I
have never seriously considered others opinions about my own research. And this
means much to me as I taught youth karate from 1979 to 2016, close enough to 40
years. First off I am not an expert on this topic I am discussing. Several
years ago I found a Japanese site posting on Motobu Ryu from Japan. And of
course not speaking or reading Japanese, I worked out to use mechanical
translate programs to gain some understanding of what was being discussed.
Those translation program are not perfect but sufficient to gain me some
understanding of what was being discussed. The translations are often filled
with problems probably with wordage not common in everyday Japanese.
Several
months ago they began to share articles about the time karate was introduced
into the Okinawan Schools. Very specific articles about just that time. It was
really new to me. Prior what we had was basically Itosu’s students introduced
Karate instruction in the Okinawan schools and that the Pinan kata Itosu
developed was a primary tool of that instruction. And perhaps there was a bit
more. But everyone who talked, wrote or pontificated about those acts simply
repeated the same material, ad infinitum.
This
was something new to consider, a very
different look at what occurred, and I with to propose a précis I have put
together summing up what those articles showed. Of course I may be incorrect to, this is just as
I see it.
First
a brief comment about earlier Toide (my choice of a word to discuss those
earlier pre-karate practices.
Toide
was not meant to be a career teaching kids or folks. Toide specifically was a series of practices
taught to members of Okinawan society who needed that training in their life
jobs. Then Japan took over control of Okinawa in the 1870’s and there was no
longer a need for that training, except as a way to hold their societal class
together. And apparently Toide still was taught within the members of that
class, but it no longer was a function of their lives.
Itosu
had an idea that a form of that training could be used to strengthen the youth
of Okinawa. First as a form of gymnastics for use in the schools. And another
reason to share it with the young was to promote health and strengthen them for
possible military service. A added benefit was they would learn how to follow
orders useful if they were drafted, so they would better prepared for military
service.
It seems to me
that the karate being taught in the schools was not taught for martial skills. Let’s look at what Itosu wrote in his 10
precepts :”
“Practice
each of the techniques of karate repeatedly, the use of which is passed by word of
mouth. Learn the
explanations well, and decide when and in what manner to apply them when
needed. Enter, counter, release is the rule of releasing hand (torite).
“
It
does make sense. But clearly it makes the point that karate techniques and by
extension the kata were just to first be trained. Later the instructor would
choose to pass applications for the techniques ‘by word of muth”. The
instructor’s judgment would come into play as to which applications were
taught. Nothing implied everyone was taught the same, for many reasons I
imagine.
It
also defines torite as the rulos of releasing the hand. “Enter, counter and release”.
Having taught youth it would be reasonable to
assume that the use of karate technique was not the purpose of the teachings in
the schools. That would be the instructor’s decision when and if to teach that
to any student. I would think that would not be a concern within the schools.
Assumptions
on my part, of course, but I can defend my opinions.
Were
their martial uses for the Pinan kata? Certainly and in the future those were
or were no pursued by other people. Not necessarily what was originally taught
in the schools.
Now
I will get to my précis of the articles.
1.
I
assume a quickie was pulled over the Japanese Ministry of Education to permit
karate training, by using the name of karate gymnastics. At that time the
Ministry of Education was not open to martial training in the schools. There
was already military training of sorts taught by former soldiers from the
Japanese Army.
2.
The
instructor who developed the original curriculum and obtained the permission to
teach karate gymnastics unfortunately died before much of his program was under
way.What the evertnal karate in schools may have been is open to question.
““However, before
the policy of the Ministry of Education changed, Mr. Iteshima lay on the
sickbed, and died before long. On the other hand, it did not teach these types
in the normal school after Mr. Iteshima was deceased because it was not
interested in Pinann and the alteration type from the beginning. It might have been thought that it was likely to disappear
naturally before long even if it left it. However, students who were
taught the modified type from Mr. Iteshima, without knowing the circumstances
that have been modified, and then spread the modified type, largely replaced by
the existing type, the circumstances that have been altered before long I have
forgotten.
“And,
it was not left in the record the circumstances that it had been adopted by the
Department as a gymnastics (Karate gymnastics)
not as a martial art hand. The author had not read the document which made a
convincing explanation up to now about the Karate gymnastics.
3.
The
reason Naha Te was included at first was because there were concerns that it
was too dangerous for young people to practice Sanchin.
