About Our Practice

On this page, you'll find helpful information about some of the people, concepts, and ideas that are important to our practice, as well as a brief history and book recommendations. Understanding the history and important concepts that underlie our training is part of practice, and students who are testing for a new rank can expect to be asked about what's on this page.

This information should be regarded as a starting point. Students should familiarize themselves with the books written by O-sensei Shoshin Nagamine, which go into much greater depth about this material and introduce other knowledge as well.

The Kata of Shorin-ryu

Kata (a sequence of techniques against an imaginary opponent; what some martial arts call "forms") are the cornerstone of our practice. Students begin with simple kata and with each rank promotion, add more kata to their repertoire.

The training kata, broken down by rank, are:

White Belt — Fukyugata Ichi, created by Shoshin Nagamine
RoKyu, One Green Tip — Fukyugata Ni, created by Chojun Miyagi.
GoKyu, Two Green Tips — Fukyugata San; Training exercise OyotanRen
YonKyu, Green Belt — Pinan ShoDan and Pinan NiDan, created by Anko Itosu
SanKyu, Brown Tips — Pinan SanDan, Pinan YonDan, Pinan GoDan, created by Anko Itosu
NiKyu, Brown Belt — Naihanchi Sho, created by Bushi Matsumura
Ikkyu, Black Tips — Naihanchi Ni and Naihanchi San, by Bushi Matsumura

The first of the traditional kata is introduced as students prepare to test for their First Degree Black Belt, with others being added once the Black Belt rank is achieved and as they reach successively higher ranks:

Ananku
Wankan
Rohai (left and right)
Wanshu
Passai
Gojushiho
Chinto
Kusanku

These traditional kata of Shorin-ryu can trace their origins back to the martial arts of China. Each one offers its own set of tactics and techniques. Each one presents a unique approach to dealing with multiple opponents. Together they form a comprehensive system.

The most advanced practitioners select one of these advanced kata and use it for decades as the means to perfect their karate and themselves.

In addition to empty hand kata, students have the opportunity to study traditional Okinawan weapons. They begin with bo, a six-foot wooden staff, as brown belts. Black belts typically learn sai upon promoting to the rank, and may also have the opportunity to practice nunchaku, tonfa, or kama.

1/8 Bun Bo Ryo Do, translated to mean "Harmony of pen and sword". Motto of our Dojo. Literally, the characters mean "Peace War Both Ways". It represents the ideal of the cultivated person in samurai philosophy. It is also related to Sensei Shoshin Nagamine's famous saying "Ken Zen Icho Nyo", Karate and Zen as one." Both sayings encourage practitioners to practice mindfulness and intellectual understanding as well as physical training and conditioning.

2/8 Another version of Bun Bo Ryo Do, harmoney of pen and sword.

3/8 Nin Tai. Translated to perseverance, endurance in the face of difficulty. Considered complimentary to Sho Jin.

4/8 Sho Jin. Translates to Pure effort. Complementary to Nin Tai.

5/8 Black belts are embroidered with the text "Oku Myo Zai Ren Shin", translated as Deep/profound reality exists in training the heart and mind. The motto is associated with Chojun Miyagi, founder of Goju-ryu Karate.

6/8 Karate Ni Sente Nashi. Translates to "There is no first attack in karate". This saying is meant to emphasize that ours is a martial art intended for self-defense, not aggression.

7/8 Enso. Translates to mean unity, eternity, oneness, continuity and ceaseless change or sunyata, emptiness

8/8 Bushido. Translated to "The way of the warrior". Codes of conduct concerning behaviours, morality, and attitude for samurai.

In our karate practice, we follow certain customs and etiquette that were passed down to us by dojo founder Sensei Jeffrey Brooks, and Shorin-ryu founder O-Sensei Shoshin Nagamine, who said “Karate begins and ends with courtesy.” It's important to show respect to our practice, among students, and toward more senior practitioners whenever we gather. These courtesies aren’t just an ego exercise for higher ranks. Everyone is expected to show courtesy to each other — the instructor and student bow to each other at the start of class, for example. When we observe these guidelines, we create an atmosphere of good will that is conducive to learning. Our practice also operates more safely and efficiently when everyone interacts according to the same guidelines. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Addressing people in the dojo

If you approach another student to work with them, whether before class or during partner work in class, and regardless of each other’s respective ranks, we make a short bow and say "onegaishimasu" (please teach me; I request) to each other.

