Teachers (2)
-
person
Asato Ankō
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Independent sources state it, including Funakoshi's own account.
“Anko Asato (安里 安恒, Asato Ankō, Azato Yasutsune in Japanese, 1827 – 1906) was a
Ryūkyūan master of karate. He and Ankō Itosu were the two main karate masters
who taught Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate.”
— Ankō Asato - Wikipedialink
visibilityFirst-hand
““When I studied under Master Azato, considered to be the greatest karate expert
of his time, I was his only student; and when I trained under Master Itosu, he
had very few students”
— Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and
the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional
Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo
“Asato and Itosu were among the instructors of Funakoshi Gichin (1868–1957), who
in turn was one of the pioneers of karate in Japan.”
— Green, Thomas A.; Svinth, Joseph R.. (2010).
Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation
info
-
Itosu Ankō
sports_martial_artsShuri-te
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Independent sources state it, including Funakoshi's own account.
“Anko Asato (安里 安恒, Asato Ankō, Azato Yasutsune in Japanese, 1827 – 1906) was a
Ryūkyūan master of karate. He and Ankō Itosu were the two main karate masters
who taught Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate.”
— Ankō Asato - Wikipedialink
visibilityFirst-hand
““When I studied under Master Azato, considered to be the greatest karate expert
of his time, I was his only student; and when I trained under Master Itosu, he
had very few students”
— Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and
the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional
Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo
“Asato and Itosu were among the instructors of Funakoshi Gichin (1868–1957), who
in turn was one of the pioneers of karate in Japan.”
— Green, Thomas A.; Svinth, Joseph R.. (2010).
Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia of History and Innovation
info
Member of (1)
-
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
“This group included Gichin Funakoshi, Chojo Oshiro, Chomo Hanashiro, Chotoku
Kyan, Chojun Miyagi, Kenwa Mabuni, Go Ken Ki [Wu Xiangui] (Chinese Master of
White Crane Boxing), Kentsu Yabu, Chuhatso [Juhatsu] Kyoda, and Moden Yabiku.”
— Cramer, Mark I.. (2018). The History of Karate and
the Masters Who Made It: Development, Lineages, and Philosophies of Traditional
Okinawan and Japanese Karate-doinfo
Students (13)
-
Mas Oyama
sports_martial_artsKarate
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Wikipedia confirms Oyama studied Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi at Takushoku
University for two years
“Oyama later attended Takushoku University in Tokyo and was accepted as a
student at the dojo of Gichin Funakoshi where he trained for two years.”
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Mas Oyama -
Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link
history
info
-
Choi Hong-hi
sports_martial_artsShotokan
Doubtfulbalance
(1937–1942)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Wikipedia reports Choi's claim, but Funakoshi's own attendance and
promotion records, checked by scholars, show no occurrence of Choi
“Choi also claimed to have learned Shotokan karate under Funakoshi Gichin”
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Choi Hong-hi.
Wikipedia (English)link
history
info
blockdisputes
search_offNegative
“At that time, Funakoshi kept accurate records of attendance and promotions, and
there have been no occurences found by scholars of Choi in those records.”
— Jeffries, Andy. (2023). Opinion piece: Choi
Hong-hi, founder or fraudsterlink
history
info
-
Tsutomu Ohshima
sports_martial_artsShotokan
Probable
(1948–1953)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Ohshima trained directly under Gichin Funakoshi at Waseda University from 1948
to 1953 and was promoted by him; extensively documented
“Ohshima began studying karate in 1948, while a student at Waseda University.
There, he trained under Shotokan's founder, Gichin Funakoshi”
-
Taira Shinken
sports_martial_artsKarate
Confirmed
(1922)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Taira was introduced to Gichin Funakoshi in Tokyo in 1922 and studied karate
under him
“introduced to Gichin Funakoshi, a fellow Okinawan and karate instructor”
“Funakoshi Sensei was already well versed in the Bo and the Sai and may have
encouraged Taira Sensei in his studies”
— Shinken Taira - JKR-UKlink
-
person
Ōtsuka Hironori
sports_martial_artsKarate
Probable
(1922)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Well documented in the Wado-ryu Wikipedia article: met Funakoshi in 1922,
trained under him and was among his first promoted black belts in 1924,
assistant instructor in his Shotokan school by 1927
“In 1922, he met Gichin Funakoshi and began to train under him.”
“In 1924, Ōtsuka became one of the first students promoted to black belt in
karate by Funakoshi.”
-
Mochizuki Minoru
sports_martial_artsKarate
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
expand_more
fact_check
First-person account in the Karaté-Bushido interview: three months of Gichin
Funakoshi's courses in Tokyo, though Mochizuki adds he does not really
consider himself Funakoshi's student; corroborated by the Hiroo Mochizuki
interview and Black Belt magazine
visibilityFirst-hand
“à Tokyo, j'ai suivi pendant 3 mois les cours de Gichin Funakoshi sensei,
mais je ne me considère pas réellement comme son élève.”
— Bénoliel, P.. (1987). Minoru Mochizuki - entretien
(Karaté-Bushido no. 139, septembre 1987, pp. 28-35)info
“Elève de Jigoro Kano, qui l'avait envoyé apprendre l'aïkido auprès de
Morihei Ueshiba, Minoru Mochizuki avait aussi travaillé avec Gichin Funakoshi.
