• Karate started in Okinawa as a unarmed defensive style of fighting. Training in karate requires regular training that strains you both physical and mentally to discipline yourself to become a master.

    The literal word for Karate in Japan is 'empty hands'.
    Karate originated as a system of self-defense which relied on the effective use of the unarmed person. Main techniques of Karate a defensive and lack enough offensive type attacks which is why practitioners of Karate would excel when forced into a defensive situation.

    As a physical art, Karate is highly dynamic and makes balanced use of a large number of body muscles to defeat the opponent.

    Even then before the Tokugawa period a branch of samurai known as ninjas used this style of fighting. Since ninjas are about stealth they would use hidden weapons, like daggers in their shirts and what better hidden weapon then your body since having a katana on your back would make everyone suspicious about you (no kidding *sarcastically*).

    Many Men and women in Japan have taken up Karate because, in addition to its usefulness as self-defense, it is especially good for the figure. It is widely practiced by both children and older people as a way of keeping in top physical condition.(In Japan of course their is more then just Karate theirs Kendo, Judo, Jujitsu etc )

    The samurai were respected because they protected the commoners (normal people). They were expected to behave in a respectful and courageous manner.. Through strong government control, the role of the samurai became a sacred trust, carrying "this burden of pride." Being a member of the samurai class meant lifelong employment unless a samurai was found guilty of wrong doing. In that case, he and his family would lose their jobs permanently exclaim .

    Samurai constantly practiced weaponry to better themselves and had time for little else. It is easy to see how weaponless fighting systems developed at that time would never gain enough popularity to be properly recognized. Even so, some forms of martial arts were developed like Torite and Ashikeri, and later Yawara and Jujitsu did exist among the lower class police forces (police forces whom are new or not veterans). An interesting note is the similarities in the weapons (kobudo) developed in Japan and in Okinawa during this time period.

    In 1936

    In 1936 Ryukyu Shimpo, an Okinawan newspaper, sponsored a meeting of Okinawan Karate masters to discuss the status of Karate in Okinawa. Yabu, Kiyamu, Motobu, Miyagi, and Hanagi were invited to Naha, the capital city of Okinawa and also the "Mecca" of the Karate world. In this meeting, the unification of writing was discussed and it was decided to change the name of the art to "Karate" meaning "empty hand".

    Reasons For This Change

    1. They would establish the new origin. They believed Okinawan fighting arts could be independent from China even though they recognized that great influence by China that existed.

    2. The new ideograph also represented the meaning of "Mu" "Ku" which has a stronger association with Zen philosophy than the old.

    3. This was the art of fighting methods using no weapons but only the "empty hand".

    Standardization

    After the meeting, the letter was standardized and has remained unchanged to the present day. The ideograph was used occasionally by people who were reluctant to use changes even in the early 1960's.

    Okinawa is the main island of the Ryukyu Islands, located in the East China Sea between Kyushu, Japan and Taiwan. Okinawa has maintained cultural contact for centuries with both China and Japan. Through a constant influence of Chinese sailors and merchants, the indigenous Okinawan fighting forms were heavily influenced by Chan Fa. Because of its strategic location, Okinawa was invaded several times by both China and Japan. Each country sought to use okinawa as a military and diplomatic base. With these two powerful countries vying for control, it is not surprising that the Okinawan people developed high levels of proficiency in self-defense.

    Okinawans have long been known as fierce fighters, and the tragic battles of World War II proved to the world that the Okinawans would rather die than live in disgrace. The spirit of the samurai was well developed in the hearts of these people (so the book says).

    Civil War In Japan And The Satsuma

    After Toyotomi died, Japan was split into two massive forces. One force was the remainder of the Toyotomi clan from the West and the other was controlled by the new leader Tokugawa from the East. In 1600, these two powers met head-to-head at Sekigahara Field to decide the control of Japan. Although most of the Western generals and the Satsuma clan controlled most of Kyushu joined the Toyotomi, the Tokugawa forces won.

    Tokugawa allowed the Satsuma-Shimazu family to retain their territories under the edict of unconditional loyalty to Tokugawa.

    The reason he allowed the Shimazu family to keep their lands was that they were so powerful that trying to destroy them might have proven self-defeating and was not in the best interest of Tokugawa.

    So instead Tokugawa took the Shimazu family as his allies and sent them to punish Okinawa for refusing to send supplies during the Japan-China war of 1592.

    It was also a useful way to smooth the honor of the frustrated Satsuma warriors by giving them a new target while keeping them too busy to make any further plays against Tokugawa.

    Upon seizing control of Okinawa, the Shimazu clan instituted numerous rules of martial law, one of which was a ban on all weapons. This time, however, the ban was on a much larger scale than that instituted by Sho-Shin. Only the Satsuma samurai, who were the invaders and conquerors of Okinawa, were allowed to have weapons.

    The methods used by the Satsuma for enforcing the weapons ban were ruthless. Any weapons found in an Okinawan's possession were immediately confiscated and the owner was severely punished. As part of the ban, the Shimazu also prohibited the Okinawans from participating in the study or practice of the martial arts.

    This ban had a number of serious effects on the Okinawan martial arts. All study and participation was forced underground, and all teaching was done by word of mouth only.No written records exist which would allow us to trace the development of the Okinawan arts during this time period. This has led to the creation of many false legends due to the inability to document facts.

    Secrecy became such an obsession that instructors hid true techniques from rival schools, as in the changing or hiding of moves in kata. this eventually led to the development of new and unique fighting techniques and systems including the modification of farming and work tools into weapons for combat use.

    The fighting attitudes in the martial arts schools became very violent due to the suppression of civil liberties and the general sentiment of the times.


    By the way I'm not Japanese I'm a Phillipino you know the island country (like japan) surrounded by China, Vietnam and Indonesia I just practice the martial art. By the way I'm thinking on making another history on a martial arts by what you tell me, tell me which one you would like to post on here.