About This Kata
| Name | Wankan [王冠] |
| Translation | King’s Crown |
| Style | Shotokan |
| History | Wankan is an old kata with roots in the Tomari-te tradition of Okinawan karate. Like other Tomari-te kata, it likely arrived in Okinawa via Chinese martial arts influence, possibly from Fujian or other southern provinces of China, where short, quick, and compact forms were common. Wankan remained relatively obscure until integrated into modern karate curricula. It is one of the few kata whose name does not reference numbers, animals, or natural elements. Funakoshi attempted to rename it Shofu or Hito but this did not endure. In Shotokan, it was likely adopted through the efforts of the JKA, possibly influenced by instructors such as Masatoshi Nakayama. |
| Lineage | Tomari-te masters → Shōtōkan (via JKA) |
King’s Crown (Shotokan Kata)
