Greens Martial Arts Center

The origins of Okinawan karate date back to the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Literally meaning Chinese hand or empty hand, karate became the accepted term for the empty-handed system of self-defense of Okinawa. Prior to that time period, it is believed that when Okinawa was invaded by Japan (the two were independent countries) there may have been a ban on all weapons, and confiscation of all the Okinawans' weapons. Without any weapons to defend themselves, the Okinawans practiced empty-handed self-defense techniques in order to defend themselves from the armed Japanese invaders.