It is believed that matsumura was taught passai by his instructor, sakugawa. The origin of passai, or bassai in korean, is obsure, but it likely originated in china in the mid to late 1500s and migrated to okinowa where it was taught by itosu yasutsune at the turn of the 20th century. The article should then mention why there are different names, and the minor variations in the kata between various styles. The last one is my favorite kata that i demonstrate because it is easier to do. Passai is one of the most popular kata of okinawan karate with many different versions. The passai kata has perhaps spawned the greatest number of confirmed versions than any other kata in the okinawan selfdefense traditions. The floating hand techniques are very similar to the movement of tai chi chuan. The japanese translation of bassai is most closely to storm a fortress or extract from a castle. Rather than being exhaustive, it is meant to provide just enough information to prompt deeper study into the topic. For example, an instructor could select a portion of a kata in order to show a student how this kata element is used to defend against an attack i. Posted on july 11, 2010 july 17, 2011 by admin as discussed in an earlier posting, the okinawan master, sokon bushi matsumura was a central figure in developing the now familiar linear technique, at a time when most martial artists on okinawa were still using the circular techniques of chinese origin. This form has been used and practiced in many cultures, including china, ryukyu, japan and korea.
A comprehensive guide for deciphering martial applications. In fact there are references dating back to the egyptians and greeks, performing dances that emulates fighting. When performing a kata the karate practitioner must live and feel each single technique. Here is oyata seiyu performing passai, followed by the author. In the shotokan kata, the styletypical techniques are repeated from the first to the last kata, again and again. Okinawan karate forms and use the forms that are more japanese in nature or were created to kowtow to kano jigoro, because neko ashi dachi allows you to easily prevent a judoka from grabbing. This is the first of the required katas of our dojo.
Fine motor control wil be limited due to the adrenaline rush, strikes to the body are to areas which can take hits quite easily and so requires the practitioner to be strong and fast in order to cause ant effect, the fact that after the grab the opponents left hand was left open with the karateka head put forward as easy target is reckless. What are some good sources to remind me of the order of. He is thought to have created kata like bassai and naihanchi and passed on forms like channan, kushanku, gojushiho, jutte, chinto and rohai. Matsumuras concept of strength is manifested in the passai kata. Lets look at some theses on the history of this kata. Mar 16, 2016 chotoku kyan learned this kata from kokan oyadomari a famous tomarite karate teacher. When we take a look at the kata of shidokan shorin ryu of miyahira katsuya we find a passai dai and a passai sho. A lot of tomari history is speculation and tomari kata are often named after. The creator of the kata was sokon bushi matsumura 18091902 who played a huge role in the development of karate and who was also the chief bodyguard to three okinawan kings. List of shorinryu kata bunkai practical application of kata.
All the kata and techniques he learned were inherited from bushi matsumura. Some researchers believe the passai kata is related to chinese leopard and lion boxing. Chotoku kyan learned this kata from kokan oyadomari a famous tomarite karate teacher. Passai sometimes pronounced bassai contains a wide variety of striking. We are a group on a mission to return karate to its roots through the use of kata as selfdefense. All of these techniques are performed in order, moving according to a set of predefined footwork. Anko itosu was the top student of matsumura sokon, who was a renowned warrior in his time. This represents a short introduction to the history of chito ryu and its katas. This diplomat of the qing government, wang ji, is reported to have been a highly educated well rounded scholar for his time. To the observer, a kata resembles a series of defensive and offensive fighting moves designed to neutralize multiple opponents. Heian kata videos the history of the tekki kata the tekki iron horse kata were derived from a single long kata called naihanchi internal divided conflict which was a part of the shurite and tomarite karate styles in okinawa and was the most basic kata before the introduction of the pinan heian kata set. Sep 02, 2018 dear christian bellina, although i am no authority on the matter i would like to comment that considering the order of the kanji, the kata and may rather be translated as heart waves, short and heart waves, long. This three part series examines the roots of shotokan karate through gichin.
According to karate historian henning wittwer dai means old and sho means young. List of shorinryu bunkai practical application of kata. Bassai dai is one of the variations of the passai kata that is practiced in shotokan. For these reasons, passai is usually part of the intermediate curriculum of karate schools. Its name and techniques have been jumbled around, remixed, smooshed back together, and randomized for reasons that will. The links below contain videos that demonstrate a number of practical applications and combinations associated with each kata bunkai is a karate technique where kata is broken down and studied for its offensive and defensive elements. Sensei george tan shihan history karatedo training attitudes terminology tenshinhappo tenpogosoku uke no gogenri kata and bunkai hiji ate goho tensho, bassaida, seienchin, nipaipo, matsumura no rohai. History of matsumura shorinryu karate worldbudokan. A similar initial movement can also be found in some other kata passai, seiryu. Further evidence that passai has roots in tomari city is that passai dai starts with the right fist covered by the left hand, like other kata thought to have originated there, such as jutte, jion, jiin and empi. When i was studying my underbelt katas i could always refer to master jhoon rhees books covering the kata. It is one of the most traditional kata in shotokan. This is the right way to do it since, as we all know, one cannot practice enough if one wishes to master a technique completely.
