World Karate Day

Every October 25th, World Karate Day is celebrated, a martial art practiced in over 150 countries and gaining more followers each day. Beyond its influence on various film productions, a few months ago it made its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Learn more about this sport, its origins, and when it is commemorated.

Origin and Commemoration

According to the World Karate Federation, it originated in the early 16th century on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa, Japan. However, the Okinawa Karate World Assembly (OGW) only established World Karate Day in 2005. October 25th was chosen to reference the date of the historic meeting of grand masters held in 1936.

The etymology of the word "karate" can be traced back to Japan. "Kara" means empty, while "te" refers to hands. In this way, it could be interpreted as clean hands, or as many called it, fighting without weapons. Over time, it adopted techniques from various disciplines such as judo, kendo, and aikido, which also led to a change in its philosophical and technical concepts.

Appearance in Tokyo 2020

A symbolic debut was registered in 1970 when the World Championships began at the Nippon Budokan (a temple located in Japan).

However, it was only at Tokyo 2020 that it made its official presentation. This was made possible by the host country's ability to include five sports in the competition.

This decision was celebrated by many fans and especially by Peruvians. Our delegation included the participation of Alexandra Grande in the 61 kg kumite category. The national karate athlete competed in group B and bid farewell with a triumph on the last day.