Shimpan Shiroma and the idea of Bunkai

A Japanese English teacher and author of English/Japanese dictionaries in Japan (for students) explained to me in Japan most people would not know what you were talking about, as the term is most used in the context of a mechanic would bunkai a car to determine what was wrong. Using bunkai in a very different context. I had to explain the term to him, and while he studied Shorinji Ryu in college, they did not do 'bunkai'. He further explained it was a specialized term used by specific karate systems.

 

Originally Mabuni Sensei shared the concept of bunkai in his first work on Karate in the 1930. When Mabuni expressed the idea of bunkai for his book containing his kata Seiunchin he used the term ‘bunkai’. I have not seen reference to an earlier use of the term, which means just what I said.

 

 I questioned Mario McKenna Sensei about the use of the term ‘bunkai’ in ‘Goshin Karate Kempo’ and he described it’a use as "breakdown/apart and explanation" from his translation efforts on Mabuni’s book.

 

Many other authors in the 1930s demonstrated uses for kata technique. But for the most part they were singular demonstrations. Not going into any detail that I am aware of about ‘bunkai’. Explanations were shown initially for the use of kata from Funakoshi Sensei, from Goju kata in the karate of Motobu Sensei and others.

 

But those books were not textbooks either, Either, they were attempts to explain what karate was to the Japanese martial public (Not for Okinawan or even general Japanese public consumption) , or reference material for current/future students. And of course even for students they did not represent the entire art.

 

Now someplace along the way ‘bunkai’ was incorporated into karate training in Japan. Whether that was ‘exported’ or not at that time is an open question.

 

When I began, in my style, and everywhere I trained with in the 1970’s and into the early 1980’s, in the NE states, where I lived, was ‘bunkai’ ever discussed or demonstrated as far as I can recall.

 

I first learnt the word from an Indonesian Shotokan instructor, whose father had also trained under Funakoshi Ginchin. He explained and demonstrated the term to me, showing how it was an integral portion of his art. He also spent much time telling me he could not understand no one else was doing karate that way.

 

Now those were different days. For example there was no internet. Selling movies and later videos was still a few years away. Then the magazines (from the West Coast) began to talk about bunkai in Japan, and showed some examples. That seemed to set the bunkai ‘wave’ off and soon many were talking about bunkai.

 

But the definition I originally learned  (and I make no claims at being an expert in) was the only one that ever stuck with me. And as I have read, viewed ad infinitum on bunkai, none of there are even close to the use I was shown. (Of course that is another topic). Suffice it, it is seeming there are different definitions of what bunkai is.

 

The thing is there is extremely interesting documentation that was not exactly what was taught on Okinawa.

 

I’ll be honest even when I find a very good book about karate, it often takes me five or more years before I understand what it contains. That is true for almost everything I have read. Nakasone’s 1938 Karate Do Taiken is just one example. It was suggested back around 1998 I obtain a copy of the Japanese reprint.  That was pricey but I did, and enjoyed the photographs and drawings. So it ended up on my shelf. Then years later Mario McKenna translated it into English. I got a copy and of course read it. Meaning of course I did not fully appreciate it either. Then time entered the picture and some of what I read means far more today.

 

That book incorporated many authors, one of them, Shiroma Shimpan, added a piece on the use of karate technique. You know you look at the pictures, then the article. Seeing simple diagrams of the use of karate technique. Then as ‘you know all of that’, move on past it. I was not different, and of course I was wrong.

Now Shiroma Shimpan had credentials. Trained by Itosu, he was one of the earliest youth karate instructors in the Okinawan schools. He was very much a part of what Okinawan karate was, even from before it was karate. And what he wrote, did not disagree what bunkai that was shown by Mabuni, but went ever so much further too.

 

What he shared was not what bunkai became. It was not limited to one style, for example he chose to include technique from Sanchin and explain why its use was an important example. At one glance he did not show much, at another look he showed so much more. I believe what he explains is a better example of how Okinawan karate was meant to be used.

 

Of course what do I know. I only recommend that you read it yourself, then study. really study it. Ad of course form your own opinion.

 

The biography of Shiroma Shimpan from the Karate Do Taiken.

 

Shiroma Shimpan (1890 – 1954)

Born in Tera village, Okinawa, Shiroma received his first Karate-dó instruction from Anko Itosu. He opened his first dojo in 1915 at Shuri First Elementary School. Shiroma was referred to as warrior Shiroma and devoted most of his energies to the teaching and promotion of Karate-dó.

 

If you are interested in reading the book, the Mario McKenna translation titled “An Overview of Karate Do” is available at Lulu Press.