· A NOVEL INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS  · 

Walking Upright

Walking Upright  is the first book in the trilogy that bears its name. It tells the story of Gichin Funakoshi, the master who brought Tōde from Okinawa to Japan and helped transform it into Karate-Dō.


Through his life, the book opens the path for the rest of the trilogy, exploring the spirit of Budō: discipline, humility, respect, and character.


For Gichin Funakoshi, Karate was not merely a technique, but a way of walking upright through life.

 · A NOVEL INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS  · 

Walking Upright

Walking Upright  is the first book in the trilogy that bears its name. It tells the story of Gichin Funakoshi, the master who brought Tōde from Okinawa to Japan and helped transform it into Karate-Dō.


Through his life, the book opens the path for the rest of the trilogy, exploring the spirit of Budō: discipline, humility, respect, and character.


For Gichin Funakoshi, Karate was not merely a technique, but a way of walking upright through life.

Walking Upright

Discover Walking Upright in your language. Select one of the available editions and begin reading the opening chapters of this historical novel, inspired by the life of Gichin Funakoshi, directly on the website. You can also download a free PDF sample and continue reading whenever you like. Choose your language, discover the story, and begin the journey.

Walking Upright

Discover "Walking Upright" in your language. Choose one of the available editions and start reading the opening chapters of this historical novel, inspired by the life of Gichin Funakoshi, directly in your browser. You can also download a free PDF sample and continue reading whenever you like. Select your language, discover the story, and begin the journey.

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Step into the extraordinary story of Gichin Funakoshi and discover how Karate-Dō began its journey from Okinawa to mainland Japan.


Walking Upright is a historical novel that brings to life the man behind one of the world’s most influential martial arts traditions. Through personal struggles, cultural change, and a lifelong search for purpose, the novel reveals the human story behind the birth of modern karate.


Download the free preview, read the opening chapters, and begin the journey

Walking Upright Book 1

EXAMPLE IN ENGLISH

A NOVEL INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS  ·  PUBLISHED

Walking Upright

Karate-Dō · The story of Gichin Funakoshi

A fictional novel inspired by real events. Not a manual of techniques but an essay in lived ethics: how the Okinawan path of karate-dō became a discipline for the body, the mind, and the way we move through the world. A meditation on lineage, dignity and the quiet decision to walk upright.


Walking Upright Trilogy - Book 1.

Milton Chanes — Author’s Blog

Kōdōkan – Its History

By Milton Chanes • August 6, 2026
The Kōdōkan: Where Judo Became a Way and Karate Found Its Gateway to Japan
Kōdōkan, historia del Kōdōkan, Jigorō Kanō, Gichin Funakoshi, historia del judo, historia del karate

Kōdōkan - Su historia

By Milton Chanes • August 6, 2026
Descubre la historia del Kōdōkan, fundado por Jigorō Kanō, y la decisiva visita de Gichin Funakoshi en 1922, recreada en Walking Upright.
Discover the story of Gigō Funakoshi, son of Gichin Funakoshi, and how he turned karate into a path

The Story of Gigō Funakoshi: Karate as Reconstruction

By Milton Chanes • August 2, 2026
The story of Gigō Funakoshi is not merely the story of a karateka. It is the story of a sick child who found in karate a way to rebuild his body, challenge his fate, and leave a decisive mark on the evolution of Karate-dō.
Gigō Funakoshi: el karate como reconstrucción personal

La historia de Gigō Funakoshi: el karate como reconstrucción

By Milton Chanes • August 2, 2026
Descubre la historia de Gigō Funakoshi, hijo de Gichin Funakoshi, y cómo convirtió el karate en un camino de reconstrucción y transformación personal.