“The opinion was expressed from the Academic affairs section
each time, and the correction was requested. To give an example, there is a
type of Chinese Kenpo called "Sanchin". It becomes the type of the
rigid flow through "Naha hand" now. The first type of this "Sanchin"
seemed to be in the list of the type of "Karate".
“However, there was a criticism of the one in the growth of the
boyhood by the movement which squeezed the chest, and it was removed from the
list.
“The above story was heard directly from author Cousin Tamaki
Tomoyoshi (Tama Yu, 1890-1925, from Meiji 36 to 6 years in the Prefectural
Junior High school).
“What
is the point of the exercise that squeezes the breast of Sanchin? Sanchin at
that time seems to be different from the current sanchin, but I feel a little
doubt whether the academic Affairs Section staff made a professional judgment.
“Moreover,
there is a theory that this was seen danger though Sanchin at that time was a
hand. Although Mr. Higashionna seems to have resigned voluntarily to the
members of the research group, he does not describe the reason.
“By the way, the Naha hand also came to be taught at the
school because it became a karate master of the Naha Commercial high School by
Mr. Jun Miyagi. He also teaches karate at elementary School and Okinawa
prefectural Daini Junior High School.
4.
We can
know this about the karate gymnastics taught in the schools.
The local autonomy of the educational
administration was hardly admitted before the war.
It is said that "Sanchin"
became a rejection according to the instruction of the Academic Affairs
section.
Therefore, Mr. Higashionna resigned the
member of the research group, and as a result, Naha hand was originally to
deviate from the school karate.
Of
course, the rule of attacking the eye and the gold is shown, too and
"Thirteen" will leak from the selection. The type of the system of
the Shuri hand, to crush technique to fist hammer.
The
technique of the gold attack was changed to a high kick technique, and it was
adjusted for the educational purpose.
Commands
was also changed from "High, high......" To "1-2, 3......"
"Hi, Hi......
The
reason is to inform that the other party came. I think you'll know if you do,
just follow the order and the attack came! The appearance might be the same in
the one practiced in the commands ", but I think that the contents become
a completely different movement" (Kinjo)
Seisan's
rejection.
Modification of
the type of Shuri hand.
To the fist
Hammer, the gold attack technique to the high kick to the eye crushing
technique
Below, it is a
modified portion of the type of Shuri hand cited by Mr. Kinjo. The fist of the
back fist of Naifanchi first stage was two hands for the eye crushing in old
times.
Two stages and
three steps are original idea of Itasu (Itosu).
The type of
peace is the one that Iteshima original idea by referring to the type of patai
and the public phase.
The technique of
the handle has been altered to the hand sword receiving.
Passai (large
and small) is modified for educational purposes, and the degree of
"large" is greater.
Chinto has not altered the type of the original
tradition so much.
54 step, the hand to the face is
modified to the middle.
In addition, the
upper part of the top of the four hands against the face to beat the upper hand
sword, the lower kick is modified to the upper kick with a lot of momentum.
5.
We do
have a press report on that original karate program. There was some criticism
of the program too.
“School
Karate and Criticism from Ryukyu Shinpo News Paper".
In
January 1905, karate (Tang) was adopted as a an extracurricular to old system
Junior high School in Okinawa prefecture.
Junior high School staff's Tang At the end of last year, the
staff of the school had to start immediately to think about what should be
taken to the Tang hand, and now the result is to be spared
An orderly explanation is necessary for us to the teacher, and
it is satisfactory, too, and the reason for which it is sufficient after the
skill is gained is to be invented by the staff, and I hope ("Ryukyu
Shimpo" on February 5, 1905).
The
article above is hard to read because it is an old Japanese, but the meaning is
roughly following. At the end of last year (1904), the junior high school staff
decided to adopt the Karate in class and started immediately. The only
regrettable point is that there is a point which cannot be consented enough
because an orderly explanation is scarce in the teacher now the result is good.
Perhaps,
one month after the karate was adopted in the junior high school, there might
have been some announcement meeting. A journalist was invited to the
presentation meeting, and the class which taught the Tang Hand (karate) was
visited. However, the only regrettable thing is that the teacher's teaching was
not reasonable enough.
