Okinawa is the largest of a chain of islands collectively know as the Ryukyu Islands,spanning between China and Japan.
Okinawa is nearly equidistant to China, Japan and Taiwan. And during its history has become an important trading spot between China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and the Philippines.
It is important to know the position of Okinawa to fully comprehend the combination of influences that combined to create what we know as Karate.
In 1609, Okinawa was taken by Japanese troops. The islands ruler was abducted and taken to Japan as a hostage and a police force was quickly established in the sland capital, Naha, to prevent any rebellion. Soon after, it was banned to bear arms or have a militia. After this, the Japanese were confident that there would be no rebellion from the Ryukyu islanders.
Little did the invading Japanese know of the rich heritage of martial training of the islanders. Due to the proximity and trade relations with China, as well as many other martial countries, their fighting styles had been mixed with the indigenous styles of the islanders.
These arts were commonly known as Okinawa te (lit hand). After consulting the islands own martial monks, the people of Okinawa began toughening their limbs using straw pads (makiwara) and wet sand, eventually moving onto the trees, untill their bodies were toughened and callused like flesh hammers and spears. ~The laquered bamboo armour of the Japanese troops and Samurai were no match for the iron like strikes of the Okinawan rebels, as they began retalliating in guriella tactics against the island's invaders.
Even cavalry troops presented no problem to the Okinawans, they devised a selectoin of kicks, executed whilst flying through the air, taking the riders straight of their mounts.
The farming castes even lent their aid, devising ways of weidling simple farming implents as weapons, from the simple tonfa and sai, to the devastating nunchuku and kama.
