Unlike Judo, which is united under the Kodokan Judo Institute, karate has many organizations (schools), and the types of kata, practice methods and match rules differ significantly, depending on the organization.
講道館に統一されている柔道とは異なり、空手には多数の流派が存在し、流派によって教える型や訓練法、試合規則も大きく異なる。