History of Karate-Do
There are no known written records about the origins of the martial art known as karate-do. It is known however that it came to Okinawa from China. The origins of this Chinese method of fighting is found in a discipline set by the Indian monk Boddhidharma who is also known as Da Mo in Chinese and Daruma Taishi in Japanese who set forth from the western shores of India, (Kerala) to China, the destination being the Shaolin Temple. Boddhidharma was well versed in Kalarippayattu a martial art of South India, rich in Yoga Sans or Yogic Postures that bring the union of the body and the mind.
Daruma-Taishi or Bodhidharma was an Indian monk born the prince of a country in southern India in the mid-5th century. Bodhidharma who is considered the 28th patriarch in the tradition of Gautam- Buddha. He was surprised when he saw that the trainee monks could not withstand the rigorous training necessary for his type of Buddhism. It was therefore felt that in order for the monks to bear the rigours of travel, they needed to not only have a healthy body and mind, but also learn to defend themselves against wild creatures as well as thieves and bandits. Boddhidarma's task was therefore to shape them up. He sailed to China to tell everyone there about the fundamental teachings of Buddhism.
However, when he met the Chinese Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, who was reputed to be a devout Buddhist, he realized that the emperor was not committed to the true teachings. Parting away from him with his monks crossed the Yangtse River and went to the Shaolin Monastery,where Bodhidharma was refused admittance at first.
Daruma-Taishi or Bodhidharma set the method for the monks which is laid down in the Ekkin Sutra of the Dhamapada or the holy scriptures of Buddhism. By conjecture we understand that the martial arts of the Shaolin Monastery also spread with Buddhism along the silk route with the merchants of China, many of whom also learnt the art from the monks. Amongst the regions where Buddhism spread were the Ryukyu Islands, a group of Islands now called Okinawa which is off the coast of Japan and where Chinese influence through trade and culture was the greatest. Okinawa originally consisted of the small kingdoms of Chuzan, Nanzan & Hokuzan. Being unified by King Sho Hashi of Chuzan in 1429 a prohibitory order was issued. That was banning all Ryu Kyuans from possessing weapons. A similar order was also promulgated in 1609 by Shizuma of the Satsuma clan of Kageshima after they gained control of Okinawa. Therefore the only method of self defence was the method called To-te or Hand of Chinese, yet unknown to the mainland Japan and hence practised secretly. This martial art underwent a great development in the Ryukyu Islands or Okinawa especially the provinces of Shuri, Naha and Tomari. In Okinawa it became Okinawa-te. Upon coming to know about this art, the rulers from mainland Japan banned its practice.
It is because of these bans that the art acquired its mystique and the legends of great karate warriors were born. Since it could not be learned legally, there were no Dojos nor any professional instructors. The only ones who taught the art did so because of their interest in it and accepted a few students in secret. There was therefore no emphasis on written descriptions of techniques. The arts took on a local hue and came to be known as Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te after the provinces.
O-Sensei (Supreme Master) Funakoshi Gichin often considered as the father of Modern Day Karate was born into a Samurai Family on 10 th November 1868. He was very weak as a child and to improve his health his father took him to Azato Yasutsune a good friend who knew the martial arts. During Funakoshi Sensei's childhood the art was banned and at first he was Azato's only student. He trained under both Azato and Itosu who were great warriors. Years later he also trained under a great many other Senseis like Kiyuna Sensei, Niigaki Sensei, Toonno Sensei and a man described by Funakoshi Sensei as the Greatest Karate Ka “Mastumura Sensei”. With the martial art training Funakoshi Sensei's health not only improved but he became a very adept martial artist. And by the time he completed his education and became a teacher himself, Funakoshi Sensei was appointed Chairman of Shobukai the Martial Arts Association of Okinawa .
This is a picture of Master Gichin Funakoshi's grave site.
