Sources for karate

Every number in the text, like ³, points here. The pages are written in our own words from these sources. Where sources disagree, the pages say so and show each version. Rules and grades are each body's own, with the date we read them, and change over time.

How these pages were made

Researched and drafted with computer help, checked against the sources below, and read by a karate instructor. Pictures are drawn, with computer help, under our direction, and none shows a real child. Recorded chapters and words are read by a computer voice; a word not yet recorded uses your device's own voice. If you spot a mistake, email hello@everydojo.com.

1. 1.Karate · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
2. 3.Gichin Funakoshi · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
3. 4.Shotokan · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
4. 5.Wadō-ryū · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
5. 6.Gōjū-ryū · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
6. 7.Shitō-ryū · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
7. 8.Kyokushin · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
8. 9.Shūkōkai · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
9. 10.Uechi-Ryū · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
10. 11.Shōrin-ryū · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
11. 12.Shōtōkai · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
12. 13.Karate kata · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0); its comparison table has misaligned columns, so it was used only as a rough cross check
13. 14.Dan (rank) · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
14. 15.Karate at the 2020 Summer Olympics · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
15. 16.World Karate Federation · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
16. 17.Japan Karate Association · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
17. 18.Karate Union of Great Britain · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
18. 19.Karate in the United Kingdom · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
19. 20.Keinosuke Enoeda · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
20. 21.Hirokazu Kanazawa · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
21. 22.Tatsuo Suzuki (martial artist) · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
22. 23.Steve Arneil · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
23. 24.Mitsusuke Harada · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
24. 25.Vernon Bell · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
25. 26.Chōjun Miyagi · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
26. 27.Kenwa Mabuni · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
27. 28.Mas Oyama · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
28. 29.Morio Higaonna · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
29. 30.Pinan · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
30. 31.Karate World Championships · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
31. 32.Comparison of karate styles · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
32. 33.List of shotokan techniques · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
33. 34.Dōjō kun · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
34. 35.Kiai · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
35. 36.Zanshin · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
36. 37.Karate gi · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
37. 38.Obi (martial arts) · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
38. 39.Dojo · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
39. 40.Seiza · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
40. 41.Kumite · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
41. 42.Bunkai · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
42. 43.Individual kata articles: Naihanchi, Sanchin, Passai, Taikyoku, Enpi, Chintō, Hangetsu, Jion kata group, Gojūshiho, Chinte, Sōchin, Rōhai, Unsū, Wankan, Nijūshiho, Seisan, Seiunchin, Saifa, Tensho, Shisochin, Kusanku, Kūsankū · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
43. 44.Sensei · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
44. 45.Kime · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
45. 46.Technique articles: Front kick, Roundhouse kick, Kick, Knifehand strike, Strike (attack), Horse stance, Front stance, Kōkutsu dachi, Shiko dachi, Sanchin dachi, Jab, Uppercut, Punch (combat) · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
46. 50.WKF Kata Competition Rules 2026 (Master Copy V2) · World Karate Federation · Facts only, own words
47. 51.WKF Kumite Competition Rules 2026 (V13 final) · World Karate Federation · Facts only, own words
48. 52.WKF Dan Grade Regulation (updated April 2026) · World Karate Federation · Facts only, own words
49. 53.WKF Documents page · World Karate Federation · Link only
50. 54.WKF 'The Book' history pages · World Karate Federation · Facts only, own words; dated (about 2014)
51. 55.WKF news: Brisbane 2032 strategy (Cairo meeting) · World Karate Federation · Facts only, own words
52. 56.WKF home page · World Karate Federation · Facts only
53. 57.IOC: LA28 proposes five additional sports · International Olympic Committee · Facts only, own words
54. 58.Olympics.com: Tokyo 2020 karate results · International Olympic Committee · Facts only
55. 60.BKF home page · British Karate Federation · Facts only, own words
56. 61.KUGB Grading Syllabus & Rules · Karate Union of Great Britain · Facts only, own words
57. 62.KUGB History · Karate Union of Great Britain · Facts only, own words
58. 63.KUGB FAQ · Karate Union of Great Britain · Facts only, own words
59. 64.KUGB licence and contact pages · Karate Union of Great Britain · Facts only, own words
60. 65.JKA England home page · JKA England · Facts only, own words
61. 66.British Wado Federation home page · British Wado Federation (Eikoku Wado Renmei) · Facts only, own words
62. 67.British Wadokai home and syllabus pages · British Wadokai · Facts only, own words
63. 68.WIKF: about Tatsuo Suzuki · Wado International Karate-Do Federation · Facts only, own words
64. 69.Wado Academy · Wado-Ryu Karate-Do Academy · Facts only
65. 70.EGKA home and syllabus pages · English Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Association · Facts only, own words
66. 71.EGKA: The IOGKF · English Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Association · Facts only, own words
67. 72.EGKA FAQ · English Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Association · Facts only, own words
68. 73.EGKA Glossary · English Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Association · Facts only, own words; word lists are facts, definitions are our own
69. 74.BKK home and downloads pages · British Karate Kyokushinkai · Facts only, own words
70. 75.BKK/IFK Kata Tournament Rules 2025 · British Karate Kyokushinkai / IFK · Facts only, own words
71. 76.IFK Combined Knockdown Rules V1.2.1 · International Federation of Karate (Kyokushin), hosted by BKK · Facts only, own words
72. 77.IFK home page · International Federation of Karate (Kyokushin) · Facts only
73. 78.IKO Kyokushinkaikan site and sitemap · International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan · Link only
74. 79.SKU home page · Shukokai Karate Union · Facts only, own words
75. 80.SKF home page and kata page · Shukokai Karate Federation (Kimura Shukokai UK) · Facts only, own words
76. 81.SRKFE home page · Shito Ryu Karate Federation of England · Facts only
77. 82.KDS home and About pages · Karate-do Shotokai (KDS) · Facts only, own words
78. 83.Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association (GB) home page · Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Association (GB) · Facts only, own words
79. 84.British Sankukai Karate Association: history, kata and grade pages · British Sankukai Karate Association · Facts only, own words
80. 85.Shuriway dojo etiquette page · International Shuriway Karate & Kobudo Society · Facts only, as an example of common practice
81. 86.Kanzenki Karate Club dojo etiquette page · Kanzenki Karate Club · Facts only, as an example
82. 90.Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts · Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (Sport England branded scheme) · Facts only, link
83. 91.NSPCC: 5 questions to ask your child's sports club · NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit · Facts only, own words; link to the poster
84. 96.IOGKF: history of Goju-ryu · International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation · Facts only: Kanryo Higaonna died in 1915
85. 97.Nihon Karate-do Shotokai: history · Nihon Karate-do Shotokai · Facts only: the Shotokan dojo was built at Zoshigaya, Tokyo, on 29 January 1939; the association took the name Shotokai in 1936
86. 99.WIKF: about Hironori Ohtsuka · Wado International Karate-Do Federation · Facts only, own words: Ohtsuka began Shindo Yoshin Ryu jujutsu at school on 1 April 1897 and received its highest degree on 1 June 1920
87. 98.1975 World Karate Championships · Wikipedia contributors · Facts only, own words (text CC BY-SA 4.0): Great Britain won the men's team title with Japan second; France had won it in 1972
88. 95.EveryDojo governing bodies research, 8 October 2026 · EveryDojo · Internal; every fact in it was read from the body's own site or the sports councils' lists on 2026-10-08

