Itosu Yasutsune, best known as Anko Itosu, is considered the father of modern karate although the same title is sometimes given to Gichin Funakoshi (mainly because Funakoshi actually made karate known throughout Japan.) Itosu's year of birth is dated in various sources to 1830, 1831, or 1832, and he died in 1915. Karate or karate-dō is a martial art of Okinawan origin. ... Gichin Funakoshi (船越 義珍 Funakoshi Gichin, 1868–1957) was an Okinawan karate master who formally introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Leopold I 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

While he certainly did not invent karate himself, his codification of the forms learned from his master Sokon Matsumura and the wide dissemination of his teachings to masters of various traditions that have developed make it a benchmark that any bona fide karate instructor can trace his lineage of teachers back to someone who at least for some period studied with Itosu. Kata (åž‹ or å½¢) (literally: form) is a Japanese word describing detailed patterns of defense-and-attack movements practiced either solo or in pairs. ... Sokon Bushi Matsumura (1809-1896) was one of the original karatekas of Okinawa. ...

Itosu's style of karate came to be known as Itosu-ryu. It was recognition of his skill, mastery and teacher to many.

Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate, was a student of Itosu, and both Shito Ryu founder Kenwa Mabuni and Goju Ryu founder Chojun Miyagi were influenced by both Itosu and Kanryo Higaonna, also known as Higashionna, though Mabuni is considered primarily a student of Itosu and Miyagi primarily a student of Higaonna. Another influential Itosu student was Shorin Ryu master Choshin Chibana. Gichin Funakoshi (船越 義珍 Funakoshi Gichin, 1868–1957) was an Okinawan karate master who formally introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921. ... Shotokan (松涛館 Shōtōkan), literally, the house of pine waves, is a school of karate, reflecting the style of the initial students (including his son, Yoshitaka) of master Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957). ... Kenwa Mabuni was a peer of Funakoshi Kenwa Mabuni, Motobu Choki and other Okinawans were actively teaching karate in Japan prior to this point when Gichin Funakoshi officially brought karate from Okinawa to mainland Japan Shito-ryu (糸東流) is a form of karate that was developed by Kenwa MabuniShito-ryu (糸東流) is... Goju Ryu (Japanese for Hard-soft style) is a style of karate, so called as it allows a combination of hard and soft techniques. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Anko Itosu served as a secretary to the last king of the Ryukyu islands until Japan abolished the Okinawa-based native monarchy in 1879. In 1901 he was instrumental in getting karate introduced into Okinawa's schools, creating and introducing the Pinan forms ("Heian" in Japanese, "Pyung Ahn" in Korean) as learning steps for students, because he felt the other forms ("kata" in Japanese, "hyung" in Korean) were too difficult for school children to learn. The five pinan forms were created by drawing from two older forms: kusanku (Korean: kong sang koon) and chiang nan (Korean: jae nam). Itosu is also credited with taking the large Naihanchi form (tekki in Japan) and breaking it into the three well-known modern forms Naihanchi Shodan, Naihanchi Nidan and Naihanchi Sandan. The Ryukyu Islands (琉球列島 Ryūkyū-rettō) are an island group, the southern portion belonging to Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and the northern part belonging to Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. ... This article is about the prefecture. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

In 1908 Itosu wrote the influential Ten Precepts (Tode Jukun) of Karate to reach beyond the shores of Okinawa to the heart of Japan itself. 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Ten Precepts (Tode Jukun) of Karate

In October of 1908 Anko Itosu realized that it was time for karate to reach beyond the shores of Okinawa to the heart of Japan itself. At this point he wrote his famous letter of Ten Precepts (Tode Jukun) of Karate to draw the attention of both the Ministry of Education as well as the Ministry of War. A translation of that letter:

Ten Precepts of Karate

Karate did not develop from Buddhism or Confucianism. In the past the Shorin school and the Shorei school were brought to Okinawa from China. Both of these schools have strong points, which I will now mention before there are too many changes:

1. Karate is not merely practiced for your own benefit: it can be used to protect one's family or master. It is not intended to be used against a single assailant but instead as a way of avoiding a fight should one be confronted by a villain or ruffian.
2. The purpose of karate is to make the muscles and bones hard as rock and to use the hands and legs as spears. If children were to begin training in Tang Te ('China Art' or 'China Hand') while in elementary school, then they will be well suited for military service. Remember the words of the Duke of Wellington after he defeated Napoleon: "Our victory here today was achieved in our school yards."
3. Karate cannot be quickly learned. Like a slow moving bull, it eventually travels a thousand miles. If one trains diligently everyday, then in three or four years one will come to understand karate. Those who train in this fashion will discover karate.
4. In karate, training of the hands and feet are important, so one must be thoroughly trained on the makiwara (striking post). In order to do this, drop your shoulders, open your lungs, take hold of your strength, grip the floor with your feet and sink your energy into your lower abdomen. Practice using each arm one to two hundred times each day.
5. When one practices the stances of Tang Te, be sure to keep your back straight, lower your shoulders, put strength in your legs, stand firmly and drop your energy into your lower abdomen.
6. Practice each of the techniques of karate repeatedly, the use of which is passed by word of mouth. Learn the explanations well and decide when and in what manner to apply them when needed. Enter, counter, release is the rule of releasing hand (torite).
7. You must decide if karate is for your health or to aid your duty.
8. When you train, do so as if on the battlefield. Your eyes should glare, shoulders drop, and body harden. You should always train with intensity and spirit and in this way you will naturally be ready.
9. One must not overtrain; this will cause you to lose the energy in your lower abdomen and will be harmful to your body. Your face and eyes will turn red. Train wisely.
10. In the past masters of karate have enjoyed long lives. Karate aids in developing the bones and muscles. It helps the digestion as well as the circulation. If karate should be introduced beginning in the elementary schools, then we will produce many men each capable of defeating ten assailants. I further believe this can be done by having all students at the Okinawa Teachers College practice Karate. In this way after graduation they can teach at the elementary schools that which they have been taught. I believe this will be a great benefit to our nation and our military. It is my hope you will seriously consider my suggestion.

Anko Itosu, October 1908