[...] Mais il se trouvait un peu faible du point de vue des atémis, qu'il
avait pourtant étudié avec Funakoshi”
visibilityFirst-hand
“Minoru Mochizuki holds the distinction of being the only living man to have
studied with aikido founder Morihei Uyeshiba, judo founder Jigoro Kano, and
"the father of Japanese karate," Gichin Funakoshi.”
— A Man of Many Budo (interview with Minoru
Mochizuki), Black Belt, Aug 1989.link
-
Masatoshi Nakayama
sports_martial_artsShotokan
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Multiple sources confirm Nakayama learned karate under Gichin Funakoshi, the
founder of Shotokan, at Takushoku University
“Nakayama entered Takushoku University in 1932 to study Chinese language, and
began learning karate under Gichin Funakoshi and his son Yoshitaka (also known
as Gigō).”
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Masatoshi Nakayama
- Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link
history
info
“Upon entering Takushoku University in 1932, Master Nakayama immediately joined
the university's karate club, studying under Master Funakoshi Gichin and one
of the master's sons, Funakoshi Yoshitaka.”
— Japan Karate Association. Master Nakayama Masatoshi
- Japan Karate Associationlink
history
info
-
person
Konishi Yasuhiro
sports_martial_artsKarate
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Japanese Wikipedia states Konishi learned karate from Funakoshi Gichin, meeting
him in June 1925
“1925年（大正14年）6月、船越義珍と出会った事により、ようやく唐手を学ぶ事ができた。”
— Japanese Wikipedia article on Konishi Yasuhiro
link
history
“When he [Konishi] met Funakoshi Gichin in June 1925, he was finally able to
learn Karate. However, since its contents was only Kata, together with Ōtsuka
Hironori 大塚博紀 (1892–1982, founder of Wadō-ryū Karate-dō and Jūjutsu Kenpō) who
was also a disciple of Funakoshi, Konishi began to devise Yakusoku Kumite 約束組手
and the like. Later Konishi studied Karate with Motobu Chōki and Mabuni Kenwa.”
— Ryukyu Bugei website
link
-
Kimura Masahiko
sports_martial_artsKarate
Probable
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Kimura's autobiography mentions studying Shorinji-ryu (Shotokan) under
Funakoshi Gichin for over 2 years
“Later on, I [ed. Kimura] got interested in karate, and learned Shorinji-ryu
(Note: today’s Shotokan karate) under the guidance of Master Funakoshi for a
little over 2 years.”
— 'My Judo' by Masahiko Kimura, His Story
& Vision in His Own Words Part 1 (BJJ EE)link
-
Hirokazu Kanazawa
sports_martial_artsShotokan
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
Well-documented across multiple sources that Kanazawa learned directly from
Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan, and was one of the last living karateka
to have done so
“Kanazawa also learned from the founder of the Shotokan style, Gichin Funakoshi,
and was one of the last living karateka (practitioners of karate) to have done
so.”
— Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Hirokazu Kanazawa -
Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (English)link
history
info
“A direct student of Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan karate”
— Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation.
Hirokazu Kanazawa Soke - Shotokan Karate-Do International Federation
link
history
info
-
Hidetaka Nishiyama
sports_martial_artsShotokan
Probable
(1943–1950)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Nishiyama trained under Gichin Funakoshi at the Shotokan honbu dojo from 1943;
extensively documented
“began training in Shotokan karate at the art's honbu dojo (headquarters
training hall) under its founder, Gichin Funakoshi.”
-
Funakoshi Gigō
sports_martial_artsKarate
Probable
(1918)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
Son and student of Gichin Funakoshi, well-documented family relationship
“He was sickly as a child and began the formal study of karate-do at the age of
twelve as a means to improve his health.[4] In the early years, Gichin Funakoshi
often took Gigo with him to his trainings with Yasutsune Itosu”
— Gigō Funakoshi - Wikipedialink
-
Egami Shigeru
sports_martial_artsKarate
Confirmed
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
expand_more
fact_check
The Shotokai Encyclopedia and English Wikipedia, two independent sources, both
directly state Egami was Funakoshi's student
“Egami met Master Funakoshi when he was 18 years old, the moment he began
studying at the famous Waseda University, there he helped to establish its
Karate Do Club. [...] He followed his Master together with Yoshitaka Funakoshi
and Takeshi Shimoda all around Japan staging exhibitions, trying to expand the
knowledge of Karate-do as a Japanese martial art.”
— Master Shigeru Egami, O-sensei’s successor
(1912-1981) (Shotokai Encyclopedia)link
“He was a student of Gichin Funakoshi, who is widely recognized as the founder
of modern karate.”
Honours (1)
-
receipt_longRenshi (錬士) in karate-jutsu, Dai Nippon Butoku Kai
Renshi
Probable
Title (1939-07 (昭和14年7月))
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
expand_more
fact_check
The Japanese Wikipedia article cites the Butoku Kai's own register of
hanshi, kyoshi and renshi holders (1941) at page 388, and names his son Gikō as
co-recipient.
“昭和14年（1939年）7月、大日本武徳會より船越義珍と三男の船越義豪が空手術錬士の称号を受有した”
Sources
Shoshin Nagamine. (1976). Tales of Okinawan Grand Masters (Shoshin
Nagamine)info
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1VB
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Funakoshi Gichin. In Martialis: Martial
Arts Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1VB - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1VB, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Funakoshi Gichin}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage
Database}, year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN28MWKKSN4J02MVY1VB}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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