Karate is a martial art started in the Ryukyu Kingdom in the Japanese islands in the 1300's after trade routes were opened between Japan and China. Also known in Okinawa as Te, Karate was heavily influenced by China's kung fu. It is a fighting style consisting mostly of open-handed strikes.
When two people spar, the duel is called a kumite. Practicing karate without battling others, though, is called a kata. Translated to "model", katas are where karate students practice, or model, their movements to improve their knowledge, understanding, and form.
So, for the Japanese custom of the Japan stop on the World Culture Tour, my boys decided to practice a kata found on YouTube. Rather, I picked one out and had them try it, but they agreed to it!
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