# How many Ryus



## Manny (Apr 29, 2009)

Sorry to ask, but how many Karate Ryus are and what are the diferences amoung them? I know there is ShotoKan, Ishin Ryu, Gojo Ryu but don't know waht are the diference amoung them. Some folk told me ShotoKan is good for exercise but is not a good karate. I'm not a karateka but a Tae Kwon Do practicioner and want to know about the japanesse karate.

Manny


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## jks9199 (Apr 29, 2009)

I think that's going to be a kind of tough question to answer!  There are quite a few, as was recently posted elsewhere.  

Generally, I think the differences consist in training approaches, some forms, and some tactical approaches.  For example, Isshin-ryu tends to use narrower stances than Shotokan, and uses a vertical fist to a large degree.  Kyukushinkai focuses very heavily on hard contact training.


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## Omar B (Apr 29, 2009)

By nature all styles of karate are similar (or they would not be karate right).  Some use wider stances, tighter movements, different training philosophy, concentration on one area more than another.  Fact is though they are all pretty similar and it's hard for people on the outside to tell them apart.

They all come from the same or a similar source, many of them share kata (forms) so at the end of the day they are all good arts, it comes down to the teacher.

As for the number of ryus, there seems to be a new one every day.  Every Tom, Dick and Oyama has a different idea of what's important and what shoudl be concentrated on, just like we al have our own different ideas of what we want from our training.


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## arnisador (Apr 29, 2009)

Hundreds, certainly, but I don't know how many--and there are multiple orgs. for e.g. Isshin-ryu, Uechi-ryu,...


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Apr 29, 2009)

> Chito-ryu ("of the Chinese T'ang dynasty, 1000 years ago")
> Genseiryu
> Goju-ryu ("Hard Soft")
> Go Kan Ryu
> ...


 I posted this else where. I doubt this is a complete list as I am sure there are more in Okinawa,Japan and around the world. Hybrids,taking things out adding things in etc etc makes it almost impossible to track all the Ryus of Karate. However this list is a good start. Differences would be quite alot of possible combos. Example comparing say Wado with Shotokan then Wado with Uechi and so on you can see the endless possible comparisions.


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## searcher (Apr 29, 2009)

How ever many can be listed here multiplied by at least 3.


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## Grenadier (Apr 30, 2009)

There are many styles of Japanese Karate, and amongst these styles are both hard and soft systems.  

The most popular style is Shotokan Karate, which is primarily a hard striking style that strongly emphasizes linear techniques.  

You also have other Japanese systems, such as Wado Ryu, which combines the hard striking of Shotokan, with the softer techinques of Shintoyoshinryu Ju Jutsu.  

These are but two of dozens of good systems out there.  Your best bet is to simply go to a Japanese Karate dojo, and see if it is what you are seeking.  

On another note, I would dismiss the claims of Shotokan not being a good style of Karate, since many excellent practitioners come from Shotokan (Nishiyama, Kanazawa, etc).  

I suspect that the people who dismiss Shotokan Karate as a non-effective system, are those who look down on the way it came about from Itosu's methods.  Such individuals tend to think that Itosu watered down the system, making it more of a "school children's game."  

While Itosu did make things more simplified for the beginners by adding more fundamental training, the advanced material remained unchanged.  

Shotokan Karate is what you make of it, assuming that you can find a decent instructor.


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## Manny (Apr 30, 2009)

The dojos in my city are mostly ShotoKan and I will pass to see them, I lke traditional MA and I believe Karate Do is more traditional than TKD.

Manny


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## Brandon Fisher (Apr 30, 2009)

Manny said:


> The dojos in my city are mostly ShotoKan and I will pass to see them, I lke traditional MA and I believe Karate Do is more traditional than TKD.
> 
> Manny


I am glad to hear that you are interested in traditional MA.  I think that traditional non sport karate do has a lot of offer really a lot more than people realize.


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## chinto (May 3, 2009)

Manny said:


> Sorry to ask, but how many Karate Ryus are and what are the diferences amoung them? I know there is ShotoKan, Ishin Ryu, Gojo Ryu but don't know waht are the diference amoung them. Some folk told me ShotoKan is good for exercise but is not a good karate. I'm not a karateka but a Tae Kwon Do practicioner and want to know about the japanesse karate.
> 
> Manny




I would sugest either Shobayashi Shorin Ryu or Kobayashi Shorin ryu or Mastubayashi Shorin Ryu or Mastumura Seito, or Goju Ryu  if you want a good Karate system that will most complement your  Korean system.  

the Okinawan systems tend to be softer and things then the Japanese systems.  Also I understand that Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwan Do had a lot of Shotokan influince. that is basically the first of the Japanese Karate styles and most of the others came from it to one extent or other.


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## JohnASE (May 11, 2009)

chinto said:


> Also I understand that Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwan Do had a lot of Shotokan influince.


Good point.  Going from TKD to Shotokan might be easier.  Hard style to hard style.  Similar forms.

Probably not important to the OP, but I believe the Japanese government officially recognizes only 4 styles of karate, at least for JKF competition.  They are Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, and Wado Ryu.  I believe Shotokan is the most common of the Japanese and Okinawan styles.

Oh, and "good karate" is subject to much interpretation.  If you're talking self defense, I had a Shotokan sensei tell me about a street fight he was unable to avoid.  He found his Shotokan skills much more effective than the skills of his friend who was also involved.  His friend was a TKD instructor.  Of course, this is just one person's opinion, and what was best for him might not be best for you.


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