Or,
the teacher was not able to explain a reasonable explanation to the journalist
why the Chinese Hand (karate) was adopted at the school. The staff or the
teacher might be a teacher of the Chomo Hanashiro of Hanashiro who was a
gymnastics teacher at that time (karate), and Iteshima Yasushige (Anko Itosu)
was a commission. At that time, the class of the physical education was called
the gymnastics, and the Tang Hand (karate) was taught at the gymnastics hour.
Naturally, the time to teach the gymnastics that the Ministry of Education has
set is sharpened and the Tang Hand (karate) is taught. Is it really a merit? The explanation which was able
to be consented about it was not enough.
At
that time, the Ministry of Education had not admitted teaching the martial arts
in the an extracurricular of the school as having seen up to now. Kendo and
judo had not been taught in the mainland yet either. Okinawa was a dogmatic
researched and taught the Tang (karate). It is a kind of de-constructabe act.
What made this possible is the view of the Okinawa Prefectural Academic Affairs
Section, "Karate is not a martial art but a physical exercise."
At
that time, it might be for such a reason that the designation "Tang Hand
(Karate) gymnastics" was born.
In
order to adopt the karate in the school, Iteshima (Itosu) teacher set up a
research group and promoted the gymnastics of the Chinese Hand (karate) while
following the instruction of the Okinawa Prefecture Academic Affairs Division
each time.
What
he saw was the early pin-Ann that Itosu Sensei taught to Chomo Motobu. The
question came out from the reporter, "is it too long and too complex for
junior high school students?" and the Itosu teacher was able to have made
the present pin-ann first stage by shaving the latter part from the early
Pinang? Or, "It is dangerous for the junior high school student to see the
Promise Assembly Hand (Yakusoku Kumite) that the Flower Castle (Hanshiro)
teacher created.
Was
it thought that gymnastics was safer? "
Personal note:
This was Pinan
Shoday the first kata taught in the Okinawan schools mentioned in the article.
This is the pinan shodan discussed.
6.
We might consider one technique the Age Uke from the Pinan kata and
look how it changed from the original technique. More simply stated the
original was probably done on one best (defense and attack simultaneous), and
the new version was done on two beats (first defense followed by an attack.)
This was most likely in accordance with
the safer design of the karate for gymnastic health purposes and not so much for
martial effectiveness.
The
author believes that this lateral response (Yoko Uke) is not a pure lateral
response (Yoko Uke) but a "thrust (Tsuki Uke)" that serves as a
jaw-butting. ….. Does that mean that the speed of
the thrust is simply fast? It is likely to do the receiving and the thrust at
the same time. Instead of dividing it in two beats, the defense and the attack
are done in one time.
Iteshima
(Itosu) teacher changed this passage to "raised (Age Uke)". And,
Iteshima (Itosu) teacher increased the operation of the type of Pinang, and was
closer to the gymnastics.
This is likely not a clear as it could be, for I included parts of
my translation effort in the précis.
However I think it also gives us a lot to think about.
No doubt the program and then other programs changed over time. That
they worked gave more incentive for the school boards to offer them too.
Then karate was introduced to Japan and the idea of a public karate
took even more hold there with Funakishi and Mabuni establishing programs in
the Universites there. I doubt they were credit programs, more extra curciular
programs. But they established karate in Japan. Then there were other programs
also established too.
On Okinawa karate became more open, instructors often choose to
incorporate the kata being taught in the schools into their own programs.
Perhaps some of their students studied in those schools. Perhaps their
experience led them to believe they would be a good place for beginner to
begin. Of course every instructor did not follow suit.
Still this gives much to think about when karate first entered the
Okinawan schools.
My
analysis on this issue came from my translations of the following articles:
Anko Itosu http://marubashidojo.com/karate/anko-itosu/
"Yabu Kentsu
and Modernization of Karate". https://ameblo.jp/motoburyu/entry-12456243455.html
"Karate
Taiso (Gymnastics)". https://ameblo.jp/motoburyu/entry-12457844431.html
"School
Karate and Naha-te". https://ameblo.jp/motoburyu/entry-12458656916.html
The
Educational Section of Okinawa Prefecture and Birth of Modern
Karate". https://ameblo.jp/motoburyu/entry-12460491043.html
"School
Karate and Criticism from Ryukyu Shinpo News Paper". https://ameblo.jp/motoburyu/entry-12461893450.html
"Age Uke of Pinan and Yoko Uke of Shirokuma".https://ameblo.jp/motoburyu/entry-12462332679.html
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