Orochimaru
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- Jul 22, 2008
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What does okinawan karate mean, and which styles of karate are okinawan karate? Is there a difference? What do people mean when they say Okinawan Karate? I practice Shitoryu... is it considered that?
Question on Okinawan Karate?
- Thread starter Orochimaru
- Start date
First of all Karate, is not Japanese, it is from Okinawa. The term Karate is Japanese but the systems that predated it, and where all authentic Karate comes from is Okinawa.
Next, there are only three origional systems, or Ryu, of Okinawa Karate. Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te...named after the villages / provinces they were developed in. From these primary three all other Karate systems developed and yes many of the founding masters studied all three systems.
There are some systems of Karate that developed in Japan but in essence they are not from Japan but from the knowledged shared with Japan by the Okinawa Masters. Gichin Funakoshi is basically the first person to push for Japanese recognition for Karate and he was the primary reason why it known as being Japanese but all his training was in Okinawa in Karate, or Te (tode).
The biggest issue is that most of the history, or recorded documents on history of Karate were lost during WWII but some have survived. The term Karate was first penned in a manuscript about the Okinawa islands (which was in Japanese) in 1909. It wasn't until the Japanese government formed the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai and at a meeting of the Masters at that time that Karate was officially adopted as the term for Okinawa martial arts. This happened in 1923 or 1936 depending on which source you refer to.
Shito Ryu Karate developed in Japan and is primarily more modern than the Okinawa Karate systems such as Goju Ryu, Shuri Ryu, Tomari Ryu and others. Isshinryu is one of the few that developed from Tomari-te and it has remained very traditional.
Is Okinawa Karate better than Japanese? Nope...because they have the same roots...they are just different in how they structure and do things.
BTW - it is Okinawa Karate...you cannot put an "n" on the end of it because the Japanese language doesn't permit that.
Edit - Sketch word from the wise DO NOT ever set foot in Okinawa and tell them that their art is "technically Japanese" or you will be in for a good thrashing. It is not Japanese.
Next, there are only three origional systems, or Ryu, of Okinawa Karate. Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te...named after the villages / provinces they were developed in. From these primary three all other Karate systems developed and yes many of the founding masters studied all three systems.
There are some systems of Karate that developed in Japan but in essence they are not from Japan but from the knowledged shared with Japan by the Okinawa Masters. Gichin Funakoshi is basically the first person to push for Japanese recognition for Karate and he was the primary reason why it known as being Japanese but all his training was in Okinawa in Karate, or Te (tode).
The biggest issue is that most of the history, or recorded documents on history of Karate were lost during WWII but some have survived. The term Karate was first penned in a manuscript about the Okinawa islands (which was in Japanese) in 1909. It wasn't until the Japanese government formed the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai and at a meeting of the Masters at that time that Karate was officially adopted as the term for Okinawa martial arts. This happened in 1923 or 1936 depending on which source you refer to.
Shito Ryu Karate developed in Japan and is primarily more modern than the Okinawa Karate systems such as Goju Ryu, Shuri Ryu, Tomari Ryu and others. Isshinryu is one of the few that developed from Tomari-te and it has remained very traditional.
Is Okinawa Karate better than Japanese? Nope...because they have the same roots...they are just different in how they structure and do things.
BTW - it is Okinawa Karate...you cannot put an "n" on the end of it because the Japanese language doesn't permit that.
Edit - Sketch word from the wise DO NOT ever set foot in Okinawa and tell them that their art is "technically Japanese" or you will be in for a good thrashing. It is not Japanese.
okinawan karate is a term used for Okinawa-te (te=hand). Karate what the Japanese called the art once it was brought, and arguably perfected, by the Japanese.
Okinawan style Karate, in those terms, is closer to the original art.
However, the Japanese applied Kinesiology and many other sciences to the existing art making more effective, again arguably, in a combative art.
Just remember the Karate, technically, is Japanese. Not Okinawan
nwohiogu: My grandfather was born in Okinawa, my father learnd Okinawan-te there, and I've been studing shotojan karate-do for 25 years. You nee to check your references.
Karate is Japanese, not Okinawan. Revist Gichin Funakoshi referenses. (Mcarthy's, Gould. ect.)
And the ending structure resemble nothing of the same. Look at the Kata difference, regardless of the similar origin.
The origanal origin comes from India anyways.
READ UP!
Okinawan style Karate, in those terms, is closer to the original art.
However, the Japanese applied Kinesiology and many other sciences to the existing art making more effective, again arguably, in a combative art.
Just remember the Karate, technically, is Japanese. Not Okinawan
nwohiogu: My grandfather was born in Okinawa, my father learnd Okinawan-te there, and I've been studing shotojan karate-do for 25 years. You nee to check your references.
Karate is Japanese, not Okinawan. Revist Gichin Funakoshi referenses. (Mcarthy's, Gould. ect.)
And the ending structure resemble nothing of the same. Look at the Kata difference, regardless of the similar origin.
The origanal origin comes from India anyways.
READ UP!