Isao Obata
Encyclopedia
was a pioneering Japanese master
of Shotokan
karate
. He was a senior student of Gichin Funakoshi
, who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate, and was a key figure in the establishment of the Japan Karate Association
(JKA) under Funakoshi in 1949. Obata also helped introduce karate to the United States of America through his demonstrations of the art to United States Air Force
personnel, and through his students, most notably Tsutomu Ohshima
.
At school, Obata trained in judo
, kendo
(swordsmanship), and kyudo
(archery). Unlike most Japanese boys of the time, he went through several schools, and entered Keio Preparatory School in Tokyo around 1922. A friend gave him a copy of Gichin Funakoshi's first book on karate, and this sparked Obata's interest in the art. Upon completion of his secondary education, Obata gained entry to Keio University
. In 1923, Funakoshi accepted a position teaching karate at the university, and Obata was one of the first students in line. He would go on to become one of Funakoshi's senior students. The Great Kanto Earthquake
struck later that year, destroying most of Tokyo, including Keio University's karate dojo
(training hall). The students rebuilt the dojo within a year, however, and training resumed.
Kyuichi Obata was too busy with his business to have studied the martial arts himself, but was pleased at his son's commitment to karate; one of the family's ancestors had been Obata Nobusada
, a famous general and governor under daimyo
(feudal lord) Takeda Shingen
in the 16th century. Toyoko Obata was a deeply religious Christian
and saw the martial arts as contradictory to her beliefs, but never inhibited her son's training.
, Waseda University
, and Hitotsubashi University
(then known as Shoka University). He became the inaugural captain of Keio University's karate club. In 1926, Funakoshi awarded black belt
status to his most senior students, including Obata. Obata's father died of a heart attack in 1927.
In 1932, Obata travelled to Manchuria
, and was to work there for more than 10 years as an economic adviser to the Manchurian Aviation Corporation. He was responsible for flight scheduling and operations. During this time, he taught karate privately to a few friends and students, but turned his focus to kyudo. His mother introduced him to a young woman, Miyako, and the two were married in Tokyo by 1935. In 1940, he returned to Tokyo to represent Manchuria at a kyudo tournament, and won the competition. For a time, he was much better known for his expertise in kyudo than in karate.
During the first few months of World War II, Obata was promoted to the rank of 5th dan
in Shotokan karate. When Japan entered the war, Obata's brother Satoru joined the Imperial Japanese Army
as an officer. S. Obata had practised judo and was ranked 2nd dan in karate. He died in the bitter fighting for Iwo Jima
, and this meant that Obata had to return to Japan to look after his mother and sister. His brother's death affected him deeply, for the two had been very close. With the end of the war, the occupying forces suspended all martial arts training in Japan for three years; it was only then that Obata could resume training under Funakoshi. In the meantime, he worked at international trading company Hirano Seiko.
On May 27, 1949, Obata, Masatoshi Nakayama, Shigeru Egami
, and other colleagues established the Japan Karate Association (JKA) under Funakoshi. Obata was the inaugural Chairman of the JKA, with Funakoshi as Honorary Chief Instructor and Nakayama as Chief Instructor. In 1954, he left the JKA when the organization became increasingly commercial and militaristic in nature. Along with Nakayama, Hidetaka Nishiyama
, and others, he began teaching personnel from the US Strategic Air Command
(SAC) who were based in Japan. Through Emilio Bruno of the SAC, whom Obata had earlier met through his work at Hirano Seiko, SAC headquarters invited Obata to visit the US to demonstrate his art. For two months in 1953, he flew from base to base, demonstrating Shotokan karate to US military personnel; he then returned to teaching in Japan.
) most faithfully represented the spirit of Funakoshi's karate. Through the 1950s and 1960s, Obata continued teaching karate to SAC personnel at the Kodokan
. In 1968, he visited the US again and was honored by his student Tsutomu Ohshima
, who had established the Southern California Karate Association. Obata's mother died that year. Another pioneer of karate in California, Dan Ivan, also studied under Obata.
