Karate Lineage

[fei45]

I have been researching the history of karate (lineage from koei-kan karatedo style that I'm currently training under) and this is the tree I have came up with, with notes and other points of interest I have gathered in my search.

The links above Kyoda Juhastu and Toyama Kanken apply to many systems and the link above them apply to all of karate almost (Kanryo and Anko), so many should be able to gain from this diagram and possibly help me solidify some of the links and add some more teachers.

It is a very detailed/extensive Visio diagram (exported as an jpg), that can be confusing at first, but because of the student-teacher relationship and lack of birth dates for all, it is difficult to organize. Also many "relationships" are rumors at best, but I like to keep them, and bold the lines that are confirmed or have more evidence to support them. Please take a look and link me to any additional information (or post your thoughts below) that might be additional teachers or any information on lines that are completely false. Feel free to contact me also -> getquaked at gmail dot com

please see link for picture. http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5527/karatefullprojectsubmitmr7.jpg

[I love history and I love karate :) ]

[fei45]

For easier searching/using the links in the file:

Bubishi: The Bible of Karate – Pat McCarthy (1995)
http://www.koryu-uchinadi.com/
Onishi Enzo - http://www.maotw.com/gmg/k/koeikan.html
koei kan offical site - http://koeikan.com/History.aspx
Mark Bishop – Okinawa Karate history
karate history - http://maxpages.com/hakudaryu/Okinawan_Te
History/Kata/masters - http://www.msisshinryu.com/
pre-1800s history - http://www.holbrookkarate.com/History.php
History of karate - http://www.karateshorinkan.com/history.php
Yara/Sakugawa/Kusanku/etc - http://www.geocities.com/karatejmh/masters.htm
Bodhidharma/major other figures - http://www.tmadragons.com/history.html
Bodhidharma - http://taipei.tzuchi.org.tw/tzquart/99winter/qw17.htm
Indian Martial Arts - http://www.lionsroar.name/indian_kalari_martial_arts.htm
History/Kata - http://www.shotokai.com/shotokaiforum/viewtopic.php?t=81
Kata/Mabuni Kenwai linege - http://www.sanshin-kan.com/KarateTeachersLineage.aspx
Kata history - http://www.toriidojousa.com/kata.html
Kata history - http://www.angelfire.com/sk/budokai/Katainfo.html
Kanryo - http://www.bushikan.com/Karate/KarateHistory.htm
RYU RYU KO - http://www.usadojo.com/biographies/ryu-ryu-ko.htm
Kushanku - http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/kushanku_to_view_the_sky/
Wong chung Yoh/Yara/History - http://www.tjska.com/shotokan_tree.html
Yara - http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/chatan_yara/
Higa/Yara/Takahara/Kusanku - http://www.kobudokwai.sk/History_1.htm
Arakaki Ankichi/http://www.shimakarate.com/sensei_kim.shtml
Kojo Tatei/Aragaki Seisho - http://www.wakefieldmeibukan.com/Biblio/kojo.htm
History of Goju ryu - http://www.geocities.com/goshingojuryu/history.html
Goju ryu history - http://www.iogkfoz.com/iogkfoz/history.aspx
Toyama Kanken - http://www.shudokan.jp/newpage10.html
Kanryu vs Kanryo - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higaonna_Kanryu
Tons Random info - http://www.e-budo.com/forum/archive/index.php/f-46.html
Kobudo history - http://www.karatekobudo.com/kobudo/kobudohistory.htm
Various Wikipedia links / google searches.
Belt system - http://www.all-karate.com/125/history-of-karate-belt-colors
Shaolin temple hist - http://www.shaolin.com/HistoryContent.aspx
Karate /Kobudo/ Kata (great site) - http://www.butokukai.info/phpwcms/
Matsu Higa/Hama Higa/Jigen ryu - http://www.e-budo.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-21000.html
Gokenki - http://www.goju-ryu.info/Misc/Hakutsuru/tabid/56/Default.aspx
Gokenki - http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Bleachers/6758/s_pagina5.htm

[Geoff]

That is really cool. I'll have to spend some time looking through it carefully over the next few days. A true labor of love, I'd say. When you finish are you going to offer the file for public use or sell copies? Either way I'd be interested in speaking with you (pm).

[JS3]

Fred,
You should look into this software http://www.personalbrain.com/
It's great for bringing together all sorts of information.

[fei45]

I will definitely offer the file for public use (it already kind of is, just only editable by me right now) and I would never sell it in anyway. I had the idea to start a lineage tree and got carried away and just cant stop, too interesting :). It is interesting how so many major figures are connected in some way to 1 person.

I am working on kata history, trying to solidify links from katas and known creators/teachers of the kata, the file is a work in progress but I will upload updated versions when I find new info or am told things by people. I'm mostly concerned with karate Masters born before 1900, as the amount of students for each teacher explodes after WW1/2.

Thanks all.

[Joseph Svinth]

Fred --

Something to think about is adding something about the quality of the reference. For instance, dates for Gichin Funakoshi are really good. Indeed, you could probably do a horoscope. On the other hand, the Southern Shaolin Temple is, in all probability, a popular legend associated with various secret societies (e.g., what you'd know today as Chinese Freemasons, etc.). Its inclusion in the karate stories confirms that these systems are based, at least in part, in Southern Shaolin, but I don't think that comes as any great revelation to anyone...

[fei45]

Black lines are more evidence based
Blue are internet sources
Orange are style links, not direct teacher-student (or in the case of Obi, judogi, kyu/dan, etc)

I agree on the Shaolin temple, but I think their is a weak link to the temples in some way, as we know many Okinawans went to China to train. I realized, after much research and working on this visual, that my approach should be more scholarly, but through the slow clean up process I will organize my sources more maybe.

[fei45]

Updated file: http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4793/karatefullproject11109rp9.jpg

(strange that you can't edit posts on this thread... :( )

[Shikiyanaka]

Ok, but where am I????

Just kidding. Hey, you did a great work, both technically and historically. Keep it up!!! :)

[fei45]

anyone do a deep analysis / any comments on content of the image?