Photographs

• Funakoshi_Gichin.jpg: Photographer unknown; from Gichin Funakoshi's book Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu (1924), Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Funakoshi_Makiwara.jpg: Photographer unknown; from Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu (1924), Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Gichin_Funakoshi_-_Heian_Nidan_Yoi_.png: Photographer unknown; from Rentan Goshin Karate Jutsu, p. 61 (1925), Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Miyagi_Chojun.jpg: Nakasone Genwa (editor of Karatedo Taikan, 1938), Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Mabuni_Kenwa.jpg: Nakasone Genwa (Karatedo Taikan, 1938), Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Masters_of_Karate.jpg: Photographer unknown; from Karatedo Ichiro (1956). Commons does not name the men shown, Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Masutatsu_Oyama_karate.jpg: Nippon Sports Publishing, from Gong Kakutogi (1954 press photo), Public domain (PD-Japan-oldphoto)
• Okinawa_Karate_Kaikan_01.jpg: Kugel~commonswiki, CC BY-SA 4.0
• Traditional_Dojo_-_Karate_Kaikan.jpg: Renate Hano, CC BY-SA 4.0
• Keikogi.jpg: chris, CC BY-SA 3.0
• Karate_Brown_belt.jpg: Sakoppi, CC BY 3.0
• K1PL_Berlin_2018-09-16_Male_Kumite_75_kg_56.jpg: Martin Rulsch, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (editorial use only; personality rights apply)
• Close_Up_of_2024_JKA_World_Cup_Men_s_Kumite_Finals.jpg: SureEquation605, CC0 (editorial use only; personality rights apply)