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Where To Stream Journeys in Japan Season 2014 Episode 25

Okinawa The Land of Karate

Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, was formerly an independent kingdom, known as Ryukyu. Even today, the distinctive local traditions and culture from the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom are kept alive in the islands of Okinawa. An important part of this heritage is karate. Now practiced as a sport around the world, karate originated as a martial art that was practiced in secret, with esoteric teachings passed down from one generation to the next by the Ryukyu nobility and warriors. On...