Shomen (Place of Honor)
The word "shomen" means "front." In the dojo, this refers to the place of honor at the front of the room where the old masters are honored by placing their pictures on the wall.
Main Shomen
Miyagi
- Founder of Goju Ryu
- Goju means "Hard-Soft Style"
- Name comes from a poem in the ancient Bubushi scrolls ("the way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness")
- Created the Gekisai katas
- Student of Higaonna
- More info: Miyagi Sensei
Kano
- Founded Judo (meaning: "Gentle Art") at age 21
- Created the obi uniform as well as the ranking system"
- Brought Judo to the Olympics
Itosu
- Was a student of Matsumura
- Created the five Pinan katas from the kata Kusanku Sho, and taught them to high school students
- More info: Itosu Sensei
Secondary Shomen
Higaonna
- Brought the White Crane system from China over to Okinawa
- Was the teacher of Miyagi
- More info: Higaonna Kanryo Sensei
Matsumura
- Founder of Shorin Ryu ("Style of the Little Temple"; the little temple refers to the Shaolin Temple in China)
- Was the bodyguard of 3 Okinawan kings
- Was the teacher of Itosu
- More info: Matsumura Sensei
Musashi
- Was a famous Japanese swordsman and ronin ("ronin" means "waveman")
- Was also a writer and philosopher
- Wrote "The Book of Five Rings"
Shimabuku
- Founder of Isshin Ryu
- Like Seido Ryu, Isshin Ryu is an Okinawan martial art that combines Goju and Shorin Ryu together
Funakoshi
- Was known as "the father of modern-day karate", and popularized Okinawan karate in Japan
- Founder of Shotokan ("house of Shoto"; "Shoto" was Funakoshi's penname and translates to "waving pines")
- Wrote the Karate Poem
- Wrote The 20 Principles of Karate
Ueshiba
- Founder of Aikido
- "Aikido" means "Flowing Art"
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