Gigō Funakoshi was the third son of Gichin Funakoshi and is widely credited with developing the foundation of the modern karate Shotokan style.

Mitsusuke Harada, MBE was a prominent Japanese master of Shotokai karate who introduced this martial art to Brazil and was after based in the United Kingdom. He founded the Karate-do Shotokai (KDS) organisation in 1965 and was its president. Harada held the rank of 5th dan, personally awarded by Gichin Funakoshi in 1956.