Name:

The Japanese martial art that originated in Okinawa is currently known as karate, or karate-do. The Okinawans originally called their indigenous fighting methods te or ti. As it later became influenced by Chinese systems it acquired such names tode, tote, Okinawan te, and Ryukyu Kempo (or Kenpo) .

Karate-Do Empty (originally "Chinese") Hand Way

The largest style of karate is Shotokan. The founder of modern karate, Gichin Funikoshi (1868-1957), was a Chinese scholar and calligrapher who used the pen name Shoto (meaning "billowing pine trees", which referred to the pine forests of his native Okinawa) . Eventually his training facility (kan) was called the Shotokan, and eventually his particular teaching methods formed a new style known by the same name.

Sho, or Matsu Pine

To Wave, billow

Shoto Billowing pine trees

Kan Hall, building
 
 

The names for the other large Japanese karate styles are:

Goju-ryu Hard/soft (or gentle) style

Shito-ryu Shito (from the combination of two masters’ names) style

Wado-ryu Style of the harmonic way

Kyokushin-kai Society (or Association) of the ultimate truth

Goju-kai Society (or Association) of hard/soft style

Shoto-kai Society (or Association) of billowing pine trees

The larger Okinawan styles are:

Shorin-ryu From Shaolin, also means small wood, pine forest

Matsumura Orthodox Named after Bushi Matsumura

Shobayashi Small forest

Isshin-ryu

Shorinji-ryu

Kenpo