In 2003, Tanemura Shōtō-sōke established the
koryū karate (古流唐手) system to introduce the karate (唐手
- Chinese hand) of Takamatsu Toshitsugu-sensei and Ueno Takashi-sensei. Originally, Takamatsu-sensei
had plans to develop a karate system called 'dankōjutsu' (断抗術
- techniques of defending against the enemy), but it was one goal Takamatsu-sensei was not able to fulfill.
The name koryū karate literally means "old school Tang hand." The name 'Tang' refers to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in China, so the name usually means "old school Chinese hand." This name should not be confused with the modern karate-dō (空手道) or Okinawa karate (沖縄空手), which are both now referred to as "empty hand" (空手).
The following are a few of the ryūha from which the koryū karate system bases its knowledge from:
• Hontai Kijin Chōsui-ryū Kukishinden dakentaijutsu
• Nihonden Tenshin Ko-ryū kenpō (a.k.a. Shintō Tenshin-ryū)
• Gikan-ryū koppōjutsu
• Gyokko-ryū kosshijutsu Tanemura-ha
• Kotō-ryū koppōjutsu Tanemura-ha
• Other special kuden (oral teachings) on Chinese martial arts