Karate Styles
The four earliest karate styles developed in Japan are Shōtōkan, Wadō-ryū, Shitō-ryū, and Gōjū-ryū. The first three styles find their origins in the Shuri region of Okinawa whilst Gōjū-ryū finds its origins in the Naha province.
Enshin Kaikan ( 円心会館 )
Is a style of "full contact karate", or Knockdown karate, founded in 1988 with dojo and students in various countries around the world. The core emphasis in Enshin is use of the Sabaki Method, a system of techniques employed with the goal of turning an opponent's power and momentum against him or her and repositioning oneself to the opponent's "blind" spot to counterattack from a more advantageous position. Although Enshin is a "stand-up fighting" style that includes kicks, strikes, and punches found in most other styles of karate, it also utilizes numerous grabs, sweeps, and throws often associated with Judo or other grappling styles of martial arts.
Genseiryū ( 玄制流 )
Is a karate style with roots in Shuri-te, one of the three original karate styles of Okinawa Japan. It was developed by Seiken Shukumine (1925–2001) who combined classic techniques with his own innovations thus developing the special characteristics of Genseiryū. The first is gen (玄) which means 'mysterious', 'occult', and 'universe' but also 'a subtle and deep truth'. The second is sei (制) and translates to 'control', 'system', 'law' or 'rule' but also 'creating a form.' The combination of gensei (玄制) could be translated as 'to control the universe', but is interpreted by members of the school to mean something like "to pursue the deep truth and making it clear through the form," which can be regarded physically as well as spiritually.
Gōjū-ryū ( 剛柔流 )
Gō which means hard, refers to closed hand techniques or straight linear attacks. Jū means soft which refers to open hand techniques and circular movements. Gōjū-ryū incorporates both circular and linear movements into its curriculum, combining hard striking attacks such as kicks and close hand punches with softer open hand circular techniques for attacking, blocking, and controlling the opponent, including locks, grappling, takedowns and throws. Major emphasis is given to breathing correctly in all of the katas but particularly in the Sanchin kata which is one of two core katas of this style. The second kata is called Tensho, meant to teach the student about the soft style of the system
Gosoku-ryū ( 剛速流 )
A style of Karate which was founded by Takayuki Kubota. Gosoku stands for hard and fast, which suggests a combination of techniques both from the fast and dynamic Shotokan style as well as from the strength-focused Gōjū-ryū style. The International Karate Association (IKA) was formed in Tokyo, Japan in 1953 for the purpose of teaching and promoting the Gosoku style of karate. Gosoku-ryū, "the style of force with speed," incorporates the methods of Gōjū-ryū and Shotokan karate with aikido, jujitsu, and judo. It is applied so as to encompass any attacker from all angles. Gosoku-ryū is similar to Shotokan karate. It differs from Shotokan in that it incorporates the linear power movements of Shotokan with the speed and soft circular motions of Gōjū-ryū. Emphasis is put on practical application and sparring.
Isshin-ryū ( 一心流 )
Isshin-ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gōjū-ryū karate, and kobudō. The name means literally, "one heart way" (as in "wholehearted" or "complete"). In 1989 there were 336 branches of Isshin-ryū throughout the world (as recorded by the IWKA), most of which were concentrated in the United States. Isshin-ryū employs a vertical punch with the fingers tucked in and the thumb on top of the fist. It is usually taught that the thumb placement increases the stability of the wrist when punching and that a vertical punch strikes with the same force at any range instead of at maximum extension as with a corkscrew style punch. The thumb will not get caught on an object as opposed to having the thumb sticking up or out as an advantage.
Kyokushin ( 極真 )
Is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Korean-Japanese Masutatsu Oyama (大山倍達 Ōyama Masutatsu) who was born under the name Choi Young-Eui. Kyokushin is Japanese for "the ultimate truth." Kyokushin is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline, and hard training. Its full contact style has had international appeal. Kyokushin has had an influence on many other styles. The knockdown karate competition format is now used by other styles. Karate styles that originated in Kyokushin, such as Ashihara Karate, Budokaido, Godokai, Enshin Karate, Seidō juku, Musokai, Shidōkan and Seidokaikan, are also knockdown styles and use slight variations of the competition rules. Kickboxing has been seen as a natural progression for kyokushin competitors and many of Japan's top kickboxers have started in knockdown karate.
