Anyone care to comment on/discuss some of the differences between the original Toude-Jutsu (sometimes called Karate-Jutsu) and Karate-Do (Chinese Hand Arts vs Empty Hand Way)?

 

I've heard the original Okinawan hand arts only rotated the punch about 45 deg from vertical, rather than the full 90 deg spinning punch in Karate-Do. This allowed the wrist to absorb the shock better, thus allowing a harder hit.

 

Any others?

I've actually seen a few debates on this. From what I have seen, when the fist is only rotated 45 degrees, both the bones and the ligaments and tendons within the fore arm line up naturally, and is safer structurally. That is how I punch for power. Normally I just use a vertical fist. O well, let's here other opinions.

 

Dave

although in karate the 90 degrees turn is taught having the fist vertical as "singularity" said is good for speed and power

To-te was the original, general, and collective name for all Okinawan martial arts. On October 25th, 1936, there was a famous meeting of the Okinawan Masters. At this meeting, "karate do" was officially adopted over "Tote Jutsu", although the name was in use in some places prior to this. For example, Hanashiro Chomo, in his August 1905 publication "Karate Shoshu Hen", this was the first known use of the modern kanji, where "To-te" (meaning China Hand) was changed to "Kara-Te" or empty hand.

 

The stylistic differences stem from the teachers, not the name, as Karate applies to both Okinawan karate and Japanese karate.

 

In his book "Karate-Do: The Way of my Life", Gichin Funakoshi, who was the main person responsible for the introduction of Okinawan karate to Japan, said that most of the differences between Okinawan karate and the style he taught in Japan was that his style was very simplified. In teaching it to school children, he simplified all the kata as much as possible. He said that times changed and so must karate. In this he meant that he preferred to focus on the spiritual and mental aspects of karate over its physical aspects, as most people did not have to worry about life and death situtations anymore. At any rate, he says that the karate he taught was far different from the karate he learned as a youth in Okinawa.

 

These differences are in the "jutsu" and "do" aspects of karate. Karate-jutsu means that it focuses on combat for the warrior's skill in battle, while karate-do is more for self-perfection of the individual instead of a warrior's use in combat.

 

Long, historical answer, but if sheds some light on the debate a little.

take me back to the jutsu days please.

i like how chinese arts are parry counterstrike all in one move rather than block - strike