Notes from The Workshop
Essays, Insights & Reflections on the Art & Practice of Authentic Okinawan Karate & Kobujutsu
017 — Karate is a Living Folk Art, Not a Martial Art
Karate is not a martial art, but a living folk art—an Okinawan cultural practice shaped in village courtyards and backyards, rooted in personal preservation and community. It did not descend from the battlefields of imperial Japan, nor was it forged for military conquest. Before it was transformed by Japanese nationalism into a regimented budō, Karate was passed down through intimate teacher-student relationships, preserving not just techniques but a cultural understanding. To reclaim Karate today is to return to those roots—training not for trophies or rank, but for character, culture, and real-world self-protection.
016 — It’s Not A Martial Art, Probably
Most of what we call "martial arts" today are either philosophical paths, cultural performances, or rule-bound combat sports. Their original combative purpose—the ability to deal with violence in the real world—has been diluted, distorted, or forgotten. Even karate, which began as a practical system of self-preservation in Okinawan communities, was rebranded by Japan in the 20th century and transformed into something rigid, performative, and often ineffective.
Understanding what a martial art isn’t is the first step toward reclaiming what karate once was—and could be again.
009 — Paper Tigers: Distinguishing Substance from Shams
A black belt can represent years of discipline, effort, and training—or not. The difference lies in the journey. In authentic karate, there are no shortcuts. No titles, just training.
003 — Dōjōkun: The Ethos of Karate Practice
The Dōjōkun is more than a list of dōjō rules—it’s a living guide to how we train, how we act, and who we become. At The Karate Workshop, these eight timeless precepts shape not only our practice of Okinawan Gōjū-Ryū Karate but our everyday lives. Rooted in tradition and passed down through generations, the Dōjōkun teaches humility, patience, strength, and sincerity—values we carry from the dōjō into the world.
002 — The Karate Workshop: Rediscovering Karate’s True Spirit
In a world where many dōjō have become stages for performance or centers of commerce, The Karate Workshop offers a return to quiet labor, honest practice, and the true spirit of karate. This article explores what it means to treat the dōjō as a workshop—a place of transformation, not spectacle—where skill is forged through repetition, humility, and care.
“No matter how you may excel in the art of Te, and in your scholastic endeavors, nothing is more important than your behavior and your humanity as observed in daily life.”
— Tei Junsoku (1663-1734)