“There is so much more to karate living than mere punching and kicking.”
The Style of Jyoshinmon Shorin-Ryu was founded by SooShihan Hoshu Ikeda in 1969. The basis of Jyoshinmon is very old, Soke Hoshu Ikeda, having based his teachings on those of Kyan Chotoku. A master who lived between 1870 and 1945, Kyan is considered to be the founder of the Shobayashi branch of Shorin-Ryu. Of the three areas in Okinawa that can be attributed with the creation of "styles" in karate, Jyoshinmon is influenced mainly by Shuri-Te (The style practised in Shuri), and Tomari-Te.
So Shihan Hoshu Ikeda
Soke Hoshu Ikeda first learnt karate under the guidance of Tamotsu Isamu, who had in turn learnt from both Shimbukuro Zenryo and Nakazato Jyoen. After many years of earning from Tamotsu Isamu, he decided to seek information from the source, and travelled to Okinawa where he proceeded to learn from both Shimabukuro and Nakazato.
By this time he had learnt many different kata, and wished to learn why there were so many different versions of the same kata within Shorin-Ryu. To this end he studied many different styles under more than 20 different masters in Okinawa as well as travelling to China to study the origins of karate. It was during this time that he studied the teachings of Kyan Chotoku and found out as much about him as he could. It was the teachings of Kyan Chotoku that Soke Hoshu Ikeda felt were best suited to his personal beliefs.
Shorin Ryu is one of the oldest styles of Okinawan Karate. Occasionally, the name of the village, or town of a particular master was added to the name of the style, or system. Joshinmon Shorin Ryu was named based on Grand Master Hoshu Ikeda’s philosophy that,
“You cannot teach karate as a means for harming another man. This would be out of harmony with Nature. But you can teach karate as a way to stop men from harming you, or each other, thereby restoring harmony to Nature.”
“Joshin”, translates to “peace”, or “tranquility;” “mon” translates to “gate”, or “pathway.” Joshinmon, then is “The Gateway to Tranquility.” Naming the system involved Master Ikeda’s considerations of the Zen philosophies. Master Ikeda’s deeply religious beliefs lead him to the conclusion that for any endeavor to succeed, including teaching karate, one must be completely in tune with all living things around them. In short, one must be in harmony with the universe.
Grand Master Hoshu Ikeda was born in China to Japanese parents. When he was twelve years old, the family returned to Japan, where Mr. Ikeda began his study of Shorin Ryu Karate. His training led him to Okinawa where he learned Matsumura Shorin Ryu (Tomari-te). He studied Okinawan Shorin Ryu and Shorinji Ryu and his lineage can be traced to Shorinji Ryu Karate-Do founder Soke Isamu Tamotsu (1919-2000), President of Renshinkan Karate in Kagoshima, Japan and to the Okinawan Master Chotoku Kyan, one of the greatest and father of most of the existing karate styles.
As a young man, Mr. Ikeda devoted himself to his art. When practice was over for the rest of the class, Mr. Ikeda stayed behind, working on kata, or punching the Makiwara. Although his zeal and enthusiasm impressed his sensei at the time, Mr. Ikeda was often asked politely to leave the dojo in the late hours of the night. He began training back when the dojo was usually just a barren room at the sensei’s home. Even when he was not at the dojo, Mr. Ikeda could be found punching and kicking away anywhere he went. It soon became obvious to his family, friends and sensei that Mr. Ikeda would someday be a leader in the world of Karate. Today, Grand Master Hoshu Ikeda has one of the top Karate systems in the world.
"Certain traditional teachings gave us karate.
Certain Generations accepted karate,
certain people gave life to karate,
to what reason?
That is up to the people’s need.
However, karate needs to be traditional
to be called karate.
When technique is denied, then it can’t
be called karate."
Certain Generations accepted karate,
certain people gave life to karate,
to what reason?
That is up to the people’s need.
However, karate needs to be traditional
to be called karate.
When technique is denied, then it can’t
be called karate."
