ð Hard, Soft, and Harmonious: A Quick Look into Traditional Karate Schools
What are the other major schools of karate, and how do they differ in philosophy and practice?
While the majority of serious karate practitioners know the style of karate they practise or teach, the majority of more âjuniorâ students often have little comprehension of the huge range of differences within their own styles, let alone the others outside their dojo.  Even those who are more serious about karate may only have a surface level understanding of styles outside of their own. Indeed, often there can be, at best, playful jibes about other styles, or worst, slandering of other styles in favour of the instructors style. Arguably this isnât the essence of the karate spirit.Â
In an effort to widen our own horizons, we took a dive into those outside of our own style, and though we know we only briefly scratched the surface, we hope you, the reader, will be able to take something from this article, just as we try to take something new from each time we practise in the dojo.Â
This is, obviously, not a complete list of every style, or even every commonly practised style, to try to do so would be an entire manual, not a quick blog article. Â
And, while effort is made to fact check via corroborating sources, some of the history of martial arts is almost always subject to an element of differing opinions, the point of this article is to raise awareness and encourage positive thoughts and engagement. We hope you enjoy!
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An overview of the different styles:Â
Style | Founder | Year | Origin | Core Traits | Philosophical Focus |
GÅjÅ«-ryÅ« | ChÅjun Miyagi | 1930s | Okinawa | Hard-soft, breathing kata | Patience, self-control |
ShitÅ-ryÅ« | Kenwa Mabuni | 1934 | Okinawa | Known for itâs large kata repertoire | Loyalty, etiquette |
WadÅ-ryÅ« | Hironori Åtsuka | 1939 | Tokyo | Jujustu influence, evasive moves | Harmony, peace |
Kyokushin | Masutatsu Åyama | 1964 | Tokyo | Full-contact, tough conditioning | Endurance, inner strength |
When traced back far enough, nearly all styles of karate draw heavily on Chinese martial arts, this gives them all a similarity to one extent or another, particularly when we consider that the human body is designed to generally only work in a set number of ways, knees only bend one way for example. – unless youâve been training a while, in which case things probably creek or donât bend quite how they used to!Â
In looking at the different styles we tried to keep to the original philosophy or focus behind the styles and what has differentiated them. Weâre sure the dedicated practitioners of each respective art will have different insights or opinions. Weâd love to hear these and if you want to contribute or guest author a post in future please contact us!
ð¥ GÅjÅ«-ryÅ«: âHard-Soft Styleâ
History & Origins
GÅjÅ«-ryÅ« was founded in the early 1930s by ChÅjun Miyagi following his return from China in 1930, drawing heavily on elements of Naha-Te. Miyagi sensei opened his own dojo in Okinawa and later taught at the Ritsumeikan University Karate Club in Kyoto, which helped spread the style (Abstract: edit.elte).
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Characteristics
Unlike Shito-ryu or Shotokan, GÅjÅ«-ryÅ«Â has a smaller catalogue of kata, with around 12 officially recognised kata (gki.org.uk/goju-ryu-kata/), with a large focus being on fluidity of movement and breathing. The style has a mix of deeper vs more natural stances when compared to something like traditional Shotokan which tends to have longer styles throughout most of its practise. GÅjÅ«-ryÅ« can often be mistaken for Kyokushin, particularly when the more traditional and harder sparring sessions are seen. Overall GÅjÅ«-ryÅ« has a strong focus on the conditioning of the body, close striking and grappling techniques with the aim being to train students how to react in a self-defence or more practical situation.Â
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Philosophy & Dojo Kun
GÅjÅ«-ryÅ« is founded on balance: controlling oneâs strength, breathing, and emotions. Its dojo kun includes similar elements to other styles: humility, courtesy, and continuous self-improvement.
