Karate

Karate's roots are in Okinawa, where local self-defence forms blended from the 14th century with the chinese quanfabrought by trade contacts with southern China. The Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te traditions, named after the fortified cities, flowed into modern karate through masters such as Itosu Ankō, Higaonna Kanryō and Matsumura Sōkon. In the 1920s Gichin Funakoshi brought karate to mainland Japan, sparking international diffusion. In 1936 the leading Okinawan masters officially agreed on the ideogram 空手 ("empty hand") in place of the earlier 唐手 ("Chinese hand").

Karate combines striking techniques (punches, blocks, kicks) with footwork, codified stances and coordinated breathing. Training alternates kihon (fundamentals), kata (forms against imaginary opponents) and kumite (sparring, with controlled contact or, in some schools, full contact). WKF-style sport karate, the Olympic format, uses controlled-contact bouts scored on target and individual and team kata events.

The World Karate Federation (WKF) recognises four traditional styles, around which most of the world's practice is organised:

• Shotokan: founded by Gichin Funakoshi, long stances and linear techniques.
• Shito-ryu: founded by Kenwa Mabuni, a synthesis of the Shuri-te and Naha-te schools with the broadest kata repertoire.
• Goju-ryu: founded by Chōjun Miyagi, alternates hard (gō) and soft (jū) techniques with codified breathing.
• Wado-ryu: founded by Hironori Ōtsuka, integrates jujutsu principles, with emphasis on evasion and absorption.

Many other styles operate outside the WKF circuit (Kyokushin, Uechi-ryu, Shorin-ryu, etc.), each with its own tradition and reference schools.

Japanese kyu/dan system. Kyu grades (usually 9th or 6th to 1st depending on the school) map to coloured belts; dan grades start at shodan (1st dan, black belt) and reach 10th dan in the historic lines. Dan exams are separate from kata and kumite ones, and typically require a documented minimum number of seminar days within the home school.

• Style: programmes, kata and technical vocabulary differ a lot between Shotokan, Shito-ryu, Goju-ryu, Wado-ryu and the non-WKF styles.
• Focus: kihon, kata seminars ahead of exams, competitive kumite, full-contact (for the styles that do it).
• Required level: open to all or dan-restricted; some events split juniors and seniors.
• Grading validity: traditional schools often require qualified seminar days as a prerequisite to dan exams.
• Instructor: the teacher matters more than the venue; seminars with the reference masters of a style fill up fastest.

What is the difference between karate styles?

Stances, distances, technical vocabulary and kata repertoire all change. Shotokan favours long stances and linear techniques, Shito-ryu has the largest kata catalogue, Goju-ryu integrates breathing and soft techniques, Wado-ryu emphasises evasion and jujutsu principles. Non-WKF styles such as Kyokushin are known for full-contact bouts.

Which style should I pick?

For a beginner the choice depends more on the quality of the local teacher and on the kind of practice (competitive, traditional, full-contact) than on the style in the abstract. It is worth visiting the nearest dōjō and trying out a few classes before committing.

Is karate an Olympic sport?

Karate was an Olympic discipline only at Tokyo 2020, as a host-nation special inclusion; it is not on the programme for Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028. It remains one of the most widely practised combat sports in the world.

Is any special equipment needed?

For regular practice you need a karategi (white gi). Contact-kumite seminars require the protective gear specified by the style's regulations (mouthguard, chest protector, shin guards, fist mitts, groin guard).

At what age can one start?

Pre-karate classes usually start at 4–5 years with motor skills, basic patterns and dōjō etiquette. Technical karate starts around 7. There is no upper age limit for adult beginners.