Comparison of karate styles Comparison of karate styles The table contains a comparison of karate styles. Some of the distinguishing features are listed, such as lineage, general form of stances, and number of kata. The five earliest karate styles developed in Japan are Shotokan, Wado-ryu, Shito-ryu, and Goju-ryu. The first three styles find their origins in the Shorin-Ryu style from Shuri, Okinawa, while Goju-ryu finds its origins in Naha. Shuri karate is rather different from Naha karate, drawing on different predecessor influences. Shito-ryu can be regarded as a blend of Shuri and Naha traditions as its kata incorporate both Shuri and Naha kata. When
Tachikawa-ryu in so called "black" magic, the school was frowned upon by Orthodox Shingon leaders (who performed non-sexual right hand Tantra rituals), and its monks were frequently sent into exile. The monk Yūkai (1345–1416) is generally credited with taking the lead on extirpating the Tachikawa-ryu school from Shingon. Since most Tachikawa-ryu texts were destroyed much of its history and teachings must be reconstructed. The institutes who do have Tachikawa-ryu texts and information pertaining to the school are generally unsympathetic and hostile towards Tachikawa-ryu ideologies and therefore refuse to lend any sort of help to the matter.(Sanford 1991) The school was founded