Karate, or Karate-do when translated means (Kara-empty and te- means hand) the martial art of “empty hand’’. Karate do is the empty handed art of self defence which is practiced to harness both aspects of spiritual and physical perfection and harmony.

In the early stages during the 15th Century this undefined Martial art appeared on the Japanese island of Okinawa which is a part of the Ryuku chain of islands.

Karate was then a form of closed fist fighting which was developed in Okinawa and called T’e or hand generally known as (Okinawa hand). In 1470 under the Japanese occupation of Okinawa , the carrying of weapons were forbidden so the villagers had to learn different means of self protection against local heavily armed bandits who did not obey the law of the land which at that time dictated that any one found carrying weapons would be put to death,  which refined karate – empty hand techniques were trained in secret until modern times.

Further refining influences were brought about when other martial arts brought in by various  trade merchants to the Island .With the influence and importing of new techniques from China, eventually the new art was also translated as t’ang (China hand).

Gichin Funakoshi-(1868-1957)

It was not until the 20th century that t’ang became known as karate-do (empty hand). The suffix do was added by Gichin Funakoshi’s son, Yoshitaka Funakoshi .In friendly rivalry to his fathers Okinawa-te style which was a very hard and violent style. Punches were not pulled and full body contact was used.

Yoshitaka Funakoshi transformed the techniques of Okinawa-te into a gentler system and added the suffix do ‘ to light contact with the emphasis of more physical and spiritual development . Gichin Funakoshi was a student of the Chinese classics and of the martial arts , and he is associated with introducing karate to mainland Japan in the early parts of the 20th Century . In 1905 the occupying Japanese had authorised the inclusion of karate into the school educational system.

In 1917 the Japanese minister of education requested Funakoshi to travel from Okinawa to Kyoto in Japan and give the first display of t’ang. In 1921, Funakoshi demonstrated his system before the crown prince of Japan at Shuri Castle which was so impressive that Funakoshi was asked to appear at the first national athletic exhibitions in Tokyo .

In 1924 Funakoshi began teaching in a number of schools and founded the first University Karate Club at Keio University . Many other styles started to develop, including Kyokushinkai , Shukukaiand ,  Wado Ryu. In 1955 the first dojo of the Japanese Karate Association was opened. Two years later in Tokyo, on the 26 April 1957, Funakoshi passed away.

Karate Kata Demonstration Video: