What is Shito-ryu Karate?

Karate evolved from Chinese Boxing (kempo) and spread from China to Okinawa - a small island off the coast of Japan. It is here to where Shito-ryu roots can be traced.

Karate was not seriously imported by the Japanese until the 1920's when the name was changed from "Chinese Hand" to the Japanese equivalent of "Empty Hand" meaning empty of weapons, empty of evil intentions.

The Japanese saw the benefits offered by karate training and formalized a system that was taught to the military. Karate also made its way into the Japanese school curriculum thanks to the Shotokan founder, Gichin Funakoshi.

Kenwa Mabuni (1887-1952), the Shito-ryu founder, developed Shito-ryu by taking the best aspects of both of the original karate systems taught in the Okinawan villages of Shuri and Naha respectively.... and Shito-ryu was born. The name "Shito" comes from the names of Mabuni's two greatest instructors - Yasutsune "Anko" Itosu (one of Funakoshi's masters) and Kanryu Higa'shi'onna.

Since this time through various means karate has propagated throughout most of the western world, now with over 80 styles practiced globally, but only 4 recognized by the World Karate Federation.... of which Shitoryu is one. The other 3 styles being Shotokan, Wado-ryu and Goju-ryu.

Mabuni's finest student Sensei Chojiro Tani, developed the style further after Mabuni's death. While Shito-ryu today has different systems around the world, it's hard to look past K.O.I and Shihan Tommy Morris - current W.K.F Referees Council Chairman - who again has developed the Shito-ryu system over the last 30 years. To learn more about Sensei Tommy Morris click here.

And it is largely from K.O.I that Shito-ryu (and Shukokai) karate has spread throughout the world today. K.O.I has members in over 35 countries world wide and Shihan Tommy visits all of his schools each year. C.S.K will be happy to have him visit again in 2005.