History of Karate
Karate has a 500-year history that stretches from the Ryukyu Kingdom to the Olympic Games.
Timeline
| Period | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 1400s–1600s | Okinawan martial arts (called “te” — hand) develop as self-defense among the Ryukyu people. Weapons are banned by occupying forces, so empty-hand fighting becomes essential. |
| 1600s–1800s | Chinese martial arts influence Okinawan fighting styles through trade and cultural exchange. Three main styles emerge based on cities: Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te. |
| Early 1900s | Anko Itosu introduces karate into Okinawan schools as physical education. It begins to be taught openly rather than in secret. |
| 1922 | Gichin Funakoshi demonstrates karate in Tokyo, introducing it to mainland Japan. He later founds Shotokan karate. This is often considered the birth of modern karate. |
| 1930s–1940s | Major styles formalize: Shotokan (Funakoshi), Goju-Ryu (Miyagi), Shito-Ryu (Mabuni), Wado-Ryu (Ohtsuka). |
| 1950s–1960s | American soldiers stationed in Japan and Okinawa learn karate and bring it to the United States and Europe. |
| 1964 | Masutatsu Oyama founds Kyokushin (full-contact karate). |
| 1970 | World Karate Federation (WKF) established as the international governing body. |
| 2020 | Karate debuts at the Tokyo Olympics in both kata and kumite categories. |
The meaning of “karate”
The characters 空手 literally mean “empty hand” — fighting with no weapons. The older writing used characters meaning “China hand” (唐手), reflecting Chinese influence. Funakoshi changed the characters to emphasize the philosophical aspect: emptying the mind of ego and approaching training with humility.
Share with your kid: Karate started as self-defense for people who were not allowed to carry weapons. The entire art is built on the idea that a trained body and disciplined mind are the only weapons you need.