The way of the empty hand

Let ’s go back to 1477, a Ryukyu Kingdom – today is known as Okinawa.

King Sho Shin came into power and banned a using of weapons – only unarmed arts are allowed, so the story about “empty hand” begins. 

Related to the three Okinawan cities Shuri, Naha, and Tomari, three separate Karate Styles emerged:

• Shuri-te
• Naha-te
• Tomari-te.

Development of these three styles led us to the men who are deserved for the Karate we know. 

His name was Gichin Funakoshi.

After leading a karate demonstration for the Crown Prince Hirohito, Funakoshi was the chosen one to spread the word of Karate to Japan.

In 1917 Karate was demonstrated for the first time outside of Okinawa.

A few years later in 1924, Master Funakoshi opens first Karate Dojo in Japan and in 1939 the state of Japan opens its first formal karate school named Shoto-kan.

That was a beginning of Karate we know today.