The literal meaning of the two Japanese characters which make up the word “Karate” is “Empty Hands”. This, of course, refers simply to the fact that karate originated as a system of self defense using various parts of the human body as effective weapons. 

The role and benefits of karate in the modern age is multiple. 

1. Self defense: Karate as means of self defense has the oldest history going back hundreds of years. The regular training in karate based on scientific principles prepares the muscles, the joints, coordination between various moves and balance enable the practitioners of karate to be prepared , both physically and psychologically, to defend successfully against any would-be assailant. 
2. Physical Art: As physical art karate is almost without equal. Since it’s highly dynamic and makes balanced use of a large number of body muscles, it provides excellent all-round exercise, and develops coordination and agility. Many men and women of all ages therefore, to date, have taken up karate, in addition to its usefulness as self defense, to be in top physical shape. 
3. Mental: Karate is a mind body exercise. Research proves the benefits of regular karate training help improve neurocognition, attention, memory and learning.
4. Discipline: Karate particularly in the JKA is considered as a highly disciplined routine that is to be followed by all practitioners in and out of the dojo that are monitored by the senior instructors of the organization. This in turn benefits the daily life of the practitioners. 
5. Sport: Karate was introduced as a sport by the JKA in October 1957 by hosting the 1st All Japan Karate Championships in Tokyo. Presently the JKA hosts regional (Example: Asia-Oceania Championships) and world championships periodically besides the JKA national organizations that hold their own national championships in their respective countries. This year the world witnessed the inclusion of  “karate” as an Olympic Sport staged in the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

“Shoto” (meaning pine weaves) was the pen name of master Funakoshi Gichin (10 Nov 1868 - 26 Apr 1957), the Okinawan teacher responsible for introducing the Okinawan martial arts “karate-jutsu” in the Japan mainland in the year 1922. Soon master Funakoshi’s art of karate-jitsu gained immense popularity across the Japan mainland and received the support and appreciation of master Jigaro Kano, father of Judo and the elites of the Japanese society. In 1939 master Funakoshi established a dojo to accommodate his huge followers when his senior students named the dojo - “Shoto-kan”, meaning “hall of Shoto”. This historic ‘Shotokan Dojo’ was completely destroyed in 1945 during world war II by the allied air-force strike. Later, after the war got over master Funakoshi’s students, mostly from various universities where master Funakoshi used to teach, re-grouped in November 1948 to establish the Nihon Karate Kyokai / Japan Karate Association with master Funakoshi as the Supreme Master of the organization. It is therefore, needless to say that the foundation of karate taught in the JKA is “Shotokan”; refined, developed and modified through years of study and research by the masters of the JKA.