Karate in Okinawa

Go back to the origins of karate, and meet the real Okinawan sensei.

The most practiced martial art in the world

Around 110 million people around the world practice karate, which makes it the most practiced martial art in the world.

This success is illustrated by the fact that it has been selected as an Olympic discipline for the first time in 2021 in Tokyo.

Karate has its origins in techniques dating back thousands of years, and is not just about defence or attack. Just like all "bushido" (ways of the warrior), it is also a way of life, and a quest for mastery of body and mind.

Okinawa, the birthplace of karate

Karate emerged on the island of Okinawa, the main island of the Ryūkyū archipelago, a place of convergence for Chinese and Japanese cultures.

It first appeared as a derivative of white crane boxing, practiced in Fujian province, imported to Okinawa through exchanges with Qing imperial China.

Karate means "empty hands" and is more simply called de or te (hand) by Okinawans, as it is practiced without weapons. Indeed, it is a martial discipline whose techniques aim to defend oneself (uke), then to respond with an attack (atemi) with the different parts of the body: open and closed hands, forearms, feet, elbows, knees.

An authentic experience for both those who practice and those who do not

The karate sessions we offer are organised by a local association which specialises in Okinawan karate and is in contact with the best senseis in Naha. You will be immersed in the most authentic Japanese karate culture.

For karate practitioners, choose the "Dojo" option and your school of preference (Goju-ryu, Uechi-ryu, Shorin-ryu or Kobudo)For those not familiar with karate, we recommend that you choose the initiation option.

The meeting point will be at the headquarters of the association. Here you will be briefed on the rules and customs for about 30 minutes, before going to the dojo for your 2-hour training session.

Please contact us if you wish to rent a karate-gi. You can also train in ordinary sportswear.

If you would like more karate-related experiences (karate tours, intensive training, other schools than the ones mentioned above, etc.) please get in touch. Whatever karate experience you have in mind, we can offer suggestions.