The 5 original Styles of Karate

The 5 Original Styles of Karate

By Grandmaster T.L. Kerofsky, MA  

09/09/2025

1. Tode Te – Tode Sagawa (1548 – 1627) in 1609 on the Ryu Kyu Islands
2. Shuri Te – Chujin Wansu (1608 – 1695) in Shuri Okinawa  
3. Tomara Te – Kosaku Matsumaru (1829 – 1898) in Tomara Okinawa
4. Naha Te – Kanryo Higaonno (1853 – 1915) in Naha Okinawa  
5. Goju Te – Chojin Miagi (1888 – 1953) also in Naha Okinawa  

Tode Te –  

OK here is some controversy.  They say that the founder of all Okinawan Karate is Kangi ‘Tode’ Sakugawa (1733 – 1815). How can this be? Especially since Te (hand) which became Karate (Empty Hand) was introduced in Okinawa vie the Ryu Kyu Islands by a Chinese fisherman named Kunsuku (1528 – 1623) in 1609. And the first to learn it from the fisherman was Tode Sagawa (1548 – 1627). Before that the Okinawans practiced their ancient form of wrestling known as Tegumi. And the different styles of Tegumi were from the three castle cities: Tegumi – Shuri, Tegumi – Tomara, and Tegumi – Naha. In 1477 these practices were banned, until King Sho Ta (1583 to 1670), the longest reigning Okinawan King, restored the practice in 1609. King Sho Ta reigned from 1609 until his untimely death. In 1609 when Te was taught there became a new era of Okinawan hand to hand combat used all the way up until World War II.

Shuri Te –  

From the very rigid Tode Te (Chinese Hand) and the very effective Combative Wrestling flowing Tegumi, Shuri Te was forged and rooted on the Islands of Okinawa. This style has the longest unbroken history of all the styles of karate. From it’s roots of Shuri Te (Hand of Shuri) in the King’s Castle City of Shuri, to Shuri Ryu (Tradition of Shuri), to American Shuri Ryu of Trias, 

to Matsumara Shorin Ryu, to modern day Shorinjiryu Kempo.

Shuri Ryu is linked to the Masters of Old like Kanji Sakugawa (1733 – 1815), 

Soken Matsumaru (1767 – 1869), Choki Motabu (1870 – 1944), and lastly Anko Itosu (1831 – 1915). Itosu passed his knowledge to Gichen Funakoshi (1868 – 1957) who traveled to Japan by an invite of the Japanese Ministry of Education in the 1920’s. There he introduced karate to Japan, like I said karate is from Okinawa NOT Japan, and taught it to school children as part of the curriculum.  

His style became known as Shotokan (Shoto – his pen name and Kan – training hall). He created the three Tae Kyoku Kata in 1922 to simplify the stepping, punching, and 3-point blocking of kata, giving it a better understanding. And he created the basic belt ranking structure of karate in 1950. And he was instrumental in bringing karate to the west.  

During World War 2 on the Solomon Islands Robert A. Trias (1923 – 1989),  

a Navy serviceman learned karate from a student of Funakoshi. And he became the first 10thDan of Shuri Ryu bringing it to the United States after the war. Remember at the time there were only 9 Dan’s, 9 being the highest ascension. So he was the newly created 10thDan. He is the father of American karate! He taught it to Jess Mills (1940 – 2011) who taught it to me. Now I teach it to my son Tim through my style of Tiger Ryu.  Remember, Tiger Ryu in which my base is Shuri Ryu, with Tiger Hung Gar Kung Fu, American Kenpo, Jujitsu, some Tae Kwon Do, and Shorinjiryu Kempo mixed in. In 1991 I registered Tiger Ryu with the World Self Defense Federation and the United Martial Artists Association; in 1994 I changed the name to Shurinju Tiger Ryu Kempo and added a belt ranking structure. And I also am accredited in the creation of Shurinju Ryu, 

which is a blend of Shuri Ryu Karate and Jujitsu combined.  

