Shotokai is a non competitive style of Japanese traditional karate-do.
Its main aims are the development of the internal energy (ki in Japanese), the evolution of the human qualities and the coordination of mind and body.

Shotokai techniques are not based on physical strength, they are harmonic and relaxed but, at the same time, full of vitality and energy.

Shotokai is a Budo art, a way of self-development, a philosophy of life. It is not a sport nor a mere form of self-defense.

Sport-karateka train with the objective to win cups or medals dominating others and their techniques are, in most cases, only the result of the application of muscular power.

Since this deeply contrasts with our training objectives, Shotokai avoids all competitions.
Notwithstanding this, each practitioner can participate to competitive tournaments as a personal choice.

The origins

The word Shotokai means group, organization (kai) of Shoto (Shoto was the pseudonym used by Master Gichin Funakoshi to sign his poetry) .
The literally translation of the word Shoto is "Pine waves".

Shotokan (kan = house, building) is the name of the building of Master Funakoshi's Hombu Dojo (central training hall) in Tokyo.

Shotokai is the name of the organization established in 1935 by Master Funakoshi's students to diffuse Karate-do and to raise funds to build the central training hall.

Since Funakoshi's students trained at the Shotokan dojo, people started to confuse the name of the building with the name of his method (that Master Funakoshi simply called Karate-Do). This is the main reason for the confusion between Shotokai and Shotokan.

Master Funakoshi was the director of the Shotokai school and the head instructor of the Shotokan dojo.

The Hombu Dojo (Shotokan dojo), which is still the Shotokai's Headquarter in Japan, and Master Funakoshi's home belong to the Nihon Karate-Do Shotokai Kyokai (Japan Karate-Do Shotokai Association).

After Funakoshi's death, Master Shigeru Egami continued, as director of the Shotokai, the evolution of Karate-Do till the form which is called today Shotokai style.