Motobu-ryū ( 本部流 )
Is a school of karate founded by Choki Motobu in 1922. After a number of failed business enterprises, Motobu moved to Osaka, Japan, in 1921. A friend convinced Motobu to enter a "boxing vs judo" match which was taking place. These matches were popular at the time and often pitted a visiting foreign boxer against a jujutsu or judo man. According to an account of the fight from a 1925 King magazine article, Motobu is said to have entered into a challenge match with a foreign boxer described as a Russian boxer or strongman. Early rounds involved evasion by the smaller man but after a few rounds Motobu moved in on the boxer and knocked him out with a single hand strike to the head. Since reporters were not familiar with karate at that time, it is also possible that Motobu kicked the taller man in the groin to enable striking the head. Motobu was then 52 years old.
Seidokaikan ( 正道会館 )
First formed in 1980 by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a former Kyokushin Karate practitioner who began his training under Hideyuki Ashihara in 1969. In 1980 Ishii left Kyokushin to join Ashihara's new style and organization, but after only a few months he left to form his own style and the Seidokaikan organization. Seidokaikan arranged several successful challenge events against other martial arts organizations, loosely based on the Kyokushin Knockdown karate rules as Seidokaikan also allows grabbing. In 1993 Mr. Ishii founded the K-1 organization as a kickboxing organization, with many students from Seidokaikan. Seidokaikan is world renowned and also has international dojos in many countries including Australia.
Shindō jinen-ryū ( 神道自然流 )
Konishi believed that if one lives a moral life, then one is naturally following the divine way. Extending this idea, he posited that, if training in karate in a natural way leads one to mastery of one's body, knowledge and experience are vastly increased and the foundation for naturally living a moral life is established. For this reason Konishi named his own style Shindō jinen-ryū ("godly, natural style, complete empty-handed way"). Shindō jinen-ryū training has three main elements: kihon (basics), kata (forms or patterns of moves) and kumite (sparring). It incorporates elements of karate, aikido, jujitsu and kendo in its curriculum and also emphasizes both philosophy and education.
Shitō-ryū ( 糸東流 )
A form of karate that was founded in 1931 by Kenwa Mabuni (摩文仁 賢和 Mabuni Kenwa). Mabuni was a 17th generation descendant of the famous warrior Kenyu. Perhaps because of his weak constitution, he began his instruction in his home town in the art of Shuri-te (首里手) at the age of 13, under the tutelage of the legendary Ankō Itosu (糸州 安恒 Itosu Ankō (1831–1915). He trained diligently for several years, learning many kata from this great master. It was Ankō Itosu who first developed the Pinan kata, which were most probably derived from the "Kusanku" form. Mabuni published a number of books on the subject and continued to systematize the instruction method. Perhaps more than any other master in the last century, Mabuni was steeped in the traditions and history of Karate-dō, yet forward thinking enough to realize that it could spread throughout the world.
Shotokan ( 松濤館 )
Shotokan is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin Funakoshi was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing "karate do" through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs. Shotokan training is usually divided into three parts: kihon (basics), kata (forms or patterns of moves), and kumite (sparring). Techniques in kihon and kata are characterized by deep, long stances that provide stability, enable powerful movements, and strengthen the legs. Shotokan is regarded as a dynamic martial art as it develops anaerobic, powerful techniques as well as developing speed. Those who progress to brown and black belt level develop a much more fluid style that incorporates grappling, throwing and some aikido-like techniques, which can be found even in basic kata.
