History

 Karate was originated some 2000 years ago by men of peace, Monks who were forbidden by their faith to carry weapons but needed a self defence and a practical way of physical conditioning while harmoniously strengthening their mind and body.

The direct forerunner of Karate as we know it today was developed in Okinawa over hundreds of years and given its practicality by the Islanders who were oppressed by the Japanese Warlords.

Karate did not in fact officially reach Japan until 1923, when it was introduced by the father of modern Karate - Gichin Funakoshi.

In Japan Karate was totally accepted, refined and innovations added from Japans own background of martial arts.

Seido Karate was founded by Kaicho (Grandmaster) Tadashi Nakamura - 9th Dan. With over 30 years experience in the Martial Arts, Kaicho developed Seido Karate as a practical self defence while retaining Karate's original traditional values.

Seido Karate has three precepts - Love - Respect and Obedience.

These precepts are our guidelines to our personal self development in Karate and life in general. The three precepts come under one heading - Sincerity.

Seido means Sincere way.

Karate means empty hand or empty way. The philosophical meaning being, to empty oneself of all thought, preconceived ideas, and distractions enabling one to act spontaneously.

So Karate, although being an excellent means of self defence and physical conditioning, is still fundamentally a Martial Way - a means of training mind and body in reaching physical and mental harmony. In Karate there is no aim or goal - it is just the immediate "doing" that's important. Seido Karate begins and ends with courtesy and respect - the basis of all human relationships and a way to self understanding.