Tomara Te –  

Shuri Te spread from the old kingdom city of King Sho Ta to the second kingdom city of Tomara Okinawa. Yet again a new style is born from Tode Te, Chinese hand as it was known, to Shuri Te (the hand of Shuri or the City of King Sho Ta), to Tomara Te (hand of Tomara) another coastal Kingdom martial art of Okinawa. Now even more roots are laid down from the old styles of Tode Te 

and Shuri Te. It is the long unbroken history.  

Naha Te –  

When Te is spread to the city of Naha, Kanryo Higaonno (1853 – 1915) took from the hard system of Karate (Empty Hand) and made it even softer and more fluent. First from the style of Higaonno Naha Te (hand) and second to the style of Higaonno Naha Ryu (tradition). Higaonno made the style, shall I say, the system of karate go full circle. It was after all brought to the Okinawa vie the Ryu Kyu Islands by a Chinese fisherman who drifted off the coast as legend foretells. 

So, he traveled to China himself where he lived and trained for 15 years in Kung Fu 

and Chinese Goju Te.  

Goju Te –  

Goju means hard and soft. In 1930 Master Chojin Miagi (1888 – 1953) after being trained by Master Kanryo Higaonno (1853 – 1915) renamed the style Goju Ryu (tradition of the hard and soft hand) from Goju Te (hard hand / soft hand). Miagi was very deadly as legend foretells that he killed 52 bulls with his bare hands. He showed the power from the softness of Goju Ryu.  

ALL styles of karate were formed from one of these 5 styles of karate!!!

Those styles to follow are –  

• Okinawan Te from Kanji ‘Tode’ Sakugawa (1733 – 1815) in 1798
• Shorinjiryu Kempo from Yogi Gosaka (1798 – 1881) in 1870.  
• Kobyashi Ryu / Shorin Ryu from Chishin Chibana (1885 – 1969) in 1933  
• Uiechi Ryu from Kanbun Uiechi (1877 – 1948) in 1925
• Shito Ryu from Kenwa Mabuni (1881 – 1952) in 1931
• Wado Ryu from Hironori Ohtsuku (1892 – 1982) in 1934
• Isshin Ryu from Tatsuo Shimabuku (1908 – 1975) in 1956
• Kingai Ryu Kobudo from Shimpo Matayoshi (1922 – 1997) in 1965
• Matsumara Sieto Shorin Ryu from Hohen Soken (1889 – 1982) in 1976  
• Trias Shuri Ryu from Robert Aguirre Trias (1923 – 1989) in 1946  
• Tiger Ryu, Shurinju Ryu, Shurinju Tiger Ryu Kempo 

               from Grandmaster Timothy Lee Kerofsky, MA (born 1965) 1991 / 1994

Conclusion –  

Sadly today karate is watered down and has lost many of it’s traditions of old.  

Many people want to pay for a belt and not work hard and earn it. Many wannabes on Facebook and such troll other martial artists and martial arts groups. Many martial artist claim to have ranks impossible for their age, IE a 27 year old who claims to be a 8thDan, or a 35 year old who claims to be a Senior Grand Master with a gold belt. Let me reiterate on this, the original ranking structure of Funakoshi is White, Yellow, Green with a Yellow Stripe, Green, Blue, Purple, 3- Browns, and onto Black belt with only 9 Dan’s. As you notice in other writings of mine that mine is similar to his except White with Yellow Stripe NO Green with Yellow Stripe, and I have 10 Dan’s. Anyway to earn the Dan Ranks it takes 4 years for 1stDan, One has to be 40 years or older to be eligible for 7thDan, and 50 and over for 9thDan, and 60 or older for 10thDan. So how could one be that high of a rank at only 27 years old? Also karate became about the sport instead of the combative art it really is. All this saddens me, for as a martial artist who overcame much, and was injured in combat, I worked hard to earn the rank I have, so I will keep the traditions and original teachings alive.