When concluding an interaction, we say "arigato" (thank you).

We say "hai" (yes) or "arigato" to acknowledge instructions.

Address other students on the deck as follows:

Any student up to second degree black belt who is senior to you: senpai
Any student who is a third degree black belt or higher: sensei
All black belts should be addressed by their last name: Ms. Brown, Mx. Green, Mr. Blue etc.

Please use these courtesy titles in emails as well.

Before class

Try to arrive 5 to 10 minutes early to class. Some dojos lock the door when class starts. We don’t do that because we would rather have you arrive late than not at all. However, it is disruptive to have folks entering late and it should be avoided whenever possible. Arriving early will allow you to change, warm up, work on techniques you need to practice, and give you time to mentally shift gears for a more productive training.

Leave shoes outside; they should not be worn on the deck.

Turn off your phone’s ringers and alerts. This also goes for observers.

Once changed, get on the deck as soon as possible to start training.

Non-karate chitchat is discouraged, but you are welcome to ask karate-related questions of other students until class is called to order.

When entering the dojo, a short bow toward the shinden (the shrine of photos of our style's founder and other practitioners) is customary.

During class

When class is called to order, line up in rank order, highest rank in front. If you're not sure where to go, someone will help.

Follow the instructions of the instructor or senior rank with whom you are working. Use courtesy to acknowledge instructions or corrections: “arigato” or “hai”

Keep talk to a minimum. We are here to train and it’s far too easy to get distracted from that by a discussion about a move. Many questions can be answered by trying the technique and letting your body figure it out.

Related, try to follow the saying “show nothing” during class: no complaining about how hard an exercise is, no excessively effortful grunting, no clapping or woo-ing, etc.

If you have an injury or physical condition that requires you to modify a move in order to train safely, do so. If possible, alert the instructor before class and if asked, say “modifying for injury” — no need to apologize or justify because we've all been there. Same goes with partner work; if you cannot participate due to an injury, step away from the group. The instructor will likely see and ask you to do a kata or other exercise instead.

We are here to push our stamina and get outside our comfort zone. For that reason, we don’t have water breaks during class. However, if you become lightheaded or feel otherwise unwell, bow out and either step outside or to the bathroom area at the back to take care of yourself. If you recover, rejoin the class. If you become unwell again, however, you should consider yourself done for the day.

Proper wearing and care for your gi (uniform)

Sensei Nagamine placed a great deal of value on cleanliness:

“A karate-man must always try to keep his body and mind clean and right. Once he loses his righteous and pure mind, it is no longer possible for him to concentrate on karate practice. In this connection he should learn something important from the following proverb: “There is no reformation of yourself without keeping yourself clean, and no cleanliness without keeping your mind right.”

Accordingly, please observe these guidelines for the care and wearing of the gi.

The gi is the white, belted uniform we wear in class. It’s worn by people across many different styles of martial arts, including the Okinawan practitioners who originated our style.
You must purchase a gi upon joining, as well as a patch. The patch should be sewn onto the gi promptly and should be the only visible design on your gi.
You gi pants should be at about ankle length, and your sleeves should reach no further than your wrists. Your gi should be hemmed if it is too long — having it drag on the floor is unsafe.
Training in a dirty, smelly gi is discourteous to fellow students. Your gi must be kept in good condition and washed after each class. If you break a sweat, you must wash the gi before you wear it again. If it smells musty even after washing (a condition we refer to as "gi rot"), it’s time to get a new gi.
Rips and tears should be mended promptly, and if they can’t be, your gi needs to be replaced.
Sweatshirts, collared shirts, sweatpants, and other bulky items may not be worn under your gi. T-shirts, sports bras, or athletic shirts (like Under Armour) are fine. Make sure they are also kept clean and are replaced when they get musty.
Always wear your belt, and when you receive a new tip, immediately attach it securely to your belt.