The Tomb Stone reads:
KARATE NI SENTE NASHI
THERE IS NO FIRST ATTACK IN KARATE
Over the years exponents from both Shuri- Te and Tomari-Te developed their own schools to the extent that one could see conceptual differences from the art practised in the Naha prefecture. The Shuri and Tomari schools keeping more to the hard-line training methods became known as Shorin- Ryu. Not to be outdone by their compatriots from Shuri and Tomari, the exponents from Naha called their school - Shorei Ryu or the school of the Enlightened Spirit.
Gichin Funakoshi was a school teacher, and in conjunction with Itosu and others had karate introduced to the Okinawan school system. In 1921Crown Prince Hirohito who was passing through Okinawa on his way to Europe.
The department of Education asked Funakoshi to give a karate demonstration for the then Crown Prince in the Great Hall of Shuri Castle to impress him with the rich culture of Okinawa. On 6th March 1921, Funakoshi Sensei gave a demonstration for the Crown Prince Hirohito.
As a result of the interest shown by the Crown Prince, Funakoshi Sensei received invitations from various groups and the Ministry of Education formally requested a karate demonstration. He performed his art in Tokyo in 1922. This was at the first National Athletic Exhibition in Tokyo. After the demonstration Funakoshi Sensei was approached by members of the Sho family, direct descendants of Shotai, the last king of Okinawa, and asked to extend his visit, and Funakoshi Sensei agreed to stay a few weeks longer. From Gigoro Kano Sensei, the founder of judo, came a Special request for a Karate demonstration at the Ko Do Kan (judo headquarters) and at this demonstrations Gima Sensei assisted Funakoshi Sensei!
This was a private demonstration for Kano Sensei and selected members of the Ko Do Kan.
Kano Sensei was so impressed by the demonstrations that he persuaded Funakoshi Sensei to stay in Tokyo and teach him the basics of karate.
Kano Sensei gave him the necessary help to teach the art of Karate officially for the first time in Japan, although various masters like Chogun Miyagi (Goju Ryu) Kenwa Mabuni (Shito Ryu) and other Okinawans were actively teaching karate in Japan prior to this point.
The demonstrations and Kano Sensei's introductions to influential Japanese, soon led to official requests for karate instruction by the Society for Research in High School Physical Education, universities and military academies.
In his early days in Tokyo, Japan, Funakoshi Sensei stayed at a dormitory for Okinawan students living in a small room by the entrance. He showed his humble natture by cleaning the place while the students attended class during the day. Then he would instruct them in Karate-do in the evening.
During this period (1920's-40's) what was to become known as Shotokan continued to be developed by Master Funakoshi and his senior students, especially his son,Yoshitaka (1906-1945).
In order for karate to be accepted as a Japanese art (and not an Okinawan import) certain changes were necessary. In 1929 one of these was to change the characters used to spell karate so that the meaning became empty hand 
rather than Chinese hand 
It was in Japan when Master Funakoshi was leading a students group doing research on karate at the Keio University when he proposed the change of name in order to make the art totally Japanese in nature. He proposed the name 'Dai Nippon Kempo Karate-do
Or Great Japan Fist Method Empty Hand Way .
In 1935 karate men from all over Japan formed a committee to build a free-standing karate dojo. Construction of the building in Zoshigaya. Toshima Ward, began in mid-1935, and was completed in the spring of 1936. Funakoshi Sensei, at the age of 68, bowed and entered the world's first karate dojo in the spring of 1936. As a tribute to him from karate students from all over Japan a plaque was hung over the door inscribed with the characters for Shoto-kan. 
Shoto Kan literally , The Hall of Pine Waves .
Shoto was the pen name Funakoshi Sensei used in his poetry,which means pine waves while Kan means Hall
This first dojo was completely destroyed in an American bombing raid on Japan in 1945.
In the world today four major schools of karate-do are prevalent, namely Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Guju Ryu and Shito Ryu..
The most popular style or school of karate in world is Shotokan.
