A student practises karate at a dojo in Tokyo.

TOKYO: From Cobra Kai to Chuck Norris, karate is known around the world -- but practitioners of the Japanese martial art are hoping the Tokyo Olympics can bring an even wider audience.

After decades of campaigning, karate finally chops its way onto the Olympic stage in Japan as one of four sports making a Games debut.

But the International Olympic Committee's decision to drop it from the 2024 Paris Games means it only has one shot to make an impact.

In Japan -- birthplace of the high-kicking, hard-punching martial art -- practitioners young and old want the sport to leave a lasting impression on global viewers.

"I watch the athletes who are going to be at the Olympics and I think they're so cool," nine-year-old Yusei Iwai told AFP at a Tokyo karate dojo, after going through a series of warm-up exercises with around 30 classmates.

"Karate becoming an Olympic sport means lots of different people will learn about its culture and history and find out what's so good about it."

Karate arrived in mainland Japan from the southern Okinawa islands in the early 20th century, and quickly became popular as a form of self-defence.

But its true essence goes far beyond just punching and kicking, becoming a part of everyday life for those who practise it.