The Gichin Funakoshi reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Gichin Funakoshi

Gichin Funakoshi (船越 義珍 Funakoshi Gichin, 1868-1957) is the founder of Shotokan Karate. He was born in Okinawa. He later brought his forms and style to mainland Japan, where he grew famous for his "Way of Karate." When American soldiers with the ending of the occupation of Japan, they took back with them many styles, including Shoto-kan.

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