Karate-Do Kyohan- The Master Text Description:

Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text review:
5 stars (Just amazing!) - It contains all the most widespread Katas found in Shotokai - Shotokan schools. The images are great as well as the diagrams that show how the Katas should be executed. Shotokai students should be aware that all we have in here belongs to the time prior to Master Egami's evolution which was fully authorized by Master Funakoshi. So special care should be devoted in this regard since the postures were rather tall at that time. There are some changes highlighted by the translator as to the new instances already in use at that particular time but do not cover all the changes found in the Shotokai school.



On the other hand it is the cornerstone of all Karatê as conceived by the Master of Masters: Karatê as a "Way" of perfectioning one's character. It's the legacy given by the Master as Karatê should be trained and transmited until the end of times. So it is a book to be constantly studied even by the nowadays Masters and see how the "Way" is been fulfilled.



The bottonline? It is the Master Text! Don't miss this one!
5 stars (Best karate book ever) - This is the seminal book on traditional Okinawan karate. It is vey well-written and the pictures are plentiful and first-class quality. Funakoshi is the father of modern karate but never strayed from the belief that this is a way of life and a combination of the physical and spiritual.



Funakoshi has no time for "point-fighting" and superflous moves. His martials arts comes from the tradition of hard training where you only fought if you had no choice and then you fought to the end.



Case-in-point, the diagram at the end of the book emphasizes strike points that can disable or kill an opponent. This is not for your average "rent-a-dojo" or "kid's karate" system.



Bottom-line: this is THE book for those interested in the real thing.
5 stars (This is The Book) - With so many Karate and Martial Arts books out there, it has become more difficult to separate true value from the rest.

This is one of the fundamental books of Karate written by the master himself.

If you are into martial arts, specially Karate, this is one of the books you SHOULD have; and if you study Shotokan, this is a book you MUST have.