Traditional Karate is a beautiful, ancient, weaponless art of self defense thought to have originated is Okinawa during the Middle Ages, and was influenced by Chinese martial arts. In the early seventeenth century the Japanese Satsuma clan occupied Okinawa and imposed severe restrictions on the native population, including a ban on weapons. Karate was practiced in secret, and the art became essential to the survival of many Okinawans, who had no other means of protecting themselves and their families from bandits and occupying forces.