# Isao Obata

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**Isao Obata** (小畑 功, *Obata Isao*, 1904–1976) was a pioneering Japanese [master](/source/Grandmaster_(martial_arts)) of [Shotokan](/source/Shotokan) [karate](/source/Karate).[1] He was a senior student of [Gichin Funakoshi](/source/Gichin_Funakoshi),[2] who is widely recognized as the founder of modern karate, and was a key figure in the establishment of the [Japan Karate Association](/source/Japan_Karate_Association) (JKA) under Funakoshi in 1949.[3][4][5][6] Obata also helped introduce karate to the United States of America through his demonstrations of the art to [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force) personnel,[7][8] and through his students, most notably [Tsutomu Ohshima](/source/Tsutomu_Ohshima).[1]

## Early life

Obata was born in 1904 in the Tokyo area of Japan, the son of Kyuichi Obata and Toyoko Obata (née Ishiguro).[1] His father owned several silk mills in the region, and moved the family to different towns as demanded by his work.[1] Obata lost two brothers in infancy, and grew up with one younger brother and one younger sister.[1] As a child, he had a great interest in the martial arts, and left it to his brother, Satoru, to prepare to lead the family business eventually.[1]

At school, Obata trained in [judo](/source/Judo), [kendo](/source/Kendo) (swordsmanship), and [kyudo](/source/Ky%C5%ABd%C5%8D) (archery).[1] Unlike most Japanese boys of the time, he went through several schools, and entered Keio Preparatory School in Tokyo around 1922.[1] A friend gave him a copy of Gichin Funakoshi's first book on karate, and this sparked Obata's interest in the art.[1] Upon completion of his secondary education, Obata gained entry to [Keio University](/source/Keio_University).[1] In 1923, Funakoshi accepted a position teaching karate at the university, and Obata was one of the first students in line.[1] He would go on to become one of Funakoshi's senior students.[2] The [Great Kantō earthquake](/source/1923_Great_Kant%C5%8D_earthquake) struck later that year, destroying most of Tokyo, including Keio University's karate *[dojo](/source/Dojo)* (training hall).[1] The students rebuilt the *dojo* within a year, however, and training resumed.[1]

Kyuichi Obata was too busy with his business to have studied the martial arts himself, but was pleased at his son's commitment to karate; one of the family's ancestors had been [Obata Nobusada](/source/Obata_Masamori), a famous [samurai](/source/Samurai), general and governor under the *[daimyō](/source/Daimy%C5%8D)* (feudal lord) [Takeda Shingen](/source/Takeda_Shingen) in the 16th century.[1] Toyoko Obata was a deeply religious [Christian](/source/Christians) and saw the martial arts as contradictory to her beliefs, but never inhibited her son's training.[1]

## Karate career

Over the next few years, Obata assisted Funakoshi with teaching karate at [Takushoku University](/source/Takushoku_University), [Waseda University](/source/Waseda_University), and [Hitotsubashi University](/source/Hitotsubashi_University) (then known as Shoka University).[1] He became the inaugural captain of Keio University's karate club.[1] In 1926, Funakoshi awarded [black belt](/source/Black_belt_(martial_arts)) status to his most senior students, including Obata.[1] Obata's father died of a heart attack in 1927.[1]

In 1932, Obata travelled to [Manchuria](/source/Manchuria), and was to work there for more than 10 years as an economic adviser to the Manchurian Aviation Corporation.[1] He was responsible for flight scheduling and operations.[1] During this time, he taught karate privately to a few friends and students, but turned his focus to kyudo.[1] His mother introduced him to a young woman, Miyako, and the two were married in Tokyo by 1935.[1] In 1940, he returned to Tokyo to represent Manchuria at a kyudo tournament, and won the competition.[1] For a time, he was much better known for his expertise in kyudo than in karate.[1]

During the first few months of World War II, Obata was promoted to the rank of 5th *[dan](/source/Dan_(rank))* in Shotokan karate.[1] When Japan entered the war, Obata's brother Satoru joined the [Imperial Japanese Army](/source/Imperial_Japanese_Army) as an officer.[1] S. Obata had practised judo and was ranked 2nd *dan* in karate.[1] He died in the bitter fighting for [Iwo Jima](/source/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima), and this meant that Obata had to return to Japan to look after his mother and sister.[1] His brother's death affected him deeply, for the two had been very close.[1] With the end of the war, the occupying forces suspended all martial arts training in Japan for three years; it was only then that Obata could resume training under Funakoshi.[1] In the meantime, he worked at international trading company Hirano Seiko.[1]

