Over the past decade, karate‑do has experienced a remarkable surge in global popularity. Its appeal now spans college students, educators, artists, business professionals, and civil servants. Even law enforcement officers and members of Japan’s Self‑Defense Forces have embraced this ancient art, and many universities have made it a required subject—a trend that continues to grow each year.
Unfortunately, with its rising fame have come some regrettable misinterpretations and misguided demonstrations. Karate is too often mistaken for Chinese‑style boxing, and its deep connection with the original Okinawan Te is frequently overlooked. Some view it merely as a spectacle—two fighters clashing brutally, as if it were a form of boxing with kicks—or as an exhibition of strength in which a practitioner breaks bricks or other hard objects with his head, hand, or foot.
It is a great pity when karate is reduced solely to a fighting technique. The discipline’s fundamental methods have been refined through years of rigorous study and practice, but their true power can only be realized when the spiritual dimension of this self‑defense art is acknowledged and prioritized. I am heartened to see those who recognize that karate‑do is a genuine Oriental martial art and who train with the proper reverence and attitude.
Indeed, the ability to deliver a devastating blow with a single punch or kick has long been a hallmark of this Okinawan tradition. Yet even its early practitioners placed greater emphasis on nurturing the spirit than on merely perfecting physical techniques. True training encompasses both body and soul, and above all, one must treat one’s opponent with courtesy and respect. It is not enough to fight with sheer force—the true purpose of karate‑do is to do so in the service of justice.
The esteemed master Gichin Funakoshi repeatedly stressed that the foremost goal of practicing this art is to cultivate a sublime, humble spirit, even as one develops the power to, figuratively speaking, vanquish a wild beast with a single blow. Only by perfecting both the spiritual and physical aspects can one truly become a disciple of karate‑do.
While karate has long been celebrated as a means of self‑defense and a way to improve and maintain one’s health, a new dimension has emerged over the past twenty years—sports karate. In this arena, competitions are held to gauge participants’ abilities. However, there is a concerning tendency to overemphasize winning, leading some practitioners to neglect fundamental techniques in favor of early engagement in free sparring (jiyū kumite).
Such a focus on victory inevitably distorts one’s basic techniques and training regimen. More importantly, it compromises the development of the strong, effective techniques that are the true essence of karate‑do. A person who rushes into free sparring without first mastering the basics will soon be outmatched by someone who has diligently honed these essential skills. Simply put, haste makes waste—there is no substitute for a methodical, step‑by‑step approach to learning and practicing the fundamentals.
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