On October 25th, Japan's subtropical southern islands will play host to Karate Day, an annual event showcasing the specialist martial art to locals and visitors alike in the prefectural capital Naha. Famed as one of the most impressive displays of martial arts in the world, the event welcomes karate masters from across the globe to demonstrate their skills and finesse. 

Okinawa is widely known as the birthplace of karate, which has roots that can be traced back over 700 years in the prefecture. Karate is said to embody 'shurei-no-kokoro' or, 'the spirit of courtesy', which is a guiding tenet of both the sport and life as a whole for local Okinawans.

Celebrations will be held across the city, but the main performances will take place along the 1.6-kilometre-long Kokusai-dori Street in the city's popular shopping district. Here, thousands of karateka, all dressed in crisp white karate uniforms, will perform in unison with impressive and precise movements. In 2016, this demonstration made it into the Guinness World Records for the most people performing a kata at once – 3,973 to be precise. Other event highlights include special demonstrations at the Shurei no Yakata dojo in Karate Kaikan, the largest museum and exhibition dedicated to karate in Okinawa.  

Beyond the event, there are plenty of other ways for travellers to experience karate whilst staying in the prefecture. For example, Visit Karate Okinawa's Okinawa Karate History Tour is a great way to understand more about the origins of the sport and the traditional Okinawan culture. The Zen + Karate Program at Shuri Kannondo Temple, which combines the Buddhist tradition of seated meditation with a physical martial arts class, is ideal for those wanting to train both the body and mind. Or for martial art enthusiasts, hotel HOSHINOYA Okinawa offers a two-night Ryukyu Karate Stay – a unique and immersive look into karate's origins in Okinawa that combines daily practice sessions with acupuncture and traditional Shiatsu massage treatments. 

For more information on karate and Karate Day, visit:

https://visitokinawajapan.com/discover/traditional-culture/birthplace-of-karate/ https://visitokinawajapan.com/discover/events/karate-day/

ENDS

About Okinawa:

Japan's southernmost prefecture, Okinawa, comprises 160 subtropical islands boasting a year-round warm climate comparable to Hawaii, Miami and Cancun. Just 3 hours by air from Tokyo and blessed with incredible natural beauty, from lush forests to crystal blue waters with abundant coral and golden sands, Okinawa is perfect for beach lovers and sports enthusiasts alike, whilst still appealing to culture seekers thanks to its unique history and heritage. Using the bountiful fresh produce its natural environment produces, Okinawa's culinary culture is also unique and is believed to be a key factor in Okinawa's status as one of only five blue zones in the world recognised for longevity.

For further media information about Okinawa, contact: Be Okinawa - UK & Ireland Representative, Rebecca Pasha: E: rebecca@humewhitehead.co.uk / T: +44 (0) 203 375 4054