Yasutsune Itosu (The Sacred Fist)

Name

Yasutsune 'Ankoh' Itosu 糸洲 安恒

Born

1830. Shuri, Okinawa

Where Trained

Okinawa

Teacher

Matsumura Sokon

Died

1915

Another Okinawan Karate Master. Yasutsune Itosu was also a great influence on Funakoshi Gichin in his training.

Itosu was known throughout Okinawa for wrestling a charging bull to the ground with his bare hands, holding it to the ground until it was tied and taken away.

Itosu had trained his body to withstand repeated blows, and it is told that he regularly allowed his students to strike him while sipping drinks, apparently showing no signs of pain.

Itosu was one of the first Karate Masters to demonstrate his skills in Okinawa in early 1900.

Itosu was later referred to as Meijin, which means Master of Masters, or one who has mastered his art far beyond the boundaries of physical prowess after experiencing infinitely painstaking discipline.

more....

Click here for his Ten Precepts of Karate.

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page last updated on Thursday 16 September 2010