Diagram of karate masters and the schools they founded
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Early styles:
Modern styles and founders:
| Style | Date Founded | Founder (Dates Alive) | Founder’s Teachers (Style) |
| Shotokan | 1916-1922 | Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957) | Itosu Ankō (Shuri-te), Ankō Azato (Shuri-te) |
| Kyokushin | 1964 | Masutatsu Ōyama (1923-1994) | Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan), Gōgen Yamaguchi (Gōjū-ryū) |
| Gōjū-ryū | 1930s | Chōjun Miyagi (1888-1953) | Higaonna Kanryō (Naha-te), Go Kenki (White Crane) |
| Shitō-ryū | 1928 | Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952) | Itosu Ankō (Shuri-te), Higaonna Kanryō (Naha-te), Go Kenki (White Crane) |
| Wadō-ryū | 1939 | Hironori Ōtsuka (1892-1982) | Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan), Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu masters |
| American Kenpo Karate | 1950s-1960s | Ed Parker (1931-1990) | William Chow, James Mitose |
| Uechi-ryū | 1897/1910 | Kanbun Uechi (1877-1948) | Zhou Zihe/Shu Shiwa (Pangainoon) |
| Isshin-ryū | 1956 | Tatsuo Shimabuku (1908-1975) | Chōtoku Kyan (Shorin-ryu), Chōjun Miyagi (Gōjū-ryū) |
| Kobayashi-ryū (Shōrin-ryū) | 1920s | Chōshin Chibana (1885-1969) | Itosu Ankō (Shuri-te) |
| Matsubayashi-ryū (Shōrin-ryū) | 1947 | Shōshin Nagamine (1907-1997) | Chōtoku Kyan (Shorin-ryu), Chōjun Miyagi (Gōjū-ryū) |
| Chitō-ryū | 1946 | Tsuyoshi Chitose (1898-1984) | Aragaki Seishō (Naha-te), Sōkon Matsumura (Shuri-te) |
| Shūdōkan | 1930s | Kanken Tōyama (1888-1966) | Itosu Ankō (Shuri-te), Higaonna Kanryō (Naha-te) |
| Shotokai | 1950s | Shigeru Egami (1912-1981) | Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan) |
| Ryuei-ryu | 1970s formalized | Nakaima Kenko (1911-1990) | Family tradition from Nakaima Nōrisato |
| Shindō Jinen-ryū | 1933 | Yasuhiro Konishi (1893-1983) | Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū), Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan), Morihei Ueshiba (Aikido) |
| Motobu-ryu | Traditional | Chōki Motobu (1870-1944) | Itosu Ankō (Shuri-te), Sōkon Matsumura (Shuri-te), Kōsaku Matsumora (Tomari-te) |
| Toon-ryu | 1930s | Juhatsu Kyoda (1887-1968) | Higaonna Kanryō (Naha-te) |
| Shōrinkan (Shorin-ryu) | 1975 | Nakazato Shugoro (1920-2016) | Chōshin Chibana (Kobayashi-ryū) |
| Matsumura Seito | 1956 | Hohan Soken (1889-1982) | Nabe Matsumura (Matsumura family tradition) |
| Gensei-ryu | 1953 | Seiken Shukumine (1925-2001) | Anko Sadoyama, Soko Kishimoto (Shuri-te/Tomari-te) |
| Seibukan | 1960s | Zenryo Shimabukuro (1908-1969) | Chōtoku Kyan (Shorin-ryū) |
| Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryū | 1960s | Eizo Shimabukuro (1925-2017) | Chōtoku Kyan (Shorin-ryū), Chōshin Chibana (Kobayashi-ryū) |
| Shōrinji-ryū | Post-WWII | Kōri Hisataka (1907-1988) | Chōtoku Kyan (Shorin-ryū), Sanda Kanagusuku (Kobudo) |
| Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu | 1970s | Teruo Hayashi (1924-2004) | Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū) |
| Itosu-kai | 1960s | Kensei Kinjo (1919-2015) | Chōshin Chibana (Kobayashi-ryu), Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū) |
| Seigokan | 1950s | Seigo Tada (1922-1997) | Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū) |
| Shimbukan | 1960s | Zenpo Shimabukuro (1943-2017) | Zenryo Shimabukuro (Seibukan) |
| Seishin-kai | 1970s | Keinosuke Enoeda influence (1935-2003) | Gichin Funakoshi lineage (Shotokan) |
| Jinbukan | 1960s | Jinbukan system | Traditional Okinawan masters |
| Kushin-ryū | 1960s | Yuchoku Higa (1910-1994) | Chōjun Miyagi (Gōjū-ryū) |
| Kojo-ryū | Traditional | Kojo family | Chinese family tradition |
| Kishimoto-di | Traditional | Soko Kishimoto (1890s-1960s) | Family tradition, Chōki Motobu |
| Yamani-ryū | Early 1900s | Chōgi Kishimoto (1888-1954) | Pechin Tomoyose, Soko Kishimoto (Tomari-te) |
NOTE: These histories and overviews are derived from many sources. They are not meant to be comprehensive and may have inconsistencies due to inconsistencies in the sources. It is strongly recommended that those wishing to know more about karate history purchase and read the excellent recommended sources. A list of all sources used to support the above can be found here.
Karate Kata Step By Step 