Welcome to our website and the beginning of YOUR Karate journey.
Our Association teaches traditional Shotokan Karate, founded by Master Gichin Funakoshi (1868 - 1957) in Okinawa. He was and still is regarded as the "Father" of Modern Karate-Do.
SHOTOKAN: The Shoto in Shotokan literally means "waving pines' and comes from the pen name Funakoshi used to sign his poems. His home town of Shuri is surrounded by hills covered with Ryukyu pines and when the wind blew through them, the sound resembled that of waves breaking on the shore.
The Kan means "house or hall" and so SHOTOKAN refers to "house of Shoto". The full name SHOTOKAN was coined by Master Funakoshi's students, who made a sign and placed it over the entrance to the hall.
KARATE-DO is three words: Kara - Empty, Te - Hand, Do - Way. THE WAY OF THE EMPTY HAND.
Okinawan people, banned from carrying weapons by ruling Samurai, secretly gathered in groups to develop techniques for unarmed combat. They used a mixture of local (Okinawan) and Chinese styles, thus creating the many differing karate styles that exist today, including Shotokan.
KARATE-DO has evolved considerably throughout it's existance, with many Shotokan organizations adopting differing methods of teaching. Some focus on sport karate, whilst many others have continued with the more TRADITIONAL aspects of karate training.
Whatever or wherever your Karate path leads you to, we would like to welcome you to join us and be on that journey with you.