Karate is from Okinawa so why do most look to Mainland to judge them?

Only Japanese styles of Karate have weight in Japan. Okinawa still has the final word on all Okinawa-Te.

Otherwise, Japan is the dominant country as far as economics and world influence and that might give them some sort of recognition, but Okinawa is still the birthplace of kara-te.

Okinawa is respected as the source of where Karate first came from and as the source of certain Karate styles today....Then it goes according to the Karate style of each practitioner of course. If your Karate style is Japanese you may look there, if your Karate style is Okinawan you may look there..It depends....For Kyokushin and Shotokan for example (two well known Karate styles) is Japan....For Gōjū-ryū is Okinawa...Karate is not a single style.....Currently there are approximately 50 styles with many different organizations in each style, something that I am certain that you know:)

although karate originated from okinawa the popular version is its japanese, since okinawa is no longer a separate country.

besides shotokan karate is from japan and so is goju ryu.

shito ryu i believe is okinawan but considered japanese as well. so at least two if not three of the main styles are considered japanese. many of styles might have came from okinawa but most of them are minor styles.

Your comment are baseless. I've been practicing martial arts for longer than most people here have been alive. This is the first time I've ever heard anyone state something like this. There is no proof of this. The guys that study Japanese Karate look to the master there. The guys that study Okinawan Karate look to Okinawan masters for guidance.

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