Safety notes:

Do not wear dangling earrings, necklaces, or bracelets, as they could be ripped off accidentally. Rings must be removed prior to partner training to prevent injury to yourself and opponents. Practitioners with long hair are encouraged to put their hair back.

Attendance

We recommend attending class 2 to 3 times a week. It's difficult to maintain conditioning and good technique, let alone learn anything new, coming just once a week.

That said, we all have weeks when life interferes and can't train that much. That's normal and we won't hold it against you. If you're going to miss more than a few classes, though, let an instructor know so we don't wonder where you've gone.

IMPORTANT: In accordance with Sensei Nagamine's saying that "Karate begins and ends with courtesy," we ask that you respect other people's health and NOT come to class if you are sick. If you have a fever, sore throat, or other symptom that could indicate flu, COVID, or other contagious illness, skip training so that you don't make others sick.

Can I learn new kata by using videos on the internet?

No, this is against our practice guidelines. Three main reasons:

It is considered extremely discourteous to learn kata from a source other than your instructors, in your dojo. They are the people who are qualified to assess when you are ready to learn a new kata, and they will teach you when you have reached that point.
You may not be able to see all the elements of a technique depending on the angle of the filming, and you may learn incorrect habits.
There may be variations in techniques among different styles of karate that you are not yet equipped to assess and analyze, and you may learn the kata differently than we do it.

Follow-up question: What about using videos if you have a question on a technique you already know?

See number 2 and 3 above. Ask a sensei if you have a question; they are best equipped to answer a question and/or share resources that have been vetted.

Testing and rank promotion

Tests are held roughly twice a year — the precise timing depends on whether/when folks are ready. Students will be invited to test when they have learned the material for their rank and demonstrated their readiness. This includes not just memorizing the kata and techniques, but understanding the details of the movements and how they should be used. Steady training and strong spirit matters; someone who is a talented athlete but only shows up twice a month may take longer to move through the ranks than someone who attends 3 classes a week and mindfully engages with the material. Students are also evaluated based on how their individual practice has grown.

While the first and second green tip tests may happen within a few months of each other, kyu students can generally expect to spend a minimum of 6-12 months at each rank. Ik kyu, also known as black tips, will likely be closer to 18 months.

A student who spends "extra" time at a rank has not failed at their practice. Life, work, injury, and other factors can all impact test timing and are completely normal. It is probably not a surprise to know that students' ability to deal with setbacks is considered a valuable part of their training.

By the time a student gets up on the spot to demonstrate their kata, they will have already done 90% of the work. Most of the "test" is in showing up, day after day, to train, to hone the techniques, and to become the best possible karate practitioner.

At the test, students can expect to demonstrate kata, yakusoku kumite (pre-arranged fighting), and any other exercises or techniques the testing senseis deem necessary to see. Students will also be asked questions about the material on this website and in The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do, by Sensei Shoshin Nagamine. At the promotions to green belt, brown belt, and black belt, students will also be given the opportunity to break.

Testing — a note about children

Most of what is written in the previous section about testing applies to children as well, with a few notes.

First, we anticipate that children may take longer to grasp some of the material. Therefore, we often break younger children's rank advancement up into more stages than we do for adults and teens. For example, rather than asking them to wait to test for brown belt (ni kyu) until they have learned all three kata at brown tips (san kyu), we have intermediate test for them after they learn each of those kata, and they get the brown belt after the last of those three tests. This helps our youngest students understand that they are learning and making progress, while preserving the integrity of what each rank demands.

The decision to promote students in the children's program is made by the full group of instructors. Not testing can be hard for children, and we will make sure the students and their parents know what they should work on and be ready for the next opportunity (which may be sooner than 6 months if the student shows appropriate growth). Many children have a surprisingly mature understanding of whether they are ready or not. On the other hand, some children may need help to understand that silliness and disruptive behavior will impact their readiness to test, even if they know their kata.

