Itosu Ankō
糸洲 安恒
Born
1831, Shuri, Okinawa
Died
1915-03-11, Shuri, Okinawa
Teachers (1)
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Matsumura Sōkonsports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedIndependent sources state it.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkIndependent sources state it.“In a 1934 article, Funakoshi noted that Asato and Itosu had studied karate together under Sōkon Matsumura.”
“It is generally accepted that Itosu trained under the great bushi Matsumura.”
“Following the death of Matsumura, his students made further changes to the style. For example, one of these students, Itosu Anko (also known as Itosu Yasutsune, 1831–1915) created the five Pinan kata”
Students (8)
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Motobu Chōkisports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Motobu was invited at age 12 with his brother to be taught karate by Ankō Itosu and studied under him for seven or eight years; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Itosu was hired at the Motobu Udundi when Motobu was 12 (kazoe)The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.(1882–1890)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Motobu was invited at age 12 with his brother to be taught karate by Ankō Itosu and studied under him for seven or eight years; the Motobu-ryu official history confirms Itosu was hired at the Motobu Udundi when Motobu was 12 (kazoe) -
Kyan Chōtoku
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkGeoffrey Gaudion's account states Chofu Kyan asked three masters - Sokon Matsumura, Anko Itosu and Pechin Oyadomari - to teach his son; the Itosu connection appears only in this source, hence probable -
Kenwa Mabunisports_martial_artsKarate ConfirmedConfirmedIndependent sources state it.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.(1902–1915)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkIndependent sources state it.“Kenwa Mabuni was a student of both Higaonna and Yasutsune Itosu. Mabuni founded the style of Shito Ryu that preserved the teachings of both Higaonna and Itosu”
“Mabuni Kenwa (1889–1952), who combined the Naha di of Higashionna with the Shuri di of Itosu Anko to create the Shito Ryu.”
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Kentsū Yabusports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedThe peer-reviewed Svinth article cites Dave Lowry stating Yabu's teacher was Anko Itosu; corroborated by Tanzadeh and the Karate Page, which notes Yabu acted as Itosu's shihan-daiThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkThe peer-reviewed Svinth article cites Dave Lowry stating Yabu's teacher was Anko Itosu; corroborated by Tanzadeh and the Karate Page, which notes Yabu acted as Itosu's shihan-dai -
Hanashiro Chōmosports_martial_artsShuri-te ProbableProbableThe Wikidata P1066 claim links Hanashiro to Anko Itosu, and the EN article frames Hanashiro as Itosu's assistant until Itosu's death in 1915 - an assistantship that implies close tutelage but is not explicitly a teacher-student relationshipThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkThe Wikidata P1066 claim links Hanashiro to Anko Itosu, and the EN article frames Hanashiro as Itosu's assistant until Itosu's death in 1915 - an assistantship that implies close tutelage but is not explicitly a teacher-student relationship -
Gusukuma Shinpansports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Gusukuma began the study of karate with Anko Itosu at the age of thirteen; corroborated by his student Seikichi Iha's Fighting Arts interview describing Gusukuma's Itosu-derived lineageThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.(1903)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Gusukuma began the study of karate with Anko Itosu at the age of thirteen; corroborated by his student Seikichi Iha's Fighting Arts interview describing Gusukuma's Itosu-derived lineage“Among his students were Yoki Uema (1920 - 2011, founder of Shorin-Ryu Shubukan), Seiichi Iju (who was the first teacher of Shuguro Nakazato, the founder of Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan, and who taught the latter the kata Gojushiho), Seitoku Ishikawa (1925 - 2013) and Seikichi Iha (born in 1932).”
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Funakoshi Gichinsports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedIndependent sources state it, including Funakoshi's own account.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkIndependent 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.”
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”
“Asato and Itosu were among the instructors of Funakoshi Gichin (1868–1957), who in turn was one of the pioneers of karate in Japan.”
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Chibana Chōshinsports_martial_artsShuri-te ConfirmedConfirmedEN Wikipedia states Chibana began his study of martial arts under Anko Itosu in 1899 at about age 15 and trained under him for thirteen years until he turned 28; the Kata Step by Step biography of Chibana confirms the 1899 start and thirteen years of trainingThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.Uchi-deshi (1899–1912)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkEN Wikipedia states Chibana began his study of martial arts under Anko Itosu in 1899 at about age 15 and trained under him for thirteen years until he turned 28; the Kata Step by Step biography of Chibana confirms the 1899 start and thirteen years of training“Chibana began his formal martial arts training under Itosu Ankō in 1899, at the age of fifteen [...] continuing his training until he was 28. After Itosu's passing at the age of 85, Chibana continued his practice independently for another five years before opening his first dojo.”
Honours (1)
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receipt_longpechin ProbableProbableLow-rank Ryūkyūan Pechin (samurai class) as documented in Wikipedia biographyThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.Title
Sources
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6B
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Itosu Ankō. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6B - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6B, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Itosu Ankō}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KJJAWN29MA64W22606R3WD6B}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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