Karate Uchina-Di: Okinawan Karate: An Exploration of its Origins and Evolution - Paperback

by Itzik Itzhak Cohen (Author)

Exploring the deep roots of Okinawan karate, analyzing its attitude and gradual techniques development before the 20th century. Revealing important cross currents in the evolution of Okinawan karate and its ancestor, Ryukyu-di.
Part 1 defines the background and the historical field in which karate developed.
Part 2 elaborates on the issues discussed in part 1 and thoroughly investigates changes, trends and stages of progress that have been influential in bringing Karate into the 20th century.

Deep examine of the relationships between Okinawan-te and the Chinese, Japanese and even Siamese environments provide an insight on ancient karate in the context of combat on the timeline. It advances the discussion of significant topics such as the "Bubishi" and "White Crane" and analyzes the subject of "Shaolin Monastery Combat" thoroughly, as well as its relationship with Chinese Martial Arts and Ryukyuan bare-hand combat.

The nature of transferring knowledge throughout history.
The components of kihon and kata, its role and its fundamental practical importance.
What did "Ryukyuan-di" look like?
Find the thorough answers to many ambiguous issues and topics.
Learn the little-known about the origin of authentic Karate.
Understand key points in karate evolution.

The extensive quantity of material is supported by references to historical sources that are examined carefully and in accordance with their relevance and reliability.

The book traces and defines the characteristics of those who engaged in ancient Ryukyuan bare-hand combat, their skills, the nature of their activities and the development of "Ryukyuan-di', which became known as "Okinawan-te", and then later became known as 'Karate".

The author brings to his research a combination of knowledge and experience in the military framework as infantry combatant, and an intelligence researcher of terrorism arena, with his profession in the field of software engineering and of course his rich experience in martial arts, self-defence and military close combat.

In this book, the author weaved together the fabric holding together karate and kobudo, along with its personalities, military, social, spiritual, religious and cultural environments and significant cross sections, that shaped karate evolution.

Author Biography

Itzik Cohen was born in 1963, and has taught Karate for many years, having first engaged with Karate in the mid-1970s.

During his military service he was active in a combined Special Forces operation of infantry and intelligence at the forefront of the battlefield. Later he served in the Directorate of Military Intelligence/Research Department (Aman)/Terrorism arena.

Itzik graduated in Software Engineering and worked in the field of high-tech. He joined a start-up company and worked in the fields of software design and engineering, and later worked in an IT Company as a project manager.

Itzik specializes in Okinawan Karate and Kobudo, as well as in Military Close-Combat and Self-Defence. Today Itzik is head of the Teishinkan-Dojo: Okinawan Martial Arts. He began his research about Okinawan Martial Arts many years ago. He continues to visit his teachers, Akamine Hiroshi Sensei and Higa Minoru Sensei, in Okinawa each year. Itzik dedicates his life to Okinawan Martial Arts.