Karate (空手?)
(Japanese pronunciation: [kaɽate] ( listen), English: /kəˈrɑːtiː/)
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now
Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting
methods called te (手?, literally "hand"; Tii in Okinawan) and
Chinese kenpō.[1][2] Karate is a striking art using punching,
kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such
as knife-hands. Grappling, locks, restraints, throws, and vital
point strikes are taught in some styles.[3] A karate
practitioner is called a karateka
Matrix Karate
Karate was developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom prior to its 19th
century annexation by Japan. It was brought to the Japanese
mainland in the early 20th century during a time of cultural
exchanges between the Japanese and the Ryukyuans. In 1922 the
Japanese Ministry of Education invited Gichin Funakoshi to
Tokyo to give a karate demonstration. In 1924 Keio University
established the first university karate club in Japan and by
1932, major Japanese universities had karate clubs.[4] In this
era of escalating Japanese militarism,[5] the name was changed
from 唐手 ("Chinese hand") to 空手 ("empty hand") – both of which
are pronounced karate – to indicate that the Japanese wished
to develop the combat form in Japanese style.[6] After the
Second World War, Okinawa became an important United States
military site and karate became popular among servicemen
stationed there.[7]
The martial arts movies of the 1960s and 1970s served to
greatly increase its popularity and the word karate began to
be used in a generic way to refer to all striking-based
Oriental martial arts.[8] Karate schools began appearing
across the world, catering to those with casual interest as
well as those seeking a deeper study of the art.
Shigeru Egami, Chief Instructor of Shotokan Dojo, opined "that
the majority of followers of karate in overseas countries
pursue karate only for its fighting techniques...Movies and
television...depict karate as a mysterious way of fighting
capable of causing death or injury with a single blow...the
mass media present a pseudo art far from the real thing."[9]
Shoshin Nagamine said "Karate may be considered as the
conflict within oneself or as a life-long marathon which can
be won only through self-discipline, hard training and one's
own creative efforts." [10]
For many practitioners, karate is a deeply philosophical
practice. Karate-do teaches ethical principles and can have
spiritual significance to its adherents. Gichin Funakoshi
("Father of Modern Karate") titled his autobiography
Karate-Do: My Way of Life in recognition of the transforming
nature of karate study. Today karate is practiced for
self-perfection, for cultural reasons, for self-defense and as
a sport. In 2005, in the 117th IOC (International Olympic
Committee) voting, karate did not receive the necessary two
thirds majority vote to become an Olympic sport.[11] Web Japan
(sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs) claims
there are 50 million karate practitioners worldwide
