Articles
Reading Time: 8 minutesKarate Perspectives Etiquette, Terminology & Cultural Understanding Kiotsuke Isn’t Just “Attention” What seems like a simple dojo command reveals a deeper lesson about language, posture, etiquette, and what it really means to remain forever a student. Introduction — A Small Command with a Bigger Lesson Kiotsuke 気をつけ was, for many years, something […]
Reading Time: 8 minutesKarate Micro Insights This insight explores 片手 – Katate — and explains how this term is used in karate to indicate that only one hand is performing a technique, particularly when open-hand movements are involved. A question came up recently from one of our instructors—one that highlights something deeper about how karate […]
Reading Time: 8 minutes Foundational Philosophy Article What Does Karate-Do (空手道) Literally Mean? The karate-do meaning extends far beyond the simple translation of “empty hand.”While accurate at a literal level, this phrase only hints at the philosophical and historical depth embedded within the term. Over many years of observing how karate evolves in the dojo […]
Reading Time: 8 minutes This article is part of the Karate Knowledge Vault — a curated collection of standalone educational entries designed to inform, inspire, and deepen your understanding of karate, one insight at a time. If you’ve spent any time in a karate dojo, particularly outside of Okinawa – chances are you’ve heard the […]
Reading Time: 8 minutes This article is part of the Karate Knowledge Vault — a curated collection of standalone educational entries designed to inform, inspire, and deepen your understanding of karate, one insight at a time. If you’ve ever stepped into a karate dojo, you’ve likely heard instructors counting in Japanese—”Ichi, Ni, San…” Learning how […]
Reading Time: 8 minutes What if mastering karate terminology was no longer hard? Romaji (pronounced with three syllables: roh-mah-jee) makes it easy for students to learn and remember karate terms. It uses the Latin alphabet to write Japanese words. This makes karate terms easier to understand. In this article, we’ll explore karate terminology. We’ll show […]
Reading Time: 8 minutes Introduction Understanding karate terminology is essential for anyone training in traditional karate.The language used in the dojo is more than a collection of Japanese words — it forms a shared vocabulary that allows practitioners to communicate clearly, train effectively, and connect with the art’s history and principles. This page presents 60 […]
Reading Time: 8 minutes Welcome to our exploration of karate which has been my passion for over 40 years. It is a fascinating martial art that originated in Japan in which I hold the rank of 6th Dan Black Belt issued by the Nippon Karate-Do Kai in Osaka. The complexity of karate has resulted in […]