Comparison of karate styles

The four earliest Karate styles developed in Japan are Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Shito-ryu and Goju-ryu. ^[1] The first three styles find their origins in the Shuri region of Okinawa whilst Goju-ryu finds its origins in the Naha province.

The table below compares styles of many different styles of karate. Some of the distinguishing features are listed, such as lineage, general form of stances and number of kata. However, the differences attributed to "style" are often a reflection of the disposition and preference of the teaching instructor (i.e. there are softer and harder schools of each style, some schools focus little on kata while others emphasise it, some will add or remove certain kata, etc.).

Other factors, not reflected in the table, are the differences in philosophy. For example, Goju-ryu and its derivative or similar styles, would engage an opponent at a much closer distance than say Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Shito-ryu or other Shuri-te based styles. Other styles would employ more kicks or open-handed techniques. Some would focus on eliminating an opponent with a single devastating punch whilst others prefer to employ multiple techniques. In sparring, certain schools would allow kicks to the groin and others will prohibit attacks to the face. Some styles would advocate body evasion in the face of an attack whilst others would choose to stop a punch with an arm-breaking block. These differences are numerous and will vary from style to style, school to school, perhaps even instructor to instructor.

Comparison

	Origin	Derived from	Hard/soft	Stances	Representative kata	# of kata	Weapons
Chitō-ryū	Japan and Okinawa	Shōrei-ryū, Shōrin-ryū	60 percent hard, 40 percent soft techniques	deep (beginner), natural (advanced)
Gōjū-ryū	Okinawa	Chinese Nanpa Shorin-ken	both	deep/natural	Sanchin, Tensho, Gekisai Dai, Seipai, Saifa	12
Gosoku-ryū	Japan and USA	Gōjū-ryū, Shotokan	50 percent hard, 50 percent soft techniques	deep (beginner), natural (advanced)	Gosoku, Rikyu, Denko Getsu, Tamashi	46 including weapons kata
Isshin-ryū	Okinawa	Gōjū-ryū, Shōrin-ryū, Kobudō	both, primarily hard	natural	Sunsu	14
Kokondō	Japan, Okinawa, & USA	Kyokushin, Isshin-ryū, Jujutsu	balanced hard & soft; balanced linear & circular	deep (beginner), natural (advanced)	Konsho, Konni, Konsan, Bassai, Henka 1-6, Kanku	40+, including weapons & kihon kata
Kyokushinkai	Japan	Shotokan, Gōjū-ryū	hard, circular movements derived from gōjū, as you become more advance the style has softer techniques.	natural	5 Pinan, Kanku, Tensho, Garyu	23 (+ ura)
Seidō juku	USA	Gōjū-ryū, Kyokushinkai	both	deep/natural	Seido, Pinan	25 + Ura and Kobudō weapons
Shindō jinen-ryū	Japan (and Okinawa)	primarily Shuri-te like Shitō-ryū, but also Naha-te and Tomari-te	both	deep/natural	Shimpa, Taisabaki 1-3, Sunakake no Kon	More than 60 counting all kobudo kata	See Shinken Taira, Ryukyu Kobudo
Shitō-ryū	Japan and Okinawa	Shōrin-ryū, Naha-te, Shotokan	both	deep/natural	Pinan, Bassai Dai, Seienchin, Saifa, Rōhai, Nipaipo	43
Shōrin-ryū	Okinawa	Shuri-te, Tomari-te, Chinese martial arts	both, primarily soft	natural	Pinan, Naihanchi, Fukyu	21
Shotokan	Japan and Okinawa	Shōrei-ryū, Shōrin-ryū	Primarily hard techniques as well as soft techniques and some circular movements	deep (beginner), natural (advanced)	5 Heian, Jion, Kanku Dai, Bassai Dai, Sochin etc.	26 + additional
Shuri-ryū	USA	Shuri-te, Hsing-yi	both	deep/natural	Wunsu, O-Naihanchi, Sanchin	15
Uechi-ryū	Okinawa	Pangai-noon Kung Fu	half hard, half soft	mainly natural	Sanchin, Seisan, Sanseirui	8
Wado-ryū	Japan	Yoshin-ryu Jujitsu and Shotokan	both, primarily soft	mainly natural	Pinan, Kushanku, Seishan, Chintō	15 (one hidden)
Yōshūkai	Japan and Okinawa	Chitō-ryū	60 percent hard, 40 percent soft techniques	deep (beginner), natural (advanced)
Ryūei-ryū	Okinawa	Fuzhou, China	Naha Te	natural	Anan, Paiku, Heiku, Pachu, Ohan, Paiho, Niseishi	about 16

See also

• Karate kata - includes comparison of kata performed by style
• Karate
• Comparison of kobudō styles

References

1. ^ Corcoran, John and Farkas, Emil. Martial Arts. Traditions, History, People. Gallery Books, 1983, p. 49.

Sources

Karate-do Kyohan, written by Gichin Funakoshi translated by Tsutomu Oshima

External links

• Karate, Okinawan Kobudo and Kendo Kata videos