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The emergence of Tōde (“Chinese hand”)
- From about 1400 to 1879 Okinawa was an independent kingdom called Ryūkyū, with many influences from Chinese culture (largely due to the islands’ location). From 1372 Ryūkyū paid tribute to China; from 1609 it was additionally controlled by Satsuma, a Japanese feudal domain. In 1879 it was annexed by Japan. According to tradition, in 1392 “36 families” came from Fujian to Kume (Naha), bringing knowledge, crafts and probably Chinese martial arts; the Yagi family traces its descent to this settlement. (Note: the number 36 is considered symbolic; the settlement probably took place over a longer period.)
- A first weapons ban is attributed to King Shō Shin around 1507; a second followed in 1609 under Satsuma. This led to the emergence of Kobudō and Tōde. According to the IMGKA, Satsuma also prohibited martial arts training; practice took place in secret, often at night in the teacher’s courtyard. Around 1900, at the instigation of Itosu Ankō, karate was introduced into Okinawan schools as physical education – from then on it was taught openly.
- Development centred on Ryūkyū’s three main towns: Naha, Tomari and Shuri. Differences in style arose from the different influences the respective masters absorbed from various Chinese styles.
- Development into karate in 1936: Japanese nationalism forced a new name and a break with the Chinese roots. Among the practitioners themselves, no division into styles took place. Only with the establishment of large Dōjōs and the orientation towards mass training did the differences in style become more and more pronounced. (Note: at the 1936 meeting in Naha the spelling 空手 was recommended, not imposed; Funakoshi had already used it from 1929.)
From Tōde to modern karate
Karate, literally “empty hand”, developed on the island of Okinawa – today part of Japan – from around the 14th century as a form of unarmed self-defence. It was strongly influenced by Chinese martial arts that reached Okinawa through merchants and diplomats, especially the Fujian crane style (White Crane). Under the rule of the Ryukyu Kingdom the possession of weapons was forbidden, which encouraged the development of Te (hand) or Tōde. In the 19th century, masters such as Sokon Matsumura and Kanryo Higaonna shaped the foundations of modern styles. After Japan’s annexation of Okinawa in 1879, Gichin Funakoshi (船越義珍) brought karate to the Japanese mainland in the 1920s and popularised it as “Karate-dō” (way of the empty hand). It spread worldwide, especially after the Second World War through US soldiers. Today there are styles such as Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Shito-ryu and Gōjū-Ryū, which emphasise kata (forms), kumite (sparring) and kihon (basic techniques). Karate was an Olympic sport for the first time at the Tokyo Games (2021) and stands for physical fitness, mental strength and ethical values such as the Dōjō Kun (school rules).
How Okinawa’s martial art became modern competition karate is also explored on the page Karate: sport or martial art?
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