Gichin Funakoshi

[+mrking]

If anyone is in Kamakura, Japan I would love for you to get me the coordinates (and possibly pictures) of Gichin Funakoshi memorial, originator of modern traditional shotokan karate.

 

I believe it is in Enkaku-ji in Kamakura.

 

Ironic part of this, is that I lived in Kamakura for 1.5 years back in '95. I should have been on top of things back then. Oh, I don't even think they had commercial GPS units back then though. OK, I feel better.

 

On a side note, getting the cords for his actual grave in Zenshoji, located west of Tokyo near Yokohama, would be fantastic.

 

Domo.

Edited January 13, 2006 by mrking

[+matz]

Hi,

 

I searched Funakoshi-Gichin-sensei on the web. Surely, there is a monument in Kamakura-Enkakuji. A letter is engraved into a monument. It is his words.

"KARATE NI SENTE NASI"

 

Perhaps you know there was some story about him in URL below.

http://www.jka.or.jp/english/about/funakoshi.html

 

I could not find the monument photo and I do not know the specific coordination of the monument. The coordinats below is Enkakuji's.

Coord: Enkakuji N35'20.262 E139'32.870

 

And I searched his grave but I only had a information that "his grave is located in Kawasaki-city". There is 2 Zensyoji in the city but no information about him.

 

If I have more information about him I'll send e-mail to you.

 

<Japan Karate Association>

http://www.jka.or.jp/ (Japanese and English)

<Enkakuji>

http://www.engakuji.or.jp/index.shtml (Japanese only)

 

matz

Edited January 13, 2006 by matz

[+mrking]

Thanks, the coords to Enkakuji is a start although I already got them from Google Earth. Domo.

 

The links were good. I've pretty much read everything I can find on Funakoshi-san over the years. Have been involved in karate-do since I was 13. Been on a sebatical for about 4 years now since I have a family with two kids. Ah, I love karate-do.

 

Well, if anyone is in the Kamakura area, please get the coords for me.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

PS. The one thing that I miss the most of Japan... the food. Oh, how I loved the food.

 

One day, I will return.

 

Matz- where are you located?

[+matz]

Hello,

I'm living in Tokyo-MitakaCity which is located 25miles north from Kamakura as the crow flies. I'll tell your request to Japanese geocaching Web site's BBS.

We are looking forward to returning you back to Japan.