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| Shuri-Te | Naha-Te | Combined Styles |
History:
Prior to the importation of karate, Okinawa had it's own martial art known only as te or hand. However, as a nominal possession and trading partner of China, it was only a matter of time before Chinese martial arts were incorporated and adopted by the Okinawans. This fusion of arts became known as to-te, or Chinese Hand. The first notable practitioner of to-te was To-te Sakugawa.
In 1609, the Satsuma clan of Japan subjugated Okinawa and banned the practice of all martial arts. To-te continued to be practiced in secret. This ban continued until 1875 and Japan's recognition as Okinawa as a part of Japan. History of to-te during this period is very is sketchy due to the requirement for secrecy and the eventual destruction of many official and family records in World War II.
As part of Japan, Japanese officials began to recognize the superior health of Okinawan martial artists and through the efforts of to-te ambassadors to the mainland such as Gichin Funakoshi and Choki Motobu, to-te began to be recognized by Japan for its true value. It was about this time that the name was changed from to-te (Chinese hand) to karate (empty hand). This was done, at least in part, to assuage anti-Sino sentiment in Japan at the time. Karate began to attain official recognition by Japanese martial arts' organizations and was introduced into the Okinawan public school system.
The global popularity of karate owes a great deal to allied servicemen being exposed to it in the Orient during and after the war and taking it home and introducing it in their home countries. Popular media and successive generations of servicemen and women have also helped to sustain this growth.
Karate was originally divided geographically into Shuri-Te, Tomari-Te and Naha-Te. From these sprang the large number of Ryu or styles that exist today.
Additional Resources:
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| Goju-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: |
 Chojun Miyagi |
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| Isshin-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: |
 Tatsuo Shimabuku |
| Current Style Head: |
 Kichiro Shimabuku |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | One Heart Style |
| Kata: |
Empty Hand:
Kobudo:
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These are videos of Master Tatsuo Shimabuku demonstrating Kata from the Isshin-Ryu system. |
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| Shito-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: |
 Kenwa Mabuni |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | The characters for Shito are taken from Kenwa Mabuni's teachers' names Master Yasutsune Itosu and Master Kanryo Higaonna. |
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| Shorin(Kobayashi)-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: | 
Chosin Chibana |
| Current Style Head: | 
Shuguro Nakazato |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | Young Forest |
| Videos: | |
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| Shorin(Matsubayashi)-Ryu | |
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| Shorin-Ryu (Matsumura Seito) | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: |
 Hohan Soken |
| Current Style Head: |
 Fusei Kise |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | Shorin-ryu Matsumura Seito (Small forest school Matsumura orthodox) |
| Synopsis: | Hohan Soken began training at age thirteen under his uncle, Nabe Matsumura. After ten years of basic training under Nabe Matsumura, Soken began learning the techniques of the white crane or Hakutsuru. Bushi Matsumura had learned the white crane system in China. The Hakutsuru technique is the main part of the style. Up until the 1950's Master Soken referred to his martial art as Matsumura Shuri-Te, then he began calling his style Matsumura Seito (orthodox) Shorin Ryu. The empty hand kata of the style included those passed on by Bushi Matsumura. Hohan Soken gave his Menkyo Kaiden to Fusei Kise prior to his death. The Government of Japan has officially recognized that Fusei Kise is the direct inheritor of the Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu System. |
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| Shorin(Shobayashi)-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: | 
Eizo Shimabukuro |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | Small forest |
| Synopsis: | Shobayashi Shorin-Ryu is characterized by its high stances and quick, cat-like movements. Shobayashi originated in Shuri Okinawa as Shuri-Te and is one of the three branches of modern Shorin-Ryu. |
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| Shotokan | |
| Symbol: |  |
| Founder: | 
Gichin Funakoshi |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | Pine waves house |
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| Shuri-Ryu | |
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| Uechi-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: | 
Kanbun Uechi |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | The School of Uechi |
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| Wado-Ryu | |
| Symbol: |
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| Founder: |
Hironori Otsuka |
| Kanji: |
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| Meaning: | Harmony way style |
| Synopsis: | Wado-Ryu is a blending of Shotokan Karate and Jujutsu. Its founder, Hironori Otsuka was already trained in Shindo Yoshin-Ryu Jujutsu when he was introduced to Karate by Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan. Wado-Ryu is the first form of Karate founded on the Japanese mainland. |
| Related Articles: | |
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