Shotokan Karate
The Japanese Karate Federation recognizes four officials styles of karate which are Shotokan-ryu, Shito-ryu, Goju-ryu, and Wado-ryu. Though all four are impressive in their own right Shotokan-ryu is probably the most recognized of the four. Brought to mainland Japan from Okinawa by Gichin Funakosi in 1921 it includes elements from Shōrei-ryū and Shōrin-ryū Karate, and Kendo. Created with self defense mind it was named after the training a hall where his students practiced. The style stresses dynamic power and constant movement, and devastating strikes.
Shotokan Karate was developed not for sport, but for real life combat situations. The Japanese ruled Okinawa with an iron fist and first restricted then completely banded the natives from owning weapons. This made learning a martial art a necessity and with the help of Chinese instructors Karate slowly began to develop. Though some aspects of Kung Fu can be seen Karate developed into a brutal style that includes hand and leg strikes, throws, blocks and grappling. Weapons training included every day tools and farm implements and much of the training was done in secret to avoid the wrath of the ever watchful Japanese.
In 1879 Gichin Funakosi like many of his peers started studying martial arts and would studied both Shōrei-ryū and Shōrin-ryū styles of Karate which were popular at the time. Finding them to complex he began to develop a simpler style taking from the best aspects of both. He also drew from his experiences in Kendo, the Japanese fencing martial art based off of samurai sword fighting techniques. After over twenty years of study he began teaching and demonstrating his new style in Okinawa and later Japan where he continued to write and teach.
Shotokan style Karate has long and deep stances and its use of more linear movements which differs from the circular movements of other Okinawan styles. Once in Japan Funakosi began calling Karate the”empty hand” instead of “China hand” which had been the tradition in Okinawan schools for generations. His actions angered many other instructors and Funakosi could never go back to Okinawa, but his style of self defense continues to be taught are the world. Sadly though Shotokan Karate has been turned into a tournament combat sport with a points based system. Funakosi intended for his style to be used for self defense against enemy soldiers and criminals not to score points in a martial arts competition.
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