KARATE

Karate is a kind of Japanese traditional fighting sports called "Budo". There are more Budo like Judo, Kendo and others. I have been doing Karate many years when I was younger. And I began again with kids several years ago. Karate has many different schools (called Ryuha) according to their histories.

Karate has been imported from olden China via Ryukyu (Okinawa). Of course "Karate" is Japanese name and its meaning is "bare hand". Karate or bare hand means every part of one's body can be "weapon" if we train.
Karate is a kind of systematized fighting methods. There are many ways of offense and defense. But most important mind is, Karate is not the way to attack someone, but to defend oneself. But frankly speaking, I think the good defense is the combination of defense and offense, and this might be the fundamental theory.

Karate uses hand, arm, foot and leg for attack and protect. There are not such ways to grab and throw in Karate (but Judo, Aikido and Shorinji-kenpo have). In Karate dojo (training gym), we play about 3 hours. We begin from Kihon (basic training). Kata (formation) and Kumite (fight). I like to continue Karate nevertheless I feel that Karate is a little old-fashioned. Karate needs to be renovated and they should establish the standardized rule, not under the different Karate schools.

fumi.kobayashi@nifty.com