Karate’s Forgotten Pioneer
One of Konishi’s more interesting contributions to karate’s early development had to do with the establishment of the art as a real form of combat.
MOST KARATEKA will recognize names like Gichin Funakoshi and Choki Motobu. Far fewer know anything about Yasuhiro Konishi — even though he was a pivotal figure in the development of karate in Japan and its evolution as a budo.
Konishi (1893-1983) began training in the Muso Ryu of at age 6. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Takeuchi Ryu, another school of jujitsu. Seven years later, He attended Keio University and became the university club’s kendo coach.