In his final years, Obata lived with his wife in the outskirts of Tokyo, spending his days teaching karate or tending to his garden. While officially retired, he continued teaching four nights and four evenings each week at Keio University and Meiji University
. His students presented him with a plaque reading: "Like your nickname, Elephant, you are strong, big and gentle. We thank you for the lessons you have taught us." In a 1972 interview, Obata expressed disillusionment with the development of karate, saying, "Karate is dying now. It cannot last longer than a few more decades." He died in 1976.
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
of Shotokan
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. He was a senior student of Gichin Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi
was the creator of Shotokan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is attributed as being the 'father of modern karate.' Following the teachings of Anko Itosu, he was one of the Okinawan karate masters who introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921...
, who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate, and was a key figure in the establishment of the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
(JKA) under Funakoshi in 1949. Obata also helped introduce karate to the United States of America through his demonstrations of the art to United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
personnel, and through his students, most notably Tsutomu Ohshima
Tsutomu Ohshima
is a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Shotokan Karate of America organization. He is the Shihan of the SKA, and to this day holds the rank of 5th dan in karate, which was awarded to him by Gichin Funakoshi...
.
Early life
Obata was born in 1904 in the Tokyo area of Japan, the son of Kyuichi Obata and Toyoko Obata (née Ishiguro). His father owned several silk mills in the region, and moved the family to different towns as demanded by his work. Obata lost two brothers in infancy, and grew up with one younger brother and one younger sister. As a child, he had a great interest in the martial arts, and left it to his brother, Satoru, to prepare to lead the family business eventually.At school, Obata trained in judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
(swordsmanship), and kyudo
Kyudo
, literally meaning "way of the bow", is the Japanese art of archery. It is a modern Japanese martial art and practitioners are known as .It is estimated that there are approximately half a million practitioners of kyudo today....
(archery). Unlike most Japanese boys of the time, he went through several schools, and entered Keio Preparatory School in Tokyo around 1922. A friend gave him a copy of Gichin Funakoshi's first book on karate, and this sparked Obata's interest in the art. Upon completion of his secondary education, Obata gained entry to Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
. In 1923, Funakoshi accepted a position teaching karate at the university, and Obata was one of the first students in line. He would go on to become one of Funakoshi's senior students. The Great Kanto Earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
struck later that year, destroying most of Tokyo, including Keio University's karate dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
(training hall). The students rebuilt the dojo within a year, however, and training resumed.
Kyuichi Obata was too busy with his business to have studied the martial arts himself, but was pleased at his son's commitment to karate; one of the family's ancestors had been Obata Nobusada
Obata Masamori
Obata Masamori , also known as Obata Nobusada, was one of Takeda Shingen's 'Twenty-four Generals', his most trusted commanders. He was the son of Obata Toramori, and came from western Kozuke province. He fled Kozuke and joined the Takeda around 1560...
, a famous general and governor under daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
(feudal lord) Takeda Shingen
Takeda Shingen
, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
in the 16th century. Toyoko Obata was a deeply religious Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and saw the martial arts as contradictory to her beliefs, but never inhibited her son's training.
Karate career
Over the next few years, Obata assisted Funakoshi with teaching karate at Takushoku UniversityTakushoku University
Takushoku University is a private university in Japan. It was founded in 1900 by Prince Taro Katsura . The university is located in Tokyo and has two campuses: the main campus in the Bunkyō district, and a satellite campus in the Hachiōji district...
, Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
, and Hitotsubashi University
Hitotsubashi University
is a national university specialised in the social sciences in Tokyo, Japan. The University has campuses in Kunitachi, Kodaira, and Kanda.Hitotsubashi is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It is ranked 25th in the world in 2011 by École des Mines de Paris.Hitotsubashi...
(then known as Shoka University). He became the inaugural captain of Keio University's karate club. In 1926, Funakoshi awarded black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
status to his most senior students, including Obata. Obata's father died of a heart attack in 1927.
