Itosu Anko

[Muwubu16858]

I haven't been on here for a while, and not to rant, but I just want to understand why everyone who writes about Itosu Anko on a karate related website mentions he was a student of Matsumura Sokon? It is clear as day that he was not. Reading Funakoshi's books, he names Itosu as a student of Gusukuma(Shiroma), who was from Tomari, where most of Itosu's kata had their origin. It was also known that his first teacher was Nagahama of Naha, which explains his methodology in training the body to resist impact. Also to note, another Karateka who was a rival of Funakoshi, Motobu Choki, agreed that Matsumura did not train Itosu. So why does this lie keep perpetuating everywhere? Thanks for listening. Discuss...

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Lie, or mistake?

I don't have a dog in your fight. Don't know, don't care. But you seem to be looking to pick a fight by calling out anonymous websites as liars. Maybe it could be worded in a less confrontational manner?

 

[hoshin1600]

Would you care to save me some time and tell me which book Funakoshi says that Itosu was a student of Gusukuma? I have all his books and want to look this up myself.

 

[Muwubu16858]

Bill,

Wasn't meant to be confrontational, more to shift the mode of thinking. I could have worded it better! But in general, most karate org.'s in the world that are of Itosu's lineage propogate that he is Matsumura's student.

Hoshin,
Both of his old Karate-jitsu books from the 20's and his Karate-do Kyohan in the beginning history section, it reads in english roughly that Azato followed the line of Matsumura while Itosu followed the line of Gusukuma. It also names many other great Karate ka and whom they learned from as well.

 

[punisher73]

I would say just an honest mistake somewhere in the past, and as with many things the mistake gets repeated enough it is just quoted as truth. There are many things like that in martial arts history.