Sensei Kenneth Yoshinobu Funakoshi Passes Away

On the 4th of July, 2024, Kenneth Yoshinobu Funakoshi passed away at the age of 85 (by the English ageing method). Though he reached a great age, I am deeply saddened by his passing, as I knew I would be when it eventually happened. 

Born on the 4th of September, 1938, in Honolulu, Hawai’i, he began Jūdō training in 1948. Later, he was in the US Air Force for a time, and began training in Shōtōkan Karate in 1960 under Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa. Subsequently, Funakoshi learnt from Hidetaka Nishiyama, Masataki Mori, Tetsuhiko Asai, and Masatoshi Nakayama.

In 1969, Sensei Funakoshi was appointed Chief Instructor of JKA – Hawai’i. He moved to San Jose in 1986, and in 1987 he founded his organisation, the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association (FSKA), with the purpose to faithfully follow Master Gichin Funakoshi’s 20 Guiding Principles of Karate. Gichin Funakoshi was a cousin of Kenneth Funakoshi whose father, Yoshio Funakoshi, actually learnt directly from Gichin Funakoshi when still living in Okinawa before migrating to Hawai’i. Hence, Kenneth Funakoshi was of Okinawan descent. 

After Sensei Funakoshi was awarded 9th Dan in Shōtōkan Karate in 2001, I was lucky enough to learn from him in seminars in the UK, from around 2005 to 2010. During this period, he was already approaching 70, and then was over 70 years old. Yet he was able to charge ahead of everyone else in the room, all of whom were younger. He was exceptionally powerful and sharp, highly skilled and knowledgable, and an excellent teacher, speaking clearly and loudly to vast numbers of eager students. We would drill up and down the training hall following the principle of “spirit first, technique later”. Sensei Funakoshi, whom we called “Shihan”, always talked about the principles laid down by his relative, Master Gichin Funakoshi. He discussed “respect” at length, and taught us many things in the public and semi-private seminars we attended. I was even fortunate enough to receive the particular Karate school’s “Outstanding Student” award directly from Sensei Funakoshi, which came in the form of a Japanese sword plaque that I kept for a year.

In “martial arts”, unfortunately some teachers don’t know much, in truth. This is evident in too many cases, sadly. In the case of Master Kenneth Yoshinobu Funakoshi, it was entirely the opposite. He was a Karate-man who really knew real Karate and how to fight skilfully and powerfully. In terms of his complete knowledge of Karate, his sons, Sensei Kyle Funakoshi and Sensei Kevin Funakoshi, continue to transmit the teachings of their branch of Funakoshi Karate taught to them by their father, Kenneth Funakoshi.

Shihan always said, “Strong mind, strong body,” among other wise sayings. You will always be missed, Sensei, but not ever forgotten. Be at peace. 🙏🏼☯️

Sensei Funakoshi performing the kata “Sōchin”, one of the kata I learnt from him.