Archival Media Gallery: Photographs, Book Editions & Kata Video Series
A curated collection of historical visual documents surrounding Master Shigeru Egami and the Kimikagesō memoirs: original pre-war sparring plates, masterwork book covers, lineage diagrams, and the 16-kata instructional video canon.
1. Pre-War Kumite, Conditioning & Archival Plates
The 1935 Kyohan Sparring Canon: Yoshitaka Funakoshi & Shigeru Egami
Original photographic plates published in Master Gichin Funakoshi's 1935 masterwork Karate-do Kyohan. Master Shigeru Egami served as Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi's regular testing partner (aite), demonstrating the dynamic stances, deep lunges, and defensive innovations of the Mejiro Shotokan dojo.
Yoshitaka Funakoshi & Shigeru Egami Sparring (1935)
Iconic confrontation between Master Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (right) and Master Shigeru Egami (left). Captured in the Mejiro Shotokan dojo during the formal codification of modern kumite.
Dojo Shotokan de Mejiro, Tokio • Archivo Shotokai.com
High Interception: Jodan Age-Uke
Egami lunges with right oi-zuki; Yoshitaka steps back in deep zenkutsu-dachi deflecting the punch with a rising forearm block.
Karate-do Kyohan (1935) • Archival Plate
Low Sweeping Parry: Gedan Harai
Yoshitaka attacks with a straight thrust; Egami drops his center and redirects the blow downward with a sweeping parry.
Karate-do Kyohan (1935) • Archival Plate
Middle Forearm Block: Soto-Uke
Egami drives a middle punch; Yoshitaka turns to hanmi, absorbing and redirecting the line of force with outer forearm block.
Karate-do Kyohan (1935) • Archival Plate
Knife-Hand Block: Shuto-Uke
Egami lunges forward; Yoshitaka settles into deep kokutsu-dachi and meets the thrust with a sharp open-hand knife block.
Karate-do Kyohan (1935) • Archival Plate
Master Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi: Conditioning, Stances & Family Archive
Rare original photographs documenting Yoshitaka Funakoshi's legendary training methods: striking the outdoor makiwara and heavy sandbag, developing the deep horse stances that revolutionized karate mechanics, and an uncropped personal portrait.
Outdoor Garden Makiwara Training
Yoshitaka striking the outdoor makiwara post in zenkutsu-dachi. Master Egami famously documented how Yoshitaka lunged with his full bodyweight, frequently snapping makiwara posts in two.
Historical Archival Plate • Tokyo
Heavy Sandbag Strike (Shuto)
Yoshitaka delivering a knife-hand blow (shuto-uchi) from a grounded horse stance against a suspended canvas sandbag, developing dense bone conditioning and penetration.
Historical Archival Plate • Tokyo
Full-Body Kiba-Dachi Guard
Full-length study demonstrating the deep, wide horse stance that served as the primary physical laboratory for leg strength and pelvic connection in the Mejiro dojo.
Historical Archival Plate • Tokyo
Deep Lateral Stance Mechanics
Demonstrating the lowered center of gravity and lateral hip grounding that allowed karateka to generate explosive spring-like momentum over long distances.
Historical Archival Plate • Tokyo
Upper Deflection Dynamics (Age-Uke)
Upper-body action plate highlighting the upward deflection line (jodan age-uke), maintaining upright spinal alignment and focused visual intention.
Historical Archival Plate • Tokyo
Rare Portrait: Yoshitaka with Child
The complete uncropped print of Master Yoshitaka Funakoshi seated in dogi with a young child in dogi on his lap. The classic headshot portrait known worldwide was originally cropped from this photograph.
Shotokai.com Archival Collection • Tokyo
Master Shigeru Egami: Pre-War Muscular Rigor & Conditioning
Shigeru Egami: Youth Conditioning Montage (shotokai.jp)
Archival three-photo montage preserved by Nihon Karate-do Shotokai. Shows Egami in his twenties: makiwara-conditioned musculature, deep rooted stances, and extreme kime prior to his operations and subsequent philosophical transformation into natural relaxation.
Cortesía de Shotokai.jp (NKS) • Tokio (c. 1930s)
2. Canonical Book Editions & Historical Covers
1943 - 1980
Karate-do Nyumon (空手道入門)
By Master Gichin Funakoshi
Canonical introductory text authored by Master Gichin Funakoshi, presenting the foundational history, martial ethics, and fundamental forms of Karate-do, with technical contributions by Yoshitaka Funakoshi.
Karate-do: For the Specialist (空手道 専門家のために)
By Master Shigeru Egami
Master Shigeru Egami's groundbreaking technical treatise published in Tokyo. Formally breaks with rigid muscle clenching to present deep natural postures and penetrating tsuki, with Hiroyuki Aoki and senior karateka assisting with technical photographs.
The Way of Karate: Beyond Technique
By Master Shigeru Egami
Authored by Master Shigeru Egami and published internationally by Kodansha. Master Egami articulates the spiritual heart of Budo and natural body dynamics. Tomoji Miyamoto served as the primary technical photo demonstrator throughout the volume.
3. The 16-Kata Archival Video Canon
In the mid-1970s, Master Shigeru Egami personally introduced on camera the definitive film documentation of the Shotokai kata canon. Master Tomoji Miyamoto was selected as the sole demonstrator, executing each form with the low stances, rooting, and fluid relaxation developed by Egami.
Master Shigeru Egami On-Camera Introduction
Master Egami speaks directly to the camera explaining the spiritual essence of karate and the refusal to commercialize the art.
Kata Bassai Dai: Demonstrated by Tomoji Miyamoto
Canonical demonstration featuring deep lunges, fluid transition, and penetrating kime free of muscular rigidity.
Kata Kanku Dai: Demonstrated by Tomoji Miyamoto
The major sky-viewing kata, executed with open natural hands and expansive ground sweeps.
Kata Hangetsu: Demonstrated by Tomoji Miyamoto
Deep abdominal (Tanden) breathing form with dynamic natural tension inspired by the crescent moon.
4. Lineage & Budo Evolution Diagrams
Branches of Master Shigeru Egami's Lineage
Lineage development through Waseda, Gakushuin, Chuo, and international European branches.
Evolution of Sōgōbūdō & Shintaido
Rakutenkai group research with Hiroyuki Aoki transforming toward a universal body-movement art.
