Brief History of Shotokai (Part 2: 1936 - 1981)

• 1936: The original Shotokan Dojo is inaugurated in Zoshigaya, Tokyo, serving as the official headquarters (Hombu Dojo) for Master Gichin Funakoshi's Karate-do, with daily training directed by his son Yoshitaka Funakoshi.
• 1949: Isao Obata establishes the Nihon Karate Kyokai (JKA) as a means to assist Master Funakoshi in the administration of Karate-do. Although initially intended to unite all practitioners under one umbrella, several senior disciples - including Shigeru Egami and Genshin Hironishi - do not join due to deep philosophical differences.
• Late 1940s - Early 1950s: Strong friction emerges over the commercialization of Karate-do and the push toward sporting matches. The orthodox masters disassociate from the JKA, which subsequently comes under the direction of Takushoku University alumni.
• 1951 - 1956: Shotokai reunites to preserve traditional Budo. The association formalizes its modern organizational structure in 1956 under Gichin Funakoshi, Shigeru Egami, and Genshin Hironishi, dedicated to preserving non-competitive Karate-do.
• April 1957: Master Gichin Funakoshi passes away. Shotokai organizes the solemn funeral ceremonies at Gokokuji Temple (which the JKA boycotts). In accordance with Master Funakoshi's explicit wishes, his family entrusts his personal writings, the Shotokan and Shotokai names, and his personal tiger seal (Tora no Maki) directly to Shotokai.
• 1957 - 1981: Shigeru Egami and Genshin Hironishi share the leadership of Shotokai, guiding its technical evolution and spiritual purity.
• 1981 and Beyond: Following Master Shigeru Egami's passing in 1981, Genshin Hironishi continues to direct Nihon Karate-do Shotokai alongside the senior generation of instructors.

Primary Archival Record: The 1957 Funeral & The Family Legacy

In Chapter 26 of her memoirs, Kimikagesō (Lily of the Valley), Chiyoko Egami records the intimate reality of Master Gichin Funakoshi's final days in April 1957. While official chronologies note the institutional split between Shotokai and the Japan Karate Association, Chiyoko describes the all-night bedside vigil kept by Shigeru Egami and his closest university students. Following Master Funakoshi's passing, his family formally requested that Shotokai conduct the funeral rites at Gokokuji Temple and entrusted Master Funakoshi's original handwritten notebooks, calligraphic scrolls, the Shotokan name, and the iconic tiger seal directly to Egami and Genshin Hironishi.

Read the full historical synthesis in the Kimikagesō Archival Monograph.