Our style of Karate is called Shito-Ryu. (Pronounced "sheeto-roo") It is one of the original styles of traditional Karate! It features a range of both strong and fast styles of movements.  The name Shito-Ryu was created by combining the names of the two masters responsible for the beginnings of the Shito-Ryu style of Karate. It was developed and passed on from Master Ankoh Itosu and Master Kanryo Higaonna. In Kanj (Japenese text) the first two letters of their names spell "Shi" and "To". These were used in combination to create Shito-Ryu by Sensei Kenwa Mabuni.

History of Shukokai

This karate school was founded by TANI Chojiro Sensei, born on January 25, 1921 in Kobe, Japan. His teachers were MIYAGI Chojun Sensei – founder of Goju-Ryu Karatedo and Mabuni Kenwa Sensei – founder of Shito-Ryu Karatedo. 
Tani Sensei studied at the Doshisha University in Kyoto, from where he also graduated. In 1948 he opened his school “Research Institute for Tani Karatedo” and named it SHUKOKAI and TANI-HA SHITO-RYU KARATEDO respectively. Shukokai means “association for common practice”, a name that was chosen for political reasons. 
At that time, after the defeat in World War II, the practice of martial arts was forbidden in Japan. Under this name, however, one could train undisturbed. 

About our Shitoryu Shukokai Association 

Shukokai literally means “to practice together in an amicable way”. This philosophy is fundamental to our Association and forms the underlying basis for the Shitoryu Shukokai Karate World Union (SSWU): to practice together, to develop our Karate together – without politics. Shukokai thus has two meanings to us: on one hand it is the idea and philosophy behind our Karate practice, on the other hand Shukokai is a group within the Shito-style, with some technical particularities.