A form of martial art, written as “Chinese hand”, travelled to the small Japanese island of Okinawa where it was adapted and blended to existing native fighting styles and two Okinawa styles evolved: Shorei-ryu and Shorin-ryu. In order to deal with the ruling Japanese samurai who had banned weapons for the people of Okinawa this weaponless or “empty hand” style was the origins of the style we see today. 

 

Funakoshi Gichin is considered to be the father of modern karate, bringing the Okinawan styles passed down by generations of masters to mainland Japan. He introduced the structure, discipline and consistency we still use today. His first dojo was named after his pen name, Shoto and Kan, meaning training hall. This gave rise to one of the most popular karate style today: Shotokan. 

 

In 1949 Masatoshi Nakayama, student of Funakoshi Sensei, helped establish the Japan Karate Association and internationalise Shotokan Karate. A number of his students are famed for bringing Karate to the UK, notably: Hirokazu Kanazawa and Keinosuke Enoeda.