Koei Nohara

Traditional Okinawan Karate The Transformation of Tiy Koei Nohara

Emerging during the historical formation of the Ryukyuan Kingdom, known today as Okinawa, Tiy developed over many years before it reached the Japanese mainland, where it became known as karate. From Japan, karate has spread to 150 countries around the world and is now practiced by 50 million karateka. Karate will likely continue to flourish. However, during its rapid internationalization, the meaning associated with karate has changed drastically from its original intent. Karate began as a killing method on the battlefield and later transformed into a "living technique" or budo (martial art) for the cultivation of mind, body, and spirit. But as karate expanded globally after World War II, it has been reduced to a sport where the focus is on winning and losing.