The History of Japanese Karate

Karate is one of the world's most respected martial arts—but its story began centuries ago on the islands of Okinawa.

In this historical documentary, we trace the complete evolution of Japanese karate, from its early roots in the Ryukyu Kingdom and the influence of Chinese martial arts, through the development of Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te, to the pioneering work of Masters Ankō Itosu and Gichin Funakoshi.