Karate and the Okinawa Karate Kaikan
空手・沖縄空手会館KaratiPracticeGrew from the Ryukyu Kingdom's martial arts; named karate (empty hand) at a meeting in Naha on 25 October 1936
Karate began in Okinawa as the martial art of the Ryukyu Kingdom, and the Okinawa Karate Kaikan in Tomigusuku is the place for visitors to learn its story, watch training and try it. The Kaikan's exhibition opens 9:00–18:00 and closes on Wednesdays.
Photo Kugel~commonswiki · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
In early Meiji Okinawa people spoke of ti, meaning hand, and of toodii, meaning Chinese hand, and the dominant view today is that native fighting arts absorbed Chinese martial arts to become toodii. From 1901 the art entered school physical education in Okinawa, and the characters for Chinese hand were read as karate. On 25 October 1936 the leading masters of the day met in Naha at a round table held by the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper and agreed to write the word with the characters for empty hand.
After the war Okinawa's styles worked apart until 1956, when Uechi-ryu, Goju-ryu, Shorin-ryu and Matsubayashi-ryu formed the first joint federation. Okinawan karate keeps its weight on the set forms called kata and on body conditioning, and many dojo also teach weapons.
The Okinawa Karate Kaikan opened on the grounds of the old Tomigusuku castle in Tomigusuku City as a base for preserving Okinawan karate and teaching it to the world. Its exhibition room tells the history with a theatre and hands-on corners. The special dojo Shureinokan, built to recall the kingdom's architecture, hosts high-grade examinations and demonstrations, and the main dojo is open for training and tasters.
Visiting with care
The Karate Kaikan lists the shaping of character through courtesy as the first of its six roles, so visitors to any dojo are expected to show the same courtesy.
- The Okinawa Karate Kaikan in Tomigusuku is open to anyone, with or without karate experience; the exhibition room charges admission
- Shared use of the dojo costs ¥200 a session for adults, at the rates revised in January 2023
- The Kaikan runs a karate taster, a Ryukyu kobudo (weapons) taster and a tile-breaking session; check the Kaikan's site for times and prices
- Training in a private dojo means asking the dojo first and following its rules
- Bow when you enter and leave the dojo floor
- Take off your shoes before the mat and train barefoot
- Ask before you photograph or film anyone training
Worth knowing
- The Kaikan is about 14 minutes by car from Naha Airport, with a free car park for 100 cars; by bus, get off at Tomigusuku Koen-mae on routes 33, 46, 101 or 105.
- Pair it with the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters, which sits close by in Tomigusuku.
- Avoid Wednesdays, when the Kaikan is closed.
Go and see
Where to see Karate and the Okinawa Karate Kaikan場所
FAQ
Quick answers about Karate and the Okinawa Karate Kaikanよくある質問
Where can you learn about karate in Okinawa?
The Okinawa Karate Kaikan in Tomigusuku has an exhibition on karate's history, a theatre and dojo, and it runs karate and kobudo tasters. Its exhibition opens 9:00–18:00 and closes on Wednesdays.
Where did karate come from?
Karate came from Okinawa, where the Ryukyu Kingdom's native fighting art absorbed Chinese martial arts. The name karate with the characters for empty hand was agreed at a meeting of masters in Naha on 25 October 1936.
How should you behave at Karate and the Okinawa Karate Kaikan?
At Karate and the Okinawa Karate Kaikan: Bow when you enter and leave the dojo floor. Take off your shoes before the mat and train barefoot. Ask before you photograph or film anyone training.