Please note, also, that shodan-ho, the junior black belt, is awarded at 14 at the earliest. Full black belt can be awarded no earlier than 16.

Parents who have questions about their child's progress are encouraged to contact the instructors.

Counting

Students take their turn counting out moves at various points during class. New students may count in English but by 3 or 4 classes in, we will expect you to try counting in Japanese.

Ichi — 1
Ni — 2
San — 3
Shi (or Yon) — 4
Go — 5
Ro (Roku) — 6
Shi (Shichi) — 7
Hachi — 8
Ku — 9
Jyu — 10

Karate terms and vocabulary

These terms may come up during class or in discussion:

Anza — cCrossed legged seated posture
Arigato — thank you
Atemi — breaking
Bo — long staff, first weapon introduced in our style at the brown belt level
Bunkai — divide and analyze, an exercise where we "reverse-engineer" attacks that would fit the kata we are studying
Chishi — strength stone, traditional weight training
Chudan — middle
Dan — black belt rank
Dachi — stance
Do — way
Dojo — school, way place
Dozo — please
Eku — oar
Fukyugata — basic kata (there are three)
Gedan — lower
Geri — kick
Gi — uniform
Hajime — begin
Hara — center of the body
Hidari — left
Hiji ate — elbow strike
Hikite — returning hand
Jodan — upper
Kama — sickle, a type of weapon practiced by advanced students
Kara — empty
Karate — empty hand
Kata — form; a set of fighting moves against imaginary opponents
Ki — energy
Kiai — convergence of energy and spirit; a forceful shout uttered to accentuate and add power to certain moves during basic exercises and kata
Kime — focused energy
Kosa dachi — crossed leg stance
Kumite — crossing hands; fighting practice
Kyotske — attention
Kyu — rank below black belt
Maai — distance
Mae — front
Matsubayashi-ryu — Pine Forest style; Shorin-ryu
Mawashi — round
Mawatte — turn
Migi — right
Naihanchi — gripping the earth from within
Nunchuku — grain flail
Obi — belt
Onegaishimasu — please teach me; I request
Oyotan Ren — apply and refine; basic exercise
Pinan — peaceful spirit, name of a group of kata
Ren Zoku — Flowing; without a count
Rei — bow; courtesy
Sai — anti-sword weapon introduced at sho dan rank
Seiken — fist
Seiza — kneeling position
Senpai — senior, courtesy form of address for all students senior to oneself below San Dan rank
Sensei — teacher; courtesy title and form of address for all students who are San Dan and above
Shi Han — director of the dojo
Shinden — shrine; in our dojo, used in reference to the images of the founder and his teachers at the front of the dojo
Shinden ni rei — bow to the shinden, a courtesy bow practiced at the beginning and ending of each class
Shotto matte — wait a minute
Shuto — knife hand
Tanden — hara; center of vital energy
Tanden kumite — fighting from the center; three point arm training
Tonfa — mill handle, type of weapon practiced by some advanced black belts
Uke — block
Uraken — back fist
Waza — technique
Yakusoku Kumite — pre-arranged fighting, a set of choreographed exercises for practicing some fighting moves
Yame — stop
Yoi — ready
Yoko — side
Zuki — punch

Shoshin Nagamine
1907–1997
Founded Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu karate, headed Okinawan Karate Federation. Trained under Ankichi Aragaki, Choki Motobu, and Chotoku Kyan. Chief Of Police in Okinawa; opened his Dojo in 1947 to help young people of Okinawa during the chaotic and desperate years after World War II. He practiced Zen meditation and lived by “Ken Zen Ichi Nyo”—Karate and Zen are as one.

Jeffrey Brooks
Founded Northampton Karate Dojo in 1988, 9th degree black belt.
Began studying martial arts in 1978, ultimately choosing Shorin-ryu karate for its practicality and founder Shoshin Nagamine’s practice of meditation and belief in “Karate and Zen as one”. Studied in the US and Okinawa, including with Sensei Nagamine and other senior members of Shorin-ryu.

