My Thoughts on Shigeru Egami

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

My Thoughts on Shigeru Egami

Back in 1975 when I was a new Isshinry student, one weekend we went to Red Lion, PA. to visit my parents. In near by York they had a great bookstore and Paid it a visit. That was where I found a new book on the martial arts. It was Shigeru Egami’s “ The Way of Karate Beyond Technique” (later to be republished as “The Heart of Karate-Do”)

I realized the book was about Shotokan, of a sorts. As I read it I found Egami nad been a student of Funakoshi Ginchin. He trained ferociously in how he was trained for decades. Then when he took ill, so as to be unable to train for years, he began to investigate how Funakoshi technique was beyond fhat of his students. He took a trip to Okinawa and there found a fist more effective to what he trained int.

After years of research Egami in the 1950’s found an efficient way of striking by executing the movement in a relaxed state of mind and body. This is the basis of Shotokai. It focuses on suppleness and relaxation, as opposed to tenseness that generates force. Elaborating this basic idea, he suggested new forms of techniques and a new way of practicing.

At that time I had some knowledge of Shotokan, yet at the same time I was starting my study of Isshinryu I did not know there were differences between Okinawan karate and its Japanese derivations of which Shotokan was one.

I found the book very interesting, but it had nothing to do with the Isshinryu I was studying. It became a book that I read and put away.

Years later re-reading that book I found his development of the Middle knuckle strike over the Shotokan flat fist interesting. Of course he went much deeper into fist striking too.

Now finding my original copy on my bookstand, reading it again, I am struck that the process Egami went through developing his Shotlkai was very similar to the process I wean through to strengthen my own Ishinryu Studies.

Of course there are differences, I was never trying to strengthen my Shotokan. Instead of the pain caused when striking with the middle knuckle fist, I found similar power from striking with Sherman Harrill’s ridge of knuckles in the Isshinryu fist. Then again I worked out the necessity for more flow in movement, my own use of the crescent stance in power development and other developments.

What I found most intesting was the journey Egami made and see it reflected (abet differently) in my own journey.

I have been unable to find if his group, the Shoto-kai, exists today.

The following photographs show some of the use of the single point fist he developed in the Shoto-kai.