Gichin Funakoshi sensei was born in 1868 in the Yamagawasho neighborhood in the royal city of Shuri, Okinawa. In his autobiography he describes himself as a weak and sickly boy, this was so obvious that his family actually did not think he would live very long. At school he had the fortune of becoming friend of the son of Yasutsune Azato (in japanese Anko Azato) one of the most respected and main experts of karate on the island. Here he started his karate practice and in a few years he was no longer frail nor sickly, rather a strong and healthy youngster. This would be the beginning of a long and illustrious career in Karate that would make him the most famous of all Okinawan karateka. Among the most important masters Gichin Funakoshi studied with were Azato, Yasutsune Itosu and Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura.