About Us
Shotokan Karate
Gichin Funakoshi (center) is the founder of Shotokan Karate. Masatoshi Nakayama (Left) added tournaments and created the Instructor Trainee Program with Teruyuki Okazaki (Right), then sent graduate instructors around the world to spread karate.
Sensei Ryan Porath trained under the direction of Sensei Okazaki for decades, until his retirement. Currently, Sensei Ryan Porath trains under the direction of Sensei Okazaki’s nephew, Sensei Hiroyoshi Okazaki, who is the current head of the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) based in Philadelphia.
Shotokan Karate is a traditional no contact style. We strive to be able to train for our whole lives. A martial art differs from sport in many ways. For sport, one trains to win a match/game. A martial art trains its students to become better people. Karate trains one physically and mentally. Karate trains the spirit, encourages seeking perfection of character, high morals, as well as physical fitness, flexibility, reaction timing, situational awareness, effective self-defense, dedication, and much more.
“Put Karate into your everyday living, that is how you will see its true beauty”
— Gichin Funakoshi