Other Karate Styles
A short guide to the smaller and less-known karate styles, where they came from and which major style they are closest to.
Beyond the major styles, karate has dozens of smaller schools. Most are branches or offshoots of one of the big styles, and knowing which one tells you a lot about what training will feel like. This page covers the ones you are most likely to come across.
From the Shotokan family
- Shotokai: the organisation Gichin Funakoshi formed in 1930 to teach and spread karate. Under Shigeru Egami it developed a distinctive approach built on striking in a relaxed state of mind and body, with smooth, flowing movement. Shotokai avoids competition and stresses spiritual development. See Shotokan.
From the Shitō-ryū family
- Shūkōkai (Tani-ha Shitō-ryū): developed by Chōjirō Tani (1921–1998), who received a certificate of succession from Kenwa Mabuni in 1946. Known for higher stances for speed, a focus on body mechanics and the “double hip twist”. See Shitō-ryū.
From Okinawa
- Motobu-ryū: founded in 1922 by Motobu Chōki (1870–1944), formally Motobu Kenpō. It emphasises kumite over kata and keeps characteristics of older Okinawan karate.
- Tōon-ryū: founded in 1958 by Juhatsu Kyoda (1887–1968), who trained under Higaonna Kanryō from 1902 until Higaonna’s death, and named the style after him. Its kata include Sanchin, Seisan, Sanseru and Neipai.
- Ryūei-ryū: brought to Okinawa around 1875 by Norisato Nakaima, who had studied in Fuzhou under Ryū Ryū Ko. The family kept it private until 1971, when Kenko Nakaima began teaching a group of school teachers and the name Ryūei-ryū was first used.
- Matsubayashi-ryū: a branch of Shōrin-ryū founded in 1947 by Shōshin Nagamine. See Shōrin-ryū.
From Chitō-ryū
- Yoshukai Karate: founded by Mamoru Yamamoto, a protégé of Tsuyoshi Chitose; independent since 1971. See Chitō-ryū.
From Kyokushin
Kyokushin produced several full-contact offshoots, including Ashihara Karate, Enshin Karate, Seidōkaikan and Shidōkan.
- Enshin Karate: founded in May 1988 by Joko Ninomiya, who trained in Kyokushin from 1969 and ran the US region of Ashihara Karate before starting his own organisation. It is built around the sabaki method: using circular movement, timing and positioning to turn an opponent’s power against them, often finishing with sweeps, throws or takedowns.
See Kyokushin.
Choosing between them
If you find a club teaching one of these styles, the quickest way to understand it is to ask which major style it comes from. The training will usually feel like that parent style, with its own emphasis on top.