In 1932, Obata travelled to Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, and was to work there for more than 10 years as an economic adviser to the Manchurian Aviation Corporation. He was responsible for flight scheduling and operations. During this time, he taught karate privately to a few friends and students, but turned his focus to kyudo. His mother introduced him to a young woman, Miyako, and the two were married in Tokyo by 1935. In 1940, he returned to Tokyo to represent Manchuria at a kyudo tournament, and won the competition. For a time, he was much better known for his expertise in kyudo than in karate.
During the first few months of World War II, Obata was promoted to the rank of 5th dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
in Shotokan karate. When Japan entered the war, Obata's brother Satoru joined the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
as an officer. S. Obata had practised judo and was ranked 2nd dan in karate. He died in the bitter fighting for Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
, and this meant that Obata had to return to Japan to look after his mother and sister. His brother's death affected him deeply, for the two had been very close. With the end of the war, the occupying forces suspended all martial arts training in Japan for three years; it was only then that Obata could resume training under Funakoshi. In the meantime, he worked at international trading company Hirano Seiko.
On May 27, 1949, Obata, Masatoshi Nakayama, Shigeru Egami
Shigeru Egami
was a pioneering Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Shōtōkai style. He was a student of Gichin Funakoshi, who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate.-Early life:...
, and other colleagues established the Japan Karate Association (JKA) under Funakoshi. Obata was the inaugural Chairman of the JKA, with Funakoshi as Honorary Chief Instructor and Nakayama as Chief Instructor. In 1954, he left the JKA when the organization became increasingly commercial and militaristic in nature. Along with Nakayama, Hidetaka Nishiyama
Hidetaka Nishiyama
was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was an internationally recognized instructor, author, and administrator, and helped to establish the Japan Karate Association. Nishiyama was one of the last surviving students of Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan karate...
, and others, he began teaching personnel from the US Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) who were based in Japan. Through Emilio Bruno of the SAC, whom Obata had earlier met through his work at Hirano Seiko, SAC headquarters invited Obata to visit the US to demonstrate his art. For two months in 1953, he flew from base to base, demonstrating Shotokan karate to US military personnel; he then returned to teaching in Japan.
Later life
Obata's master, Funakoshi, died in 1957. While Funakoshi had been honorary head of the JKA, Obata felt that the university karate clubs (Keio, Waseda, Takushoku, Hitotsubashi, and HoseiHosei University
is a private university based in Tokyo, Japan.The university originated in a school of law, Tōkyō Hōgakusha , established in 1880, and the following year renamed Tōkyō Hōgakkō . This was from 1883 headed by Dr. Gustave Emile Boissonade, and was heavily influenced by the French legal tradition...
) most faithfully represented the spirit of Funakoshi's karate. Through the 1950s and 1960s, Obata continued teaching karate to SAC personnel at the Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
. In 1968, he visited the US again and was honored by his student Tsutomu Ohshima
Tsutomu Ohshima
is a prominent Japanese master of Shotokan karate who founded the Shotokan Karate of America organization. He is the Shihan of the SKA, and to this day holds the rank of 5th dan in karate, which was awarded to him by Gichin Funakoshi...
, who had established the Southern California Karate Association. Obata's mother died that year. Another pioneer of karate in California, Dan Ivan, also studied under Obata.
In his final years, Obata lived with his wife in the outskirts of Tokyo, spending his days teaching karate or tending to his garden. While officially retired, he continued teaching four nights and four evenings each week at Keio University and Meiji University
Meiji University
is a private university in Tokyo and Kawasaki, founded in 1881 by three lawyers of the Meiji era, Kishimoto Tatsuo, Miyagi Kōzō, and Yashiro Misao. It is one of the largest and most prestigious Japanese universities in Tokyo, Japan....
. His students presented him with a plaque reading: "Like your nickname, Elephant, you are strong, big and gentle. We thank you for the lessons you have taught us." In a 1972 interview, Obata expressed disillusionment with the development of karate, saying, "Karate is dying now. It cannot last longer than a few more decades." He died in 1976.
External links
- United States Taiho Jutsu Federation contains photographs of Obata (1953).