Genshin Hironishi

Master Genshin Hironishi

(1913 – 1999)

This great master is also known as Motonobu Hironishi. Born in 1913, when it was time for him to study a career, he did so at the famous and renowned Waseda University. He has been the chief instructor at the Chuo University.

When Yoshitaka (Gigo) Funakoshi was alive Genshin Hironishi was a very close friend, together with Master Shigeru Egami, they represented the core of the group responsible of the development of the Japanese Karate-do, which involved kumite (combat) and the present Shotokai technique (considerably different from Sports Karate). He was one of the last surviving Great Masters from the so called “Golden Years of Karate-do”.

After Master Shigeru Egami’s death in 1981, he replaced him as the Chief instructor of the Shotokan school and as President of Japan Shotokai Karate-do, titles he held until 1995.

His words can be read in the Prologues of O-sensei’s books, that are published by Shotokai on Kodansha Publishers, “Karate-do, My way of Life” and “Karate-do Nyumon”.