On May 27, 1949, Obata, [Masatoshi Nakayama](/source/Masatoshi_Nakayama), [Shigeru Egami](/source/Shigeru_Egami), and other colleagues established the Japan Karate Association (JKA) under Funakoshi.[3][4][5][6] Obata was the inaugural Chairman of the JKA, with Funakoshi as Honorary Chief Instructor and Nakayama as Chief Instructor.[9] In 1954, he left the JKA when the organization became increasingly commercial and militaristic in nature.[1][2][4][9] Along with Nakayama, [Hidetaka Nishiyama](/source/Hidetaka_Nishiyama), and others, he began teaching personnel from the US [Strategic Air Command](/source/Strategic_Air_Command) (SAC) who were based in Japan.[7][8] Through Emilio Bruno of the SAC, whom Obata had earlier met through his work at Hirano Seiko, SAC headquarters invited Obata to visit the US to demonstrate his art.[1] For two months in 1953, he flew from base to base, demonstrating Shotokan karate to US military personnel; he then returned to teaching in Japan.[1]

## Later life

Obata's master, Funakoshi, died in 1957.[2] While Funakoshi had been honorary head of the JKA, Obata felt that the university karate clubs (Keio, Waseda, Takushoku, Hitotsubashi, and [Hosei](/source/Hosei_University)) most faithfully represented the spirit of Funakoshi's karate.[2] Through the 1950s and 1960s, Obata continued teaching karate to SAC personnel at the [Kodokan](/source/Kodokan).[1] In 1968, he visited the US again and was honored by his student [Tsutomu Ohshima](/source/Tsutomu_Ohshima), who had established the Southern California Karate Association.[1] Obata's mother died that year.[1] Another pioneer of karate in California, Dan Ivan, also studied under Obata.[10]

In his final years, Obata lived with his wife in the outskirts of Tokyo, spending his days teaching karate or tending to his garden.[1] While officially retired, he continued teaching four nights and four evenings each week at Keio University and [Meiji University](/source/Meiji_University).[1] His students presented him with a plaque reading: "Like your nickname, *Elephant*, you are strong, big and gentle. We thank you for the lessons you have taught us."[1] In a 1972 interview, Obata expressed disillusionment with the development of karate, saying, "Karate is dying now. It cannot last longer than a few more decades."[1] He died in 1976.[11]

## See also

- [List of Shotokan organizations](/source/List_of_Shotokan_organizations)

## References

1. Blair, R. L. (1972): "Karate is dying, says Isao Obata, disciple of the venerable Gichin Funakoshi, Founder of Modern Karate." *Black Belt*, 10(10):27–33.

1. Adams, A. (1971): "The Father of modern Karate." *Black Belt*, 9(10):41–47.

1. [Japan Karate Association: History – The early years (1949–1957)](http://www.jka.or.jp/english/about/early.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20101125235243/http://jka.or.jp/english/about/early.html) 2010-11-25 at the Wayback Machine (2010). Retrieved on April 23, 2010.

1. Evans, J. K. (1988): "The battle for Olympic Karate recognition: WUKO vs. IAKF." *Black Belt*, 26(2):54–58.

1. [British Traditional Karate Association: Shotokai – The true heir of Funakoshi?](http://www.btka.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=47:articles&id=49:shotokai-the-true-heir-of-funakoshi&Itemid=61) (June 11, 2006). Retrieved on April 23, 2010.

1. [De Anza Shotokan Karate Club: Shotokan Karate organizations](http://www.daskc.org/materials/handouts/handout_karate_organizations.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100107055858/http://www.daskc.org/materials/handouts/handout_karate_organizations.html) 2010-01-07 at the Wayback Machine (c. 2009). Retrieved on April 23, 2010.

1. Melton, J. R. (1986): "The evolution of Karate: From fighting method to art, sport and self-defense system." *Black Belt*, 24(12):28–32, 98–106.

1. [E/B Productions: A short biography of Master Hidetaka Nishiyama](http://www.karatevid.com/article-nishbio.htm) (c. 2009). Retrieved on April 17, 2010.

1. Noble, G. (1995): [Master Funakoshi's Karate: The history and development of the empty hand art, Part III](http://Seinenkai.com/articles/noble/noble-funakoshi3.html) Retrieved on April 23, 2010.

1. Kroll, P. W. (1976): "Dan Ivan: Karate's man of many contrasts – He is both traditionalist and avid martial arts promoter." *Black Belt*, 14(9):18–22, 74, 82.

1. [Chidokan Karate-Do New Zealand: Historical background](http://www.chidokankarate.com/newzealand/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=80) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110708143903/http://www.chidokankarate.com/newzealand/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=80) 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine (2010). Retrieved on April 23, 2010.

## External links

- [United States Taiho Jutsu Federation](https://web.archive.org/web/20111009170505/http://www.ustjf.us/founder/founder_photo.htm) contains photographs of Obata (1953).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Isao Obata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isao_Obata) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isao_Obata?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.