The martial art of the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa) developed privately and in secret and was not available to the public. Then, in the early part of the 20th century, karate (as it later came to be called) was presented in a sanitized and watered-down version by teachers who were accustomed to keeping things secret and not at all inclined to share much of what they knew.

As a result, what was once a fearsome fighting art, is today primarily a children’s pursuit. Eight-year-old “black belts” proudly pose beside trophies taller than they while parents watch and applaud. But, the karate these children learn differs from the jazz/tap/ballet taught in the dance school down the street. Meanwhile, the old masters continued to guard their secrets while time threatened the ancient knowledge with extinction.

However, to protect their secrets from being lost, very few masters choose to share more openly what had been for so long guarded jealously. They shared the old fighting art, the original martial art of Okinawa. Known as Ryukyu Kempo (an almost generic name), this art might be called “Karate from when karate was still karate.”