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Karate Was Never Just One Style

Archangel Dojo

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KARATE WAS NEVER JUST ONE STYLE

Karate today exists in dozens of different styles — Shotokan, Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu, Wado-ryu, Uechi-ryu, Kyokushin and many others.

But how did one Okinawan fighting tradition evolve into so many different systems?

In this documentary we explore the origins of karate, from the early Okinawan masters to the moment karate arrived in Japan — and how the art began to branch into multiple styles.

You will see how figures like Sokon Matsumura, Anko Itosu, and the famous demonstration for Jigoro Kano played a role in shaping the evolution of karate.

From the three original Okinawan traditions — Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te — emerged the foundations that later produced the major modern styles of karate.

Rather than a single system, karate developed like a tree:
one root, many branches.

This video explores how that happened.

📖 NEW BOOK RELEASE

My new book “Way of the Empty Hand” is now available.

In the book I explore the history and philosophy of karate in far greater depth, from the Okinawan masters all the way to the modern era.

📚 Get the book here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GRQJMC9D

Members of the channel had early access to several chapters while the book was being written.
Their support helped make this project possible.

I have already begun working on the next book, and channel members and Patreon supporters will again get early previews and exclusive content.

🥋 WATCH MORE KARATE DOCUMENTARIES

If you want to explore the individual styles in more detail:

Shotokan Karate
Shotokan Karate: The Style That Changed Ev...

Goju-Ryu Karate
Goju Ryu Karate -The Style Forged by Iron ...

Shito-Ryu Karate
SHITŌ RYŪ - KARATE THE STYLE OF A THOUSAND...

Wado-Ryu Karate
Wado-Ryu Karate: A Soft Style Forged by th...

Uechi-Ryu Karate
Uechi-Ryu: The Forgotten Iron Style of Karate

Kyokushin Karate
Kyokushin - The Brutal rise of the Stronge...

📌 TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro
01:19 Before Karate
02:47 Sokon Matsumura
03:46 The Itosu Revolution
05:30 The Three Okinawan Traditions
06:04 Shuri-te
07:20 Naha-te
09:05 Tomari-te
10:20 Demonstration for Jigoro Kano
11:54 Karate Arrives in Japan
12:50 The Japanization of Karate
14:12 Shotokan
15:00 Goju-Ryu
15:43 Shito-Ryu
16:29 Wado-Ryu
17:07 Uechi-Ryu
17:47 One Root, Many Branches
18:28 Full Contact Karate
19:15 Conclusion
19:56 Final Chapter – Way of the Empty Hand

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20 Comments

@draskodpopovic 7 months ago Pinned

Karate today exists in many different styles — Shotokan, Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu, Wado-ryu, Uechi-ryu, Kyokushin and many more.

But all of them ultimately come from the same roots in Okinawa.

This video only scratches the surface of that history.

My new book “Way of the Empty Hand” explores the history of karate in much greater depth — from the Okinawan masters to the evolution of modern styles.

📖 The link to the book is in the video description.

I want to especially thank the channel members and Patreon supporters who followed the project while the book was still being written and received early chapters. Your support meant a lot.

And now I’m curious:

Which karate style do you train — or which one interests you the most?

@berndgeisler4039 6 months ago

Seit vielen Jahren Shotokan

@JohnHimmelsbach-b4i 6 months ago

Although I studied. Goju Ryu for approx.2000 hours in Seattle and Japan,while stationed there,I have since found SHITO RYU AS the school that works for me.Also, I got different versions of SEPAI AND SUPARUMPEI from Don Warrener's photo books.I especially adhere to Warrener's Tokyo version of SEPAI.

@raijinfujin86 11 days ago

Uechi-Ryu, Ryuei-Ryu, and Kojo-Ryu are different, though.

@Mohamedismael1 6 months ago

Uechi-ryu ❤️

@ZaqenKashar21 6 months ago

Love it, Goju ryu Butukukai

@moehoward8691 6 months ago

Most people who are not in karate have no idea what it is or is not. Most people in karate know that karate has a number of origins, and that it started in China and came to Okinawa and later elsewhere.

@JohnHimmelsbach-b4i 6 months ago

Hangetsu kata of SHOTOKAN is excellent training for offense.Sensei Onoeda,however,performs a Jodan maegeri, rather than a typical crescent kick.His video extant on line.Thank You.GOOD LUCK.JOHN

@retest6658 6 months ago (edited)

Karate is like Kungfu. Kungfu has a lot of style, probably thousands. Although Karate may not have thousands of styles, Karate has several different styles.

@Ozodbek_SWERODO 6 months ago

Kyokushin ❤

@user-rn3fi7re9l 6 months ago

❤

@JairAlmeida-z9e 6 months ago

Mto Bom 🤜🏿💥🫷🏿

@DGC1975 6 months ago

Very well explained.

@raymondmbazima3035 6 months ago

👏🏽

@schoney1 6 months ago

Having 50+ year of "karate"... the story is entertaining and interpretive...just enough truth to make some take notes

@JairAlmeida-z9e 6 months ago

Excelente 🙅🏿 Gratidão 🤜🏿💥🫷🏿

@faridginanjar2562 3 weeks ago

Silat juga sama, biasanya beradaptasi dengan lingkungan

@scottrybski7072 6 months ago

Kano Sensei was also impressed by the grappling, take downs and other techniques that he only thought existed is Jujitsu.

@ADAM_COLLECTS 3 months ago

For the many styles that exist, one thing that will always grind my gears is when, for no reason, a style leader (Kancho Matsui) decide to bring in new things, acting as if it was ALWAYS that way, like the have some Jedi mind trick.
Bo kata, NONE of Oyama’s books had it. Cameron Quinn’s books don’t discuss weapons. If an instructor of an art is education weapons, it’s teaching a separate style. Karate; empty hand. Weapon in hand is not empty… but what do I know, Jedi mind tricks don’t work on me

@44excalibur 6 months ago (edited)

There are two main lineages of Karate - the Shuri-Te/Tomari Te lineage, and the Naha-Te lineage. The Shuri/Tomari-Te lineage began with Shaolin Kung Fu master Kwang Shang Fu (Kusanku), passed down to Okinawan Pechin master Sakugawa Kanga, to Matsumura Sokon, and finally to Itosu Anko, who created Shorin Ryu, and then to his student, Gichin Funakoshi, creator of Shotokan. Itosu's other student, Chosen Chibana, codified the Shorin Ryu system, while Funakoshi modified Shotokan for the Japanese. The Naha-Te lineage began with another Kung Fu master from the Fujian province of China, Liu Long Gong (Ryu Ryu Ko), passed down to his student, Higaonna Kanryo, and then to Higaonna's student, Chojun Miyagi, creator of Goju Ryu. Kenwa Mabuni studied under both Itosu and Higaonna, and created Shito-Ryu, a hybrid of the two lineages. All Karate styles come from these two lineages, or a combination of the two.