SOME HISTORY

When they refer to this style, many Masters of SHOTO KAN they say: "in the MODERN SHOTOKAN such a thing, in the MODERN SHOTOKAN such another thing."
These Masters sustain the theory that SHOTO KAN is older of what the historians want to make it to appear.

If we make some history, and some parallelisms among styles, we will find that GOJU RYU arises from NAHA TE, and NAHA TE comes from Chinese Martial Arts. Then, when Master CHOJUN MIYAGI, unquestionable "father of Goju Ryu", consolidated this style, and even when he chose its name, he did it based on Martial Arts that already existed.
Following with the history, and the parallelisms, when (nearer in the time) Master FUNAKOSHI GICHIN, undoubtedly "the father of SHOTO KAN", created this School , beyond changing the name of the Katas, he didn't make another thing than of basing himself on methods, and forms, already existent.
The idea of creating a style of Japanese Karate without any doubts was born in Japan, but, beyond its different interpretation, and its different philosophy, the SHOTO KAN didn't arise from "the nothing".
The Katas KANKU (DAI and SHO) come from the katas KUSHANKU; BASSAI from PASSAI; GANKAKU from CHINTO; UNSU from UNSHU; TEKKI from NAIHANCHI; etc., being all those mentioned in second place, already practiced by other Styles, among them SHORIN RYU.
Likewise HANGETSU is the adaptation of SEISHAN of WADO RYU; ENPI arises from WANSHU; NIJU SHI HO from NISEI SHI, and practically with all the katas of SHOTO KAN it happens the same thing.
One of the most representative Katas in the style SHOTO KAN (JION), it had been already practiced by SHORIN RYU. But, as this name figures in several Buddhist books, surely SHORIN RYU would have taken it from a Chinese form.
Although it is true that other theories affirm that the name comes from the temple JION (where this kata was daily practiced), this fact doesn't change the root of the thing.

On the other hand, there are other Masters (perhaps most of Shotokan Masters) who they feel that SHOTO KAN is the first; unique, and true style of "JAPANESE KARATE", created in Japan and (excusing the redundancy) by Japanese people.
Then, some Masters of SHOTO KAN recognize the Chinese influence, but many others don't recognize this influence.
Even today, some Japanese Masters speak about "Traditional Karate" as the only one valid, and they have formed a world organization where only it is practiced SHOTO KAN, and only it is possible to contend with this style, being ignored the rest of the styles.

But this was not Master FUNAKOSHI GICHIN'S spirit.

The truth is that Master FUNAKOSHI GICHIN was an "advanced man" that (the same as today it happens in Japan with any technology) he improved those arts, that already had been created. But these improvements were not so much about technical things, because this is very subjective, and debatable. He improved the teaching methods; making them more orderly, easier of being transmitted, and as consequently easier of being learned.
He transformed the basic Katas " PINAN " in " HEIAN ", with some differences (mainly from the aesthetic point of view), and in this way he contributed largely to the diffusion of Karate. Because at the beginning all the things enter by the eyes, after Master FUNAKOSHI's modifications, this Art was quickly accepted in the whole world.
Then, the diffusion in the world (mainly in the West), and the consolidation at sport level, it was the great contribution from the SHOTO KAN School toward Karate-Do.

SHOTO KAN is an essentially competitive style, and without any doubt the most outstanding in this matter, although when the rest of the styles understood the importance of opening up toward the world, they began to match, and in some cases to prevail, in this sense.
This way GOJU RYU; SHITO RYU, and WADO RYU have also become sportly very strong, and they dispute the primacy with SHOTO KAN, head to head. But, in this matter, SHOTO KAN takes several years of advantage yet.

As compensation, Masters as HIROKAZU KANAZAWA faced, and aathey studied, from other point of view, and with another depth, the SHOTO KAN Style, and they interpreted that the intention of Sensei FUNAKOSHI was to diffuse this Art through sport and competitions, but without leaving of teaching the " ART ".
Of course that also others Masters - such as Sensei Tomeji Ito, Sensei Fusajirou Takagi, Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki, and others - they followed this line too.
But more important than to highlight, or to mention, all of them, it is to rescue the importance that they have existed - or they exist - each one at their time; because Masters of this category are those who have been able to convert SHOTO KAN in one of the most important styles of KARATE-DO in the whole world, not only at sport level, but also in the orthodox matter.