Introduction to Okinawan Karate

Shuri Castle, Birthplace of the Matsuhiga Weapon Techniques

The first post is to inform people about what Karate is. Karate is a Martial Art originating in the most southern part of modern day Japan, known as Okinawa. Okinawan Karate is a combination of a local Martial Art Naha-te which was invented during the early 19th century in the city of Naha and other Chinese Martial Arts, mostly White Crane.

If people are interested in taking up Karate, they should be aware of its origin and history. Karate has become one of the most popular Martial Arts in the world and people always confuse it for being Japanese, but the fact is that it was invented in Okinawa which was a separate kingdom known as the Ryukyu Kingdom and was taken over by Japan during the late 19^th century. Karate was taken to mainland Japan in the early 20^th century and took years to become part of Budo, which are the Martial Arts Japanese consider to be the “Way of the Warrior”.

The original spelling of Karate meant “Chinese hand”, giving a nod to its Chinese origins. When it was taken to mainland Japan, the spelling or the Kanji characters were changed slightly to make it “Open Hand”. The Japanese wanted to show that Karate finally belonged to them.

Today it is practiced by thousands of people across the world with many sub-styles in the mix. The most popular ones are Goju-Ryu, Shotokan, Shorin-Ryu, Uechi-Ryu, and Kyokoshin. All these styles originate from Naha-te but have adopted different techniques and philosophies to match their unique approach to Martial Arts. I will be focusing on Goju-Ryu through this blog, as I practice that style.

Dojo Tournament 2014

Bruce Lee Impersonation