ð¥ ShitÅ-ryÅ«: âItosu-Higaonna Styleâ
History & Origins
Founded in 1934 by Kenwa Mabuni, ShitÅ-ryÅ« combines the direct elements of Shuri-te (via AnkÅ Itosu) and the more circular techniques of Naha-te (via KanryÅ Higaonna). Mabuni was among the first to teach karate on mainland Japan and opened his dojo in Osaka, where he named the style using âShiâ (Itosu) and âTÅâ (Higaonna) (bangladeshkaratedo.com/).
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Technical Characteristics
Known for having the broadest kata syllabus, it includes both hard and soft elements often demonstrating explosive bursts of speed. Training features strong stances like kokutsu-dachi, fluid hand combinations, and kata like Bassai Dai and Seisan. The explosive nature of the kata make them very effective during multi-style kata competitions.
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Philosophy & Dojo Kun
Mabuni emphasised respect, loyalty, and the proper moral use of karate. The dojo kun underscores righteous conduct and dedication.
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ð¥ WadÅ-ryÅ«: âWay of Harmony Styleâ
History & Origins
WadÅ-ryÅ« was created in 1939 by Hironori Åtsuka, who had studied jujutsu under ShindÅ YÅshin-ryÅ« and karate under Gichin Funakoshi. Dissatisfied with purely linear karate, Åtsuka founded WadÅ-ryÅ« to blend evasive jujutsu movements with striking techniques. He officially registered his style in 1940 and established the WadÅ-kai in 1952 (ceeol.com/).
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Technical Characteristics
While all styles employ these techniques, WadÅ-ryÅ« is particularly well know for its emphasis less on direct and linear striking and more on its tai sabaki (body shifting) and nage waza (throws) (traditionalmartialartsworld.com/). The stances are higher than other styles. While applications arenât always apparent when watching Wado Ryu practitioners, the style has a very applicable core to its training. Kata include Pinan forms and Kushanku, with paired kumite drills like yakusoku kumite. Unlike other systems, WadÅ prioritises timing and redirection over blocking head-on.
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Philosophy & Dojo Kun
Its ethos promotes peace, humility, and the idea of avoiding conflict by harmonising with an opponentâs energy. Åtsuka stressed inner peace and mental control as key to true victory.
ð¥ Kyokushin: âUltimate Truthâ
History & Origins
Masutatsu Åyama founded Kyokushin in 1964 in Tokyo after years of training in Shotokan and GÅjÅ«-ryÅ«, as well as testing his abilities in live combat and mountain retreats. The original Honbu dojo was established in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Åyama also developed the famous 100-man kumite to demonstrate endurance and sheer dogmatic will (bangladeshkaratedo.com)).
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Technical Characteristics
Kyokushin is synonymous with its sometimes brutal looking knockdown, full-contact sparring. It employs mid- to high-level roundhouse kicks (mawashi geri), powerful punches, and no head punches in competition to encourage body conditioning. Kata are taken from Shotokan and GÅjÅ«-ryÅ«, they can often appear more static than other styles of karate with sequences practised on the spot to practise and show the mind-muscle connections. (budokyokushinkai.com)
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Philosophy & Dojo Kun
Its ethos emphasises the warrior spirit, perseverance, and mental toughness. The dojo kun includes lines such as, âWe will train our hearts and bodies for a firm, unshaking spirit,â reflecting its austere budÅ roots (Abstract, Edit.Elite).
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Conclusion:
This article represents just one perspective. Each style weâve touched onâGÅjÅ«-ryÅ«, ShitÅ-ryÅ«, WadÅ-ryÅ«, and Kyokushinâhas its own unique philosophy, training emphasis, and history. While itâs natural to feel pride in the style we teach, understanding and appreciating the roots and intentions of others can deepen our overall martial practice and foster a stronger, more respectful community.
These reflections are offered not as definitive judgments, but as a small contribution to a broader discussion. If your view or experience differs, we welcome it with open arms. We believe that karateâs heart lies in constant learning, humility, and the spirit of mutual respect.