The life of Supreme Master Gishin Funakoshi was the starting point of the art of karate. He changed the name of the art from "karate-jutsu" to "karate-do", established the five dojo precepts, and through his magnificent philosophy of karate became the torchbearer of spiritual culture. The following are the main events in Master Funakoshi´s life. Funakoshi was born the son of a samurai in 1870 (3rd year of Meiji), in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture. Because he was very physically weak he took up karate (at that time still the typically Ryukyuan art of self-defence) to strengthen his body. In 1913 (2nd year of Taisho) he became Chairman of the Okinawa Shobu Kai, and in 1922 (eleventh year of Taisho) he gave the first public performance of karate at a physical education exhibition sponsored by the Ministry of Education. This evoked great public interest and as a result Funakoshi moved to Koshikawa, in Tokyo where he set up his Meisei-Juku dojo. From 1924 (13th year of Taisho) he taught at various universities, including Keio, Tokyo, Takushoku, Hitotsubashi, Waseda, Hosei, Chuo, Senchu and Nippon Medical College.

1922	Authors "Ryukyu Boxing Karate"
1929	Changes the name Karate-jutsu to Karate-do, which is the term used today.
1936	Writes a textbook on Karate-do. In October of the same year, this work is honored with the Emperor´s inspection.
1943	Writes an intoduction to Karate-do.
1948	Japan Karate Association established; assumes the position of highest master.
1954	Is officially commended for his meritorious services to the Karate world at the Japan National Martial Arts Championships.
March 1955	Attends the opening of Japan Karate Association´s Yotsuya traning hall at the age of 86.
April 1957	Passes away at the age of 88, (on the 26th).