Karate is not only a physical activity but can also be a spiritual and academic one.
There are a great many books available regarding Karate, within the Academy we have listed a number of books that we believe are fulfilling in content and support the traditional style of karate we practice.
A Precise History
This book is for any level of karate-ka who wishes to know the origins and original traditions and expectations of Shotokan Karate.
The book is structured in a logical chronological order and starts with information about the beginnings of martial arts before Master Gichin Funakoshi; it then spends a large amount of time dedicated to understanding and re-enforcing the concepts of Shotokan Karate as Gichin Funakoshi wanted them.
The book moves nicely into the development of Shotokan and the politics surrounding it and then into the spread of karate into the west.
I was initially interested in a book that explained the foundations, the history and the concepts of both Gichin Funakoshi and Shotokan karate; this book didn't disappoint me.
The book is littered with names of recognisable karate-ka, which only adds to the books when you read their own words and stories and is full of old photos which I found particularly fascinating.
A great read, one which I struggled to put down.
First editions of this book are very hard to come by, however a little digging around on karate underground suggests there maybe a second edition due to be published.
Caleb Foster
Shotokan Secrets
This book explores the time line of karate before Gichin Funakoshi and concentrates on the karateka's and the development of linear karate within Okinawa between 1860 and 1906.
The main people the book references are Sokon 'Bushi' Matsumura, Yasutsune Itosu and Yasutsune Azato and the people directly responsible for the Okinawan kings safety between these dates.
The book is great if you want to understand the early beginnings of karate, the chief architects and forefathers of today's Shotokan karate and how it has changed and been influenced over the years.
The book offers many suggestions on why karate may have developed the way it has, based on the requirements needed within the time of Matsumura and his team.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read, the historical aspect the book offers and the understanding of what happened within karate before Gichin Funakoshi.
If you are a very skeptical person and require only factual information, this book may not be for you, as very few records between these dates have been found about karate and Okinawa, however the imagination and presentation of the information is very enjoyable to think about.
The book also offers many ideas about the heritage of bunkai and the real meaning of kata.
Caleb Foster