Karate Books Recomendation

Has any one read any really old karate books? I have only read Funakoshi My way. I know I could Google some but I want to know opinions from people that know what there talking about.

Im not looking for a story like "karate do My Way" and I'm not looking for a karate how to book either. Im looking for something that's in-depth from an old master. Preferably Shotokan but I welcome other styles as well.

 

Higaona Sensei's History of Karate makes for a captivating read.
It is hard to find though.


OSu!

 

there are multiple ones in japanese here, including the original edition of karatedo kyohan, with funakoshi's original applications:

http://www.hawaii.edu/asiaref/okinawa/digital_archives/karate_museum.html

even if you don't have any way to read them, the pictures themselves are very interesting (for example, funakoshi applied his gedan kosa/juji-uke with an off-line step in the book).

 

That's a killer website! Do wish I read kanji.

 

Brilliant link Fish!

lma, if you're focus is Shotokan then surely you can't do better, or older, than Karate-do Kyohan?

You can find a couple of other earlier works by Funakoshi. There is an english translation of 'Rentan Goshin Toudi Jutsu' mentioned on the link above. Its usually called 'Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu' or just 'Karate Jutsu'. There's also a compilation of various short articles by Funakoshi called 'Tanpenshu' which you can find here:

http://www.koryu-uchinadi.com/index1.html

I'd also recommend Choki Motobu's 'My Art' on the same link and, if you want to go further back in time then there's the Bubishi.

Mike

 

It's a shame there not translated . Thanks all for the advice

 

i've just started Reading The art of Hojo Undo by Sensei mike clarke i'd say its a must read for anyone who's dojo doesn't practice it but they want to.

 

Has any one read these and would be able to tell me much about the difference ?

Karate-do Kyohan and Karate-do Nyumon ?

Or are they the same book just translated by different people?

 

"Moving Zen" might be worth digging out - Chris Nichol was the author I think

 

Two completely different books.
The first is predominantly a technical manual, the second predominantly a collection of stories.

Kyohan is available in several different editions. Go for an older edition (reprint of the 30s edition) if you are more interested in close quarter applied Karate.

 

Thanks

Would you recommend both are worth a read?

 

I'd say that depends on what you are interested in.

If you want to increase your knowledge of Shotokan Karate history, both are interesting and useful.

If you are purely interested in how Shotokan is done now then I would say that neither are useful.

 

There are portions of several texts on Google books. I am most interested in history, so these are helpful to me.

Karate Do Kyohan (Funakoshi)

The Essence of Okinawan Karate (Nagamine)

The Secret Royal Arts of Ryukyu (Matsuo)

Okinawa - The History of an Island People

Karate - The Art of Empty Hand Fighting (Nishiyama)