Morihei uyeshiba practiced tenjin shinyoryu jujutsu with tozawa tokusaburo in 1901, but his true martial calling began in 1911 when he learned daitoryu aikijujutsuunder. Shotokan kata contain plenty of very important elements which one needs to practice according to the karatekas personal level of training. Thoughts on the kata shimpa tan the heritage of shudokan. Choshin chibana was a top student of the great master of shurite, anko itosu. Learn about the katas used in shorinryu karate and matsubayashiryu.
If oral history can be dependable sakugawa was believed to have learned the passai kata in china. Oct 16, 2017 this week we share our brainstorming session on passai kata applications. Unlike the movements in shurite, the feet travel on a crescentshaped line. Making sense of passai an exploration of origin and style. Contrary to many modern karate systems that use muscular tension and external strength, this one focuses on the idea of soft technique, explosiveness, and the expression of ki for its power. The japanese martial art of aikido way to unify with your kiwas founded by morihei uyeshiba in 1942. Kyudokan training hall for learning the do waypath to selfenlightenment the okinawan shorinryu karatedo kyudokan school, now known as the higa family school of karatedo, is a traditional school renowned throughout the world because of its history, its accumulated culture and the traditions handed down over the centuries by the fore fathers of karate in okinawa. Shitoryu karatedo english a traditional art of self defence by. When you look into the movements you can see that all the main sequences and techniques are there in a slightly different order sagurite, yama uke. Contrary to many modern karate systems that use muscular tension and external strength, this one focuses on the idea of soft technique, explosiveness, and. In the following article, i will briefly describe the kata of shorinryu seibukan, and their origin. Up until the 1950s master soken referred to his martial art as matsumura shurite, then he began calling his style matsumura seito orthodox shorin ryu in order to differentiate it from the other emerging shorin ryu styles. Although mainland japan prefers the name heian, the pattern remains the same as the traditional okinawan pinan kata passai sokon matsumura taught anko itotsu passai kata.
It was born out of the fighting forms, techniques, and traditions practiced in the shuri and tomari villages of okinawa. Kata consists of a prearranged series of movements designed to provide the student. Jan 28, 2014 there are some kata that really seem to get around. The quick up and down movements of this kata are reminiscent of a fling swallow. There are 15 traditional katas and in kobudo okinawan art of weaponry there are 6 weapons with individual katas for each weapon. The first article discussed the controversy over funakoshis classification of okinawan karates shorin and shorei traditions by body type, as. Making sense of passai an exploration of origin and style ikigai. Passai dai is the matsumura passai the old form and passai sho is the itosu passai the younger form. Shorinjiryu karate is a powerful martial art, with its origins traced back from okinawa to the shaolin temple. Did you know this was not always the first kata pattern learned. These videos and instructions will help you to master the shorinryu katas for your next belt test. Calgary chito ryu karate club history of chito ryu katas.
His teacher masonobu china told him that this kata goes back at least 200 years in the village of shimabuku. More about this kata in my book the kata of shudokan, which is expected to be published in 2020. In the early 20th century when itosu anko took karate training into the school systems of okinawa, the true civilian combative elements of the kata were downplayed, and kata became physical exercise routines, almost like dances. Nov 18, 2012 the shorinryu version of passai bears a close resemblance to oyadomari no passai, and is a much softer kata than shotokans bassai dai.
As discussed in an earlier posting, the okinawan master, sokon bushi matsumura was a central figure in developing the now familiar linear technique, at a time when most martial artists on okinawa were still using the circular techniques of chinese origin. Bunkai is a karate technique where kata is broken down and studied for its offensive and defensive elements. Whether matsumura or others originated the form or brought it back from china is unknown. The origins of this kata are obscure, however there are several theories as to its history. Some researchers believe the passai kata is related to chinese leopard and lion boxing forms, with some sequences bearing a resemblance to leopard boxing the opening blocking. The theory of deciphering kata applications kaisai no genri was once a great mystery revealed only to trusted disciples of the ancient masters in order to protect the secrets of their systems. Like the first edition, it is produced to the highest standard, printed on the finest paper, and bound in the traditional manner as befits a book that is, and will continue to be, the ultimate reference to the art of shotokan karate.