Kentsu Yabu
1863-1937

The only man known to have ever defeated Choki Motobu in kumite, known as a strict taskmaster in the dojo. He is also one of the first ever to demonstrate Okinawan karate overseas, in Hawaii and Los Angeles, in the 1920s.

Chotoku Kyan
1870–1945
Trained with Bushi Matsumura, Kosaku Matsumura and Anko Itosu, taught Shoshin Nagamine. Master of kiko who emphasized development of the hara (tanden) in practice. Legendary for his successful confrontations with gangs who controlled the countryside and many roads and his efforts to return orderly life to Okinawa.

Chomo Hanashiro
1869–1945
Devised the new kanji for karate, creating the usage “empty hand” as a replacement for “Chinese hand. Urged Nagamine Sensei to teach the original katas, thus influencing the development of Shorin-ryu.

Choki Motobu
1871–1944
When his family’s tradition dictated that only the eldest son could study karate, he developed to his own training—lifting rocks for strength and punching trees for power. His nickname was “Saru,” the monkey. He was a great jumper and could climb trees upside down. He was also
known as a trouble maker, inclined to start fights to test his power.

Chojun Miyagi
1888–1953
Traveled to China to study and practiced on Okinawa under Kenwa Mabuni. He created Fukyugata Ni and founded his own style.

Ankichi Aragaki
1899–1927
Studied with Chomo Hanashiro, Chosin Chibana, and Chotoku Kyan. He inspired Shoshin Nagamine in many ways, including his insight into Okinawa’s unique cultural heritage and his understanding of karate. He was a proponent of the toe tip or spear foot version of the mae-geri, the primary kicking technique of our style.

Karate History and References

The Origin of Okinawan Karate

Records of cultural exchange between China and Okinawa are mentioned in the court history of the Chinese Sui Dynasty (which ended in 618 AD). Records from 1392 reveal a Chinese cultural and trade mission, including martial arts practitioners, settled on Okinawa. However, between those years, no written record of martial arts exchange exists. Even so, oral traditions maintain China and Okinawa shared a great deal of martial knowledge during the period.

Even the name has Chinese roots: traditionally the Chinese characters pronounced "karate" in Japanese translated to "T'ang hand." Because T'ang was the name of the ruling Chinese Dynasty during much of this period, some connection between the art of karate and its Chinese antecedents seems likely. Ultimately, the influence of Chinese/Okinawan cultural exchange seems clear. However, other influences and inspirations were likely.

Legend has it that the indigenous Okinawan fighting style called "tode" was mingled with Chinese and other South East Asian influences. Speculation that kicking techniques were imported from Indonesia is based on material recorded in the Okinawan National Archive destroyed in the bombing in World War II. Those records stated that at this time there were official embassies from 44 countries, including representatives from areas that are now Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Java and Korea.

Impact of Maritime Culture

During this period the Okinawan port of Naha became a busy crossroads for trade. Among the many cultural and economic benefits of this trend was the Okinawans' newfound access to the martial arts of travelers, traders and sailors from other Asian countries.

Okinawa served as a transshipment and warehousing point for goods from all over East Asia. Okinawan sailors were often hired by traders from other countries to transport their goods. The Okinawans had a reputation for being the most experienced and most skilled sailors of the stormy and treacherous waters of the western Pacific.
The name Okinawa means a "rope in the water." For sailors caught at sea in typhoons the Ryukyu chain—of which the island of Okinawa is the largest island—often provided the nearest haven. The Ryukyuan archipelago arcs like a rope thrown across the water from southern Kyushu in Japan, towards Taiwan and mainland China.

Propriety and Defense

Chinese court records of this period noted two extraordinary qualities of the Okinawan people: propriety and defense. Both of these are reflected in Okinawan karate.

Propriety

Propriety was one of the chief virtues of Confucian philosophy, the philosophy that guided the Chinese culture for millennia. To the Chinese, “propriety” referred partly to the Okinawans perfect performance of the elaborate court rituals. These formal functions were the most important obligation of most small Chinese tributary states.

