Wells Traditional
Shotokan Karate
Shotokan Karate
Shotokan Karate is essentially a Japanese martial art although its roots can be traced back through Okinawa and the ancient fighting systems of China.
Gichin Funakoshi (often referred to as the father of modern Karate) took his system of Karate to Japan in the early 1900's introducing it to their school and university systems therefore popularising it throughout mainland Japan. The Japanese Karate Association (JKA) was soon formed with Sensei Nakayama taking over as its head upon Funakoshi's death in 1957. All modern Shotokan started with the JKA. As the modern form of Karate came up through Japans education system it is often competitive and sports orientated. This was never its original purpose and in recent years many groups have tried to move away from this in an effort to return Karate to its original ideals. We are such a group.