Shotei-kan Karate

An ancient martial discipline transmitted in the Satsuma region of Kagoshima Prefecture. Derived from Satsuma samurai training methods during the Edo period, it features distinctive grappling and striking techniques. Still preserved in Kagoshima dojos, it symbolizes the region's cultural identity and conveys samurai spirit from the Sengoku period to the present day.

A karate school modernizing and systematizing traditional Okinawan karate. Founded by Gichin Funakoshi, it emphasizes large, powerful movements. Widely propagated across postwar Japan, it became karate's largest style. Following its adoption in high school martial arts in the 1960s, it was officially included in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It established the standard format for international karate as its dominant school.

A martial art rooted in Japanese swordsmanship, practiced with bamboo swords (shinai) and protective armor (bogu). Its philosophy centers on character development through the disciplined study of the sword, emphasizing etiquette and mental cultivation alongside technique. Led by the All Japan Kendo Federation, it is practiced in over 60 countries.

A martial art systematized from traditional Japanese archery. Using a Japanese longbow approximately two meters in length, it combines shooting technique with spiritual discipline. Under the principle of 'seisha hicchu' (correct shooting always hits the target), emphasis is placed on the beauty of the eight stages of shooting form and the unity of mind.

A Japanese martial art that trains the complete sequence of drawing the sword from its scabbard, cutting, and resheathing. Evolved from practical swordsmanship, it emphasizes the unity of mind and body and spiritual cultivation. The act of drawing the sword in an instant from stillness embodies 'stillness within motion, motion within stillness,' pursuing the essence of martial arts.

A Japanese martial art using the naginata, a polearm with a curved blade. Used as a warrior's weapon since the Heian period, it developed as a women's martial art from the Edo period onward. While practiced by all genders today, it is notable for its many female practitioners and is valued as a martial art that emphasizes etiquette and grace.