But a further mark of the "propriety" of the Okinawans noted by the Chinese is one of which court records make special note: the Okinawans were the most scrupulously honest of all China's trading partners. They were never known to cheat on transactions. They always delivered what they promised, the amount of goods arriving at port always matching the bill of lading, and they never tried to extract more than fair payment.

The fact that the Chinese praised the Okinawans so highly for their propriety was a source of tremendous pride to the Okinawan people. The Shuri Gate (the only structure its precinct which survived WWII), carries a plaque presented originally by the Emperor of China. It reads "Shu Rei Do" or, Land of Propriety, the Chinese name for Okinawa.

Defense

The other quality the Chinese annals mention is one which may be seen as an extension of the Okinawans' sense of propriety and fairness. They were absolutely relentless in defense of their ships and possessions. The Okinawans are peaceful and gracious people. But it was known that pirates, one of the chief perils of sea travel, would go out of their way to avoid ships flying the Okinawan flag. The few cases in which pirates attempted to raid an Okinawan ship ended with the pirates killed or captured.

It is not hard to understand why the Okinawans took self-defense so seriously: ocean commerce and the biannual trade mission to China provided the majority of the Ryukyuan Kingdom's income. If the ships and their cargoes were lost, the people of the island would be reduced to poverty.

Conflict and the Weapon Ban

As the prosperity of the island increased, strife between neighboring feudal lords on Okinawa became a severe drain on the country's resources. To end it, and unite the country under his rule, King Sho Hashi banned the ownership of weapons on Okinawa in 1429. The ban was reinforced by his grandson, King Sho Shin, in 1477. It is an interesting side note that this policy, and the requirement that rural nobles spend a considerable part of the year in residence at the capital in Shuri, were two policies that were previously unheard of and quite effective in centralized rule and quelling civil strife. Both were copied exactly by the Shoguns in Japan two centuries later, to great and lasting effect.

King Sho Shin also promulgated a caste structure among the gentry, establishing as one of many social divisions, the pechin class. The pechin had an upper and lower division—for gentry and commoners—and was further stratified based on seniority. The pechin class was charged with enforcing the law and providing military defense to the nation. The pechin class was also responsible for the development of and training in the martial arts. unarmed self-defense techniques were especially important to them.

For these reasons the empty hand martial arts developed on the island of Okinawa under great pressure of practical need. Unlike the large imperial nations of Japan and China, which had large, armed, standing armies, the Okinawans needed to be able to use their hands in self-defense. Of necessity they refined unarmed martial arts to a degree which may have been unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Japanese Invasion and Impacts

In 1609 a Japanese invasion ended Ryukyuan independence in all but name. The ban on the ownership of weapons was extended to include the Okinawan military. Legend has it that the Okinawans from that time on trained secretly, in the vast network of limestone caves that underlie the island, in secluded pine forests, and on the long, isolated stretches of beach, where the sound of the waves hid the sounds of training from the occupying patrols.

There was some localized resistance to the Japanese occupation but it was unsuccessful. In 1629 the various Okinawan martial societies united. The new fighting style developing at this time was called, simply, "te". Te means hands. The aim of these arts was far removed from sports or fitness. The need of the Okinawan people at this time was, every day, a matter of life and death: to protect their homes, families and towns from robbery, rape and murder.

Emerging Styles

There were some Okinawans who traveled to China to study martial arts. Sometimes they went as members of embassies. In some cases they were selected to be a member of an elite group of students, sent every other year, who were chosen to study in the Chinese capital as a prelude to a career in the Ryukyuan ruling elite.
The martial arts exchange worked in both directions. The names of some famous Chinese martial artists who visited Okinawa and were influential in the development of Okinawan karate include Saifa, Seiunchin, Ason, Waishinzan, Ananaku, Chinto, and Kusanku.

