatê, cujo nome é composto pelo caractere chinês “kara” (que se refere à dinastia Tang e significa “China”) e o kanji “te” (que significa “mão”) – portanto, “mãos chinesas”. Funakoshi nos fala que é possível que esta arte marcial tenha sido praticada em conjunto com outra arte original das ilhas, chamada Okinawate, mas não há certeza histórica. Posteriormente, os dois tipos de “te” ou artes marciais praticadas em Okinawa seriam conhecidas como “Shurite” e “Nawate”, em referências às suas cidades de origem, Shuri e Nawa. Funakoshi nos fala também sobre a sua juventude no início da Era Meiji, no qual mesmo a prática de qualquer “te” era proibida, o que o levava a aprender de maneira clandestina junto a dois mestres que ainda se mantinham ativos, Azato e Itosu. As descrições que Funakoshi faz destes treinos ressaltam a relevância dos “kata” para a formação rigorosa do praticante: estes são entendidos como acervos de técnicas puras, sequenciadas em uma performance de combate simulado, e que devem ser repetidas de modo disciplinado, cuidadoso e contínuo, para serem dominadas no curso de anos. Em momentos posteriores, quando a proibição havia caído, Funakoshi nos fala sobre a visita do reverenciado mestre do Judô Kodokan, Jigoro Kano, a Okinawa e das apresentações cerimoniais de Karatê que foram feitas como parte de sua recepção. Sua boa impressão da arte é parte do cenário que leva Funakoshi a iniciar uma campanha exitosa de apresentação do Karatê no Japão, a partir de Tóquio. O que vem a partir daí é história: Funakoshi opta (com certo interesse nacionalista) por substituir o caracter “kara” original, que, como dito, significa “China”, por um kanji homófono que significa “vazio”. De “mãos chinesas”, portanto, passamos a “mãos vazias”. Do mesmo modo, o mestre se dedica a tornar o Karatê um instrumento educativo sério e profundo, adaptável ao sistema escolar japonês e apropriado para a formação mesmo de crianças e jovens. Ele quer, portanto, tornar o Karatê um “do” ou “caminho”. Dessas duas transformações, temos a conhecida nomenclatura “Karatê-Dô” ou “caminho das mãos vazias”. O livro nos fala sobre diversas fases importantes do trabalho de difusão e consolidação desta arte no Japão como um todo: sua entrada nas universidades, em escolas de segmentos anteriores da educação, a proliferação de dojos país afora, a atenção estrangeira sendo despertada… sempre nos oferecendo, com isso, perspectivas éticas profundas sobre como deve se portar o seu praticante – com lealdade, honradez, nobreza e esforço contínuo para se evitar a aplicação do Karatê em situações de conflito etc. Entende-se, então, que o Karatê entre em conflitos de vida ou morte e não como solução para disputas menores. Ele deve ser, por isso, resguardado. Há ainda espaço para uma bela narrativa sobre as origens do chamado estilo “Shotokan”, que advém do pseudônimo utilizado por Funakoshi quando ele escrevia seus poemas de juventude, “Shoto”, e o sufixo “kan”, que significa “estilo”. Trata-se de uma leitura fácil, agradável, enriquecedora, que envolve e entretém com facilidade. E que é recomendável não apenas ao praticante de Karatê, mas a qualquer interessado em cultura oriental em geral.

和書を読んだ後に読むことで、英語での表現が学べ大変参考になりました。