Ossu

Shotokan karate is one of the most popular of modern styles. It is the most powerful and dynamic of the Japanese systems, and is generally considered to be the most comprehensive, both in the range of its techniques and the number and diversity of its kata.

Karate itself, originated not from Japan (as most people think) but from a tiny island called Okinawa. Okinawa is now a part of Japan but used to be a part of a small cluster of islands collectively called The Ryukyu Kingdom.

It has had a number of different names such as: Te, something i cant remember but it means Chinese hand and finally Karate, literally meaning empty hand.

This incredibly complex martial art was created many years ago to defend Okinawa from the invading Satsuma clan of samuri, because weapons were banned the Okinawan farmers and fisherman had nothing to defend their land and island with so therefore Te was born. Later on a man called Miyagi fell asleep on his fishing boat and woke up on the coast of China. He then met a man who practised Kung Fu and practised the art with him for many years. Then when he heard the news about more samuri invading his homeland, he returned with knowledge of Kung Fu and Te he had no choice but to fight with a new version of Te he had devised which was a mixture of Kung Fu and Te. Taking this into account he named his new martial art _Te which meant Chinese hand.

Chinese hand was then taught to his fellow Okinawans who then combined it with the samuri's empty handed combat system called Jujitsu. It was this new combination that formed the more Japanese sounding Karate.

Upon discovering this the samuri then banned Karate so the Okinawans had to practise it during the night in secret. Subject to this they all had to train in their pyjamas which then in later times formed the Karate Gi which we all still train in today.

If anyone would like to add to this please do

Ossu

Satori.

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