There were three groupings of styles on Okinawa which emerged. Each has its own emphasis and characteristics. Each is named for the area in which it was practiced. Shuri-te, practiced by the royal family and their guards; Naha-te practiced in the port district; and Tomari-te, practiced outside the capital area. Shorin-ryu, emphasizing speed and accuracy as well as natural breathing descends from the Shuri-te style. The Naha-te descendants tend to emphasize power and rootedness as well as controlled breathing. The Naihanchi kata derive from the Naha-te tradition.

The Shorin-Ryu Style

In the late 20th century the Shorin-ryu style has branched in a number of directions. Some of the main post-war branches include:
• Shobayashi Shorin-ryu (Small Forest Style)
• Kobayashi Shorin-ryu (Young Forest Style)
• Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu (Pine Forest Style)
• Matsumura Seito (Family Style; handed down within the family of Matsumura Sokon)

All the Shorin styles are named for the Shaolin (pronounced Shorin in Japanese) Monastery in Henan Province, China. This is the legendary birthplace of karate and Chinese Ch'an meditation (pronounced Zen in Japanese), and was an active Buddhist monastery and fort for much of its 1500 year history. The system of martial arts that were developed at Shaolin spread across China, to Korea and Japan, and to many countries beyond.

Japanese Adoption and Public Training Initiatives

In the first decade of the 20th century karate was made available to the public on Okinawa, for the first time ever. This was an era when the Japanese dominated public life on Okinawa, and when militarization of the culture was government policy. The Japanese officers recruiting young Okinawans for the China campaigns noticed that some of their Okinawan conscripts were tremendously fit and powerful. When they realized that this was a result of karate practice, the decision was made to make karate part of the required curriculum for boys in Okinawan schools.

Yasutsune Itosu devised a system of kata for public training. He created the Pinan kata which deleted much of the more difficult, subtle and deadly content from the karate techniques, but retained the physical fitness benefits.

In 1936 the term karate, meaning empty hand, was officially applied to the Okinawan bare handed martial arts. It was changed from the homonymous word meaning T'ang or Chinese hand. This change was another one made under the influence of the Japanese domination of Okinawan culture.

Shorin-Ryu Beyond Okinawa

In the 1920s karate was first demonstrated outside of Okinawa by Kentsu Yabu on Hawaii and later in Los Angeles. At about the same time Gichin Funakoshi, another Okinawan Shorin-ryu practitioner, demonstrated karate on mainland Japan, at the annual national martial arts festival. He remained in Japan where the Shorin-ryu he taught was renamed Shotokan by his students. It is now strongly influenced in it movements and mindset by the Japanese sport of Kendo (fencing with bamboo swords.)

Karate gained a lot of popularity in the years after World War II, during the U.S. occupation of Okinawa and Japan. The U.S. administration banned the practice of judo and Kendo in Japan. These were the traditional practices of the military forces, and were considered a threat to the return of Japanese society to a peacetime culture. The practice of karate was permitted. The Japanese did not understand it well and turned it into a sport, using tournaments, points, judges, and so on. This system was exported from Japan all around the world. It has lately even infiltrated back into Okinawa itself. It was never a part of the traditional practice of karate. U.S. servicemen, enthusiastic but unskilled practitioners in many cases, returned to the U.S. and opened karate schools. Some invited their Okinawan teachers to teach in the U.S.

The Modern Art: Restoration and Tradition

Today there are millions of karate practitioners all around the world. Most continue to practice the diluted and superficial form of karate that was popularized early in the century, and which was the type offered to the hundreds of thousands of American servicemen in the years following WWII. A few schools however are restoring the lost aspects of the art—tuite, nagewaza, kyushojutsu, kiko, etc.—which were retained in the practice of just a handful of Okinawan masters. Most of these have been reluctant to share their more profound knowledge with outsiders. A few, fortunately, have.

Because of the effort of many thousands of practitioners known and unknown who have passed the art of Shorin-ryu karate to us, we are able to practice, learn, and develop the profound and practical modern art of karate. As a result we have access to an endless source of strength, clarity and peace of mind; a means to make our lives and the lives of the people we know, better and better.