日本空手協会 nihon karate kyōkai Japan Karate Association

日本 nihon is Japan, 空手 karate the empty hand, 協会 kyōkai an association: the Japan Karate Association, founded in Tokyo after the war, in 1948 by its own account, with Funakoshi Gichin as its chief instructor. In 1957 it became the first karate body incorporated under Japanese law. Its style is Funakoshi's lineage, the one the world calls Shōtōkan, though a note in the association's own 1956 monthly asked members not to use that name, since 松涛 was Funakoshi's pen name and he had founded no school.

The six characters are the association's name as it writes it.

We want you to be as happy with the meaning as you are with Master Takase's art. To learn more, visit Philology of 日本空手協会.

Each design is Master Japanese Calligrapher Eri Takase's hand-brushed calligraphy of the word or phrase on this page, delivered as a PDF you can print. Every PDF includes the line art, so a tattoo artist or a craftsperson can work from the outline as well as the brushed image.

Your purchase includes a personal-use license: use the design as a tattoo reference, frame it, engrave it, print it for yourself, or make it into a gift. For more information see Licensing, which also covers commercial-use options that may be purchased separately.

Your PDF is available for download the moment your order completes, and a copy is attached to your emailed receipt.

If you need your design again later, ask us for it and we will send it.