Il sogno del karate

by Hirokazu Kanazawa

La prodigiosa ascesa del karate, dalle oscure e segrete tecniche di autodifesa okinawensi a una delle più ammirate e universalmente riconosciute arti marziali giapponesi, può essere attribuita a un solo uomo: Gichin Funakoshi, il padre del karate moderno. Le origini del karate restano avvolte nel mistero, ma Funakoshi lavorò instancabilmente tutta la vita per diffondere il suo messaggio di spiritualità e l'idea di "vincere senza combattere". E oggi il karate vanta appassionati praticanti in tutto il mondo. In "Il sogno del karate", Funakoshi crea una vera e propria narrativa del karate moderno, partendo dalle sue origini, attingendo da un'enorme conoscenza personale e dalle sue innumerevoli esperienze, per arrivare alla sua vera essenza. In queste pagine, traccia un quadro affascinante dell'arte marziale, attraverso i ricordi della sua formazione fin dall'infanzia e le storie di molti maestri, spiega la filosofìa del karate e rivela il motivo per cui i grandi artisti marziali migliorino invecchiando. Questo importante testo è accompagnato dalla prefazione di Hirokazu Kanazawa, uno degli allievi diretti che furono più vicini a Funakoshi, che ricorda con affetto il suo vecchio maestro con aneddoti poco conosciuti, che fanno luce sulla fama leggendaria di Funakoshi. Un libro che regala una prospettiva sulla storia dell'arte marziale, vista attraverso gli occhi del più grande "maestro". Leggendo queste pagine, qualunque praticante potrà comprendere e fare proprio il grande sogno di Funakoshi. Prefazioni di Bruno Ballardini e Hirokazu Kanazawa. Postfazione di Gisho Funakoshi.

Genres: Martial Arts, Philosophy, Nonfiction

110 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aug 15, 2024 ~~ We finished the book this afternoon. It was just as interesting as last time and although I did enjoy it a bit more in this second reading because of being able to discuss each day's reading with Marco, I am leaving my rating as is, 3 stars for I liked it, because I did.

Aug 6, 2024 ~~ Marco and I will begin this book today. I will be back when we are finished to see if I will have any new thoughts to add to my original review.

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Original review from 2015
I stumbled across this and two other books by Funakoshi last year while browsing on Amazon. I recognized Shotokan as the style of karate my husband has studied, and when I showed him the books, it turned out that the teacher of my husband's teacher, a tiny old man skinny as a rail but strong as a tree, had taken lessons from Funakoshi himself so of course I ordered the three titles.

This is a short book, and I read it quickly because I had a chunk of free time, but it deserves closer attention and I plan to re-read it after I read the other two books: The Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate: The Spiritual Legacy of the Master , and Karate-Do: My Way of Life .

Funakoshi was from Okinawa, and studied with two different masters of karate, each of whom taught a different style. There is Shorei, which emphasizes mental activity, fine technical skills and agility. Then there is Shorin, which places more emphasis on strength. What made Funakoshi so special is that he seemed to be able to combine these two styles, and developed Shotokan. My husband has always said that Shotokan is not about fighting for the sake of fighting, but about the attitude towards life a student of this style develops.

There is the essence of karate. In Funakoshi's words: More important than technique is the path. That is to say, progressing from the technical aspect of karate to the path that karate itself represents.

And what does Shoto mean, you may be wondering? It is written with two characters which represent pine trees and waves. Funakoshi used it as his pseudonym as an adult. Here is what he told his nephew (who wrote an interesting afterword to this book):

One day I became aware of the sound of the wind sweeping across the pine grove. The sound of the pine grove resonated exactly like surging waves. When I looked up, the undulations of the pine grove itself were already surging waves. However, they were not fierce, aggressively pounding waves. It was a relaxed swaying. Furthermore, the green color was symbolic of spring. The waves created by the pine grove were powerful and abundant, but also gentle. It was then that I made up my mind. When I became an adult, I would adopt the pseudonym 'Shoto'.

Lately the people I have been reading about appeal to me very much. You know the old question Who Would You Invite To Dinner If You Could Invite Anyone At All? I would happily add Gichon Funakoshi to my guest list, along with Michelangelo and Simonides. His personality glows even on these short pages, and I am very much looking forward to reading his autobiography.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read with pleasant prose, this book is valuable reading for the serious practitioner of any martial art. At times it read like a memoir, and at other times, like a short philosophical treatise. It reminds us that over-focusing on technique can result in forgetting about the important concepts of honor, Zen, and character, and offers a glimpse into the mind of the man credited with founding modern Karate.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read on the foundations of karate. I found this book very interesting and that it was able to convey the true meaning of karate and its history without being too wordy. A must read for any student of karate!

[Cez Verzosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As somebody who’s practicing karate, reading this felt like I’m a kid who’s excited to hear about my grandfather’s stories of the past.

The book lived up to its name—it did explain the whys of karate and how it came to life. I just have a problem with the structure. It’s not that cohesive. Master Gichin tends to jump from one thought to another; he struggles to do transition between thoughts. I suppose that’s alright. He's literally telling the tale of karate like how a friend would tell about their day.

I laughed at the part where he had to highlight how karate makes our skin look good. He dedicated an entire chapter for it! That was a hard sell but I’ll take it (and I attest to that).

It’s a light and quick read, and I loved how philosophy is intertwined with the heart and essence of karate. There’s nothing new or mind blowing about the book in terms of the philosophical side of it, but it showed me how connected all religious/philosophical practices are, which I think is great.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't say I got anything out of this except perhaps a slightly greater understanding of the mindset behind the old-school karate masters.

[Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anecdote after anecdote of unbelievable feats and claims. Historically inaccurate in some instances.

But then again, it's probably my fault for expecting Book of Five Rings-caliber writing.