Itosu is thought to have created this from a version of bassai practiced in shuri. Currently there are 26 kata in the traditional japanese shotokan style not including kihon kata brown belt kata shotokan syllabus. Passai sometimes pronounced bassai contains a wide variety of striking and grappling techniques including throws, chokes, locks etc. He taught masters like itosu, azato, kyan, motobu, yabu and funakoshi, his life spanned almost the entire 19th century. Gichin funakoshi renamed many kata in order to make.
Gup hyung the official site for san kil tang soo do. Proficiency in shorinryu is measured by ones mastery of progressively difficult kata forms. The traditional kata forms have been handed down from instructor to student. To quote chibana sensei, karate is teaching kata form we have taken from forefathers without changing it at all. Bassaidai was purposely chosen as the fourth kata of gkr, appropriately. Thoughts on the kata shimpa tan 922018 9 kommentare. In fact there are references dating back to the egyptians and greeks, performing dances that. It is unknown exactly where this kata originates, although there are many theories. This kata was one of the most popular katas in history and it is believed to have originated in china. It is a blending of both chinese and native fighting methods that includes simple strikes, vital targetpressure point attacks, and standup grappling. Shorinryu karate is one of the major branches of karate.
Part 2 shotoshinkai karatedo association in malaysia. Okinawan karate researcher akio kinjo feels that the passai kata is related to leopard and lion boxing forms kinjo. This section focuses on the bunkai used in various branches of shorinryu karate. He taught passai dai matsumura no passai and according to takao nakaya, he notes that the kata did not originate in tomari village nakaya, 1983 even though it has a long history there. The passai kata are usually classed as intermediate kata. Each series of kata is preceded by a historical and technical introduction. He was instrumental in passing on a martial arts legacy from bushi matsumura and nabe matsumura to his students. There are other similarities in the shifting of body weight in light stances.
List of katas in traditional japanese shotokan karate. As discussed in that posting, matsumura was also the. The pinan kata series was introduced into the okinawan school district. This is a compilation drawn from numerous existing documents. One notable point is that bunkai describes it as a defense against a bo. Thus passai was learned by sokon matsumura from shuri, and the oyadomari family in tomari, from the teachings of teruya kishin. Reading books and deconstructing karate as it once was popular posts. Even today, while the basic movements of kata are widely known, advanced practical applications and sophisticated techniques frequently remain hidden.
Beneath these surface differences, both the methods and aims of all okinawan karate are one and the same. Kata are prearranged sets of movements or routines, and they are the very heart of traditional martial arts. Jan 29, 2012 as we know kata, meaning form, or a series of movements, looks to the outsider as a dance, and history has recorded these dancelike forms in various cultures. This week we share our brainstorming session on passai kata applications. Those books are no substitute for learning how to perform the kata with my sensei, but provide a decent reference if i loose my place or get confused over the order of techniques. Hence, passai sho is a shorter variation on passai and also bears some resemblances to bassai dai, indicating this kata may have been born out of combining elements of passai and passai sho. As we know kata, meaning form, or a series of movements, looks to the outsider as a dance, and history has recorded these dancelike forms in various cultures. Although the roots of this kata are obscure, there are several theories as to its history. The oldest written references to naifuanchis history are probably in the books of the. But among the popular kata list passai holds a special place as there is no form more obfuscated and difficult to trace. The kata that i teach now are pinan shodan, pinan nidan, naihanchi shodan, naihanchi nidan, patsaisho and dai, chinto, gojushiho, kusanku, rohai ichinisan, and last, the hakutsuru. Passai and bassai kata series are almost identical the only difference being their names okinawan vs japanese. History this form has been used and practiced in many cultures, including china, okinawa, japan and korea. I came across an interesting article by sensei robert teller that the this footage of kate passai is one of the oldest forms of this kata.
A comprehensive guide for deciphering martial applications lawrence a. Chinto kata has a fascinating history and it is necessary to have some understanding of that history if we are to understand the kata itself. The second, expanded edition of this landmark book is now available. That isnt to say that the way shotokan influenced schools do the kata is wrong, simply that you cannot use the words classic kata of shorinji ryu. Another purpose of this article is to clarify what is traditional okinawan kata. In nahate kata, there is a rhythmic, but artificial, way of breathing in accordance with each movement. The kata name, for many systems with a shorin ryu back ground, has been pinan shodan, but the kata pattern was that of pinan nidan. In contrast, steady rooted movements characterize nahate. When you look into the movements you can see that all the main sequences and techniques are there in a slightly different order sagurite. When soken began his training under nabe matsumura karate practice was still done in secret. One must remember that a kata, by itself, is a complete fighting system, and a book could be written using one kata as a subject source. This three part series examines the roots of shotokan karate through gichin funakoshis 15 original kata. Sokon matsumura is arguably the most influential karate master who ever lived.