Tōon-ryū ( 東恩流 )
Is a style of Okinawan Karate founded by Juhatsu Kyoda. Juhatsu Kyoda (許田 重発 Kyoda Juhatsu, December 5, 1887–August 31, 1968) entered the dojo of Higaonna Kanryō in 1902 and continued studying with him until Kanryō's death in 1915. One month after Kyoda started, Miyagi Chōjun (co-founder of Gōjū-ryū) entered the dojo. In 1908, Kenwa Mabuni (founder of Shitō-ryū) also joined the dojo of Higaonna Kanryō. In 1934 Kyoda received his Kyoshi license from the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. By far Higaonna Kanryō had the most profound impact on him as Kyoda devoted well over a decade of his life to learning Kanryō’s karate. He ultimately named his style after him: Tō-on-ryū (literally ‘Higaon[na] style’).
Uechi-ryu ( 上地流 )
Uechi-ryū means "Style of Uechi" or "School of Uechi". Originally called Pangai-noon which translates to English as "half-hard, half-soft", the style was renamed Uechi-ryū after the founder of the style, Kanbun Uechi. Kanbun was an Okinawan who went to Fuzhou in Fujian Province, China to study martial arts and Chinese medicine when he was 19 years old. After his death, in 1948, the style was refined, expanded, and popularized by Kanbun Uechi's son, Kanei Uechi. In contrast to the more linear styles of karate based on Okinawan Shuri-te or Tomari-te, Uechi-Ryū's connection with Chinese Nanpa Shorin-ken means the former shares a similar foundation with Naha-Te (and thus with Gōjū-ryū) despite their separate development.
Wadō-ryū ( 和道流 )
The name Wadō-ryū has three parts: Wa, dō, and ryū. Wa means "harmony," dō (same character as tao) means "way," and ryū means "school" or "style". Wadō-ryū (和道流) is a karate style; three organizations now teach the Wadō-ryū style: the Japan Karate-dō Federation Wadōkai, the Wadōryū Karatedō Renmei, and the Wadō Kokusai Karatedō Renmei. Wadō-ryū has been spread to many countries in the world by both Japanese and non-Japanese students of Hironori Otsuka. Wadō-ryū moves from the balls of the foot rather than the heel, which affects the delivery of almost every technique, the stances and the kata. It works well with the jūjutsu applications that Wadō retains and improves the tai sabaki that is a core of Wadō training and application in comparison to the "low stances and long attacks, linear chained techniques" that typify the way Shōtōkan developed after the split.
Yoseikan Karate ( 養正館空手 )
The name given to the variant of Shotokan Karate taught at the Yoseikan Dojo in Shizuoka, Japan, under the direction of Minoru Mochizuki (望月 稔 Mōchizuki Minoru, 1907–2003). Minoru Mochizuki trained directly under Gichin Funakoshi, the man who formally introduced Karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921. In the 1970s, Minoru Mochizuki formally organised his arts into Yoseikan Budo, including Karate, aikido, judo, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryū, jujutsu, kobudo, iaido, kendo, jojutsu, and kempo. A small number of schools through the world still focus on the traditional Karate aspect of Yoseikan, and as such refer to it as Yoseikan Karate, or Yoseikan-ryū Karate.
Yoshukai Karate ( 養秀会 )
The three kanji (Japanese symbols) that make up the word Yoshukai literally translated mean "Training Hall of Continued Improvement." However, the standardized English translation is "Striving for Excellence." The body of fighting and self-defense techniques which became Japanese Karate-do is thought to have originated about a thousand years ago in India and spread from there to China, Okinawa and finally to Japan in the early 1900s. Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan karate) is considered to be most responsible for the systemization and introduction of karate to Japan. Afterwards, many other masters emerged including Tsuyoshi Chitose, who developed Chito-ryū karate from a combination of Shorin-ryū and Shorei-ryū karate styles.
RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Karate", "Enshin_kaikan", "Genseiryū", "Gōjū-ryū", "Gosoku-ryu", "Isshin-ryū", "Kyokushin", "Motobu-ryu", "Seidokaikan", "Shindō jinen-ryū", "Shitō-ryū", "Shotokan", "Tōon-ryū", "Uechi-Ryū", "Wadō-ryū", "Yoseikan_Karate", "Yoshukai_karate", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
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