This work was privately published in Tokyo in 1964 in
small quantities meant for the members of the association only. As a
contemporary witness it includes a large number of photographs of Taira Shinken
himself performing different Kata, as well as other rare photographs of many
masters of the time.
The original comprises of 70 pages with a size of 305
times 218 mm, and in the Kata depictions with 8 photographs per page. The
publisher, Kogure Takehide, was a chairman of the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon
Shinkokai at the time. The characters of the title on the book cover
reading Ryukyu Kobudo Taikan were written in grass script
calligraphy style by famous martial artist FUJITA SEIKO. It is additionally
labeled as Kan no maki and fitted with a pictogram of the Shurei
Gate of Okinawa
Due to the rush to publish at the time of its release it
contained numerous writing and factual errors. For example, in the original, Urasoe
no Kon had been specified. On an enclosed correction sheet this was
corrected to Sesoko no Kon, yet in fact the kata described
is Sueyoshi no Kun.
This work was created about half a century ago and was meant to provide a foundation for the research and development of Ryukyu Kobudo for the members of the association. For today’s students it is still valuable as a study manual and at the same time provides retrospective insights into the state of affairs at that time. Other than that, it is a ultra-rare collectors item and therefore an asset. It should be noted that it had been translated by Patrick McCarthy in 1999 and published by Tuttle. There is also a translation named Encyclopedia of Okinawan Weapons. However, there are numerous mistakes in it and the publishers seems to have not been aware that they actually translated a reprint, which was extended by various other works and published by Inoue Kisho of the Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinkokai in 1997. Obviously they didn’t have access to the original.
Back to Taira Shinken’s orignal Ryukyu Kobudo Taikan,
1964: The author’s
preface, written already in 1961, contains his passionate
plea for Kobudo, which compared to booming Karate languished
more or less unnoticed.
The photographic documents on Ryukyu Kobudo and
Master Taira Shinken contain various valuable rare pics of venerable old Taira
and other masters training, as well as weaponry.
A list with photographs of the twenty-nine executive
members of the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai follows, among them many
well-known experts.
The list of supporting members reads like the who-is-who
of Okinawa Karate of that generation.
The following chapters give an introduction to Kobudo,
its historical development and actors, the different types of Kobudo,
fundamentals of Bojutsu and notes how to make, hold, and train with
the Bo, including the Bojutsu Makiwara, methods of postures (kamae),
and other basic postures with the Bo.
This is followed by a description of the other Kobujutsu,
namely Saijutsu, Suruchin, Nunchaku, Nicho-gama,
Tonfa, Tinbe, and Tekko.
Then five medium to high level kata are
explained step-by-step with photographs posed by Taira Shinken and written
descriptions.
The Nunchaku no Kata deserves special notice
because it is described as an unfinished study form. It has some excellent
techniques which most probably were technical standard at the time, however,
are not found in any of the Nunchaku Kata in the direct follow-up
associations/dojo of Taira’s followers.
In conclusion, this is one of the rarest books in Kobudo
history, written by one of the most important restaurators of Okinawan
Kobudo. As such the work constitutes a contemporary witness as well an
asset for the serious collector.
I would go as far as to say that in value and rarity only
a very few collectibles from this field are tantamount to it, namely
Uechi 1977, Funakoshi’s original 1920s editions, the original Karate-do
Taikan of 1937, and Miki’s original 1930 work.
Table of Contents
Introduction by the author
Photographic documents on Ryukyu Kobudo and Master Taira Shinken
Various old weapons
Physical education of women and girls in Ryukyu Kobudo
Different Kumite
Executive members of the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai
Supporting members
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Historical development of Ryukyu Kobudo
Chapter 3. Types of Kobudo
Chapter 4. Fundamentals of Bojutsu
Bojutsu
How to make a Bo
How to hold the Bo
Basic exercises with the Bo
Training methods
Bojutsu Makiwara
Methods of Kamae
Basic postures with the Kon
Chapter 5: Other Kobujutsu (Kobujutsu except Bojutsu)
Saijutsu
Suruchin
Nunchaku
About Nicho-gama
Tonfā
Tinbē
About Tekko
Chapter 6. Explanation of the Kata
Shuuji no Kun (Dai)
Hama Higa no Sai
Hama Higa no Tunfa
Sueyoshi no Kun
Nunchaku no Kata (unfinished study form)
Bibliographic reference:
Taira Shinken: Ryukyu Kobudo Taikan. Kogure Takehide,
Tokyo 1964. 70pp.
© 2013 – 2016, Andreas Quast. All rights reserved.
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