Ten No Kata: The Blueprint That Created Modern Karate

In this episode of "Great Karate Myths," we challenge the idea of tradition by diving into Ten No Kata 🥋, a form created by Gichin Funakoshi Sensei between 1925 and 1935. It was a deliberate, non-traditional creation designed to establish a systematic set of basics (kihon) for beginners. We discuss why its very existence suggests that a cohesive set of fundamentals was "woefully absent" from existing kata and how it became the fundamental blueprint for modern karate practice globally—influencing Shotokan's kumite and the basic drills of Taekwondo. We explore how Ten No Kata is a physical representation of the shift from karate jutsu (technique) to karatedo (the way) and why it's argued to be the first "pure empty-hand" form. Funakoshi Sensei’s brilliant, progressive thinking is on full display in this pivotal kata.

Relevant Links/Resources

• Karate-Do Kyohan (Funakoshi Sensei)
• Karate-Do Nyumon (Funakoshi Sensei)
• Henning Wittwer’s translation and analysis of Karatedo Nyumon

Keywords/Tags

Ten No Kata, Gichin Funakoshi, Karate History, Shotokan, Karatedo, Kihon, Martial Arts Philosophy, First Pure Kata, Karate Jutsu, Sente Nashi