The most important lesson - Breathe

 

When there was a karate tournament in Salisbury Md.

 

Dr Gi (founder of Am. Bando) breaking a rock with a sledgehammer, on a student chest

 

Victor

In the past I could have slung that sledgehammer,

I had worked as a construction laborer and swung sledgehammers.

Of course I would have had to ask for volunteer.

And these days I am not sure where the sledgehammer would land.

 

On Kyan No Sai

 

AJA

 

Kyan Chotoku no sai (Kyan nu sai/Kyan no sa)i performed by Arcenio Advincula at seminar for Jon Lee.

 

In this demo I am using two sai. To properly demonstrate Kyan no sai kata, three sai should be used as one is thrown in the kata.

 

Since only two sai are used, at 00:28 a simulated sai throw to your opponents foot is simulated. At 00:29 using the sai that you simulated throwing, you now simulate drawing it from your belt and continue the kata.

 

Throwing at the foot was the way Tatsuo Sensei taught me.   Circa 1986???

 

 

Historical note: Kyan Chotoku no sai was created by Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei. He learned basic sai techniques from Kyan Chotoku Sensei. From these basic sai techniques, Tatsuo Sensei created the sai kata and named it after Kyan Chotoku Sensei.

 

Later, Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei creates Kusanku sai from Kusanku karate kata. At first he incorporates kicks into Kusanku sai, and this is how I learned it in 1959. In 1961 Tatsuo Sensei takes out the kicks. I ask him why he stopped teaching the kicks in Kusanku sai and he said because he was a karate man so taught kicks in Kusanku sai but now wanted to emphasize kobudo so removed the kicks.

 

You can see Kyan Chotoku no sai at the end of Kusanku sai.

 

Sherman Harrill Kyan No Sai

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqYODZFdOgo

Mark Radunz Harrill Sensei taught us to just throw the damn thing at center mass of your opponent. Getting hit by a flying piece of metal hurts. He also said the only reason they would throw the sai where most interpret the move as stabbing the foot (good luck with that BTW) was they got tired of chasing their sai down the beach.

 

Victor Smith

As Sherman explained it to me, he was originally shown to throw the sai into the center of the body/abdomen. Then as the Agena dojo class size increased and that was not safe in class, the sai throw was changed to the foot. So some say foot, some say abdomen, for a practical matter does it matter as you are not going to be carrying sai on the street.

 

Karate and Kobudo in Okinawa, 1896

 

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Andreas Quast

 At the end of the 19th century, karate consisted of bare-knuckle two-person bouts that included clinching, and wrestling. Bojutsu was known, as was Nunchaku. I know, it is nothing new, neither for you nor anybody else 🙂

From: “KARATE 1.0” (2013, page 301):

 

“Finally, towards the turn of the century, we discover a direct note on indigenous martial arts. William Henry Furness III (1866–1920), American physician, ethnographer and author, visited Okinawa from March 13 to 26, 1896. He made the following interesting observation:

 

We were told that the young men occasionally engage in boxing bouts, with bare knuckles; all blows are struck with the right hand, while the left is used solely as a guard.

 

Clinching and wrestling for a fall are considered legitimate features of the sport.

 

Rokshaku [rokushaku-bō] is another manly sport of the order of the single-stick, with a staff about six feet long.

 

Non-shaku [nunchaku] is played with a stick about three feet long to which is attached a rope. The object of the game is to disarm the opponent by whipping the stick out of his hands.”

———————————————

 

 

Well, here’s a word on the source of it. I found that quote in a book back then. At that time it was not online. It was in a 10 volume work of about 3000 pages. All volumes together back then were about € 2500. So I asked a library if they can order it and they did, so I lent it, copied it all, and worked myself through all pages, that is, through all Western accounts on Ryukyu prior to 1856, and after 1859 (until about the early 20th century). The short paragraph above is about about 0,00667% of the total page count. That is, pure gold.

 

© 2020, Andreas Quast. All rights reserved.

 

Okinawan Weapons Sparring

 

Photo: Sparring of Sai (Mr. Omura Motozen) against Bo (Mr. Tsuha Komei), Okinawa Times Hall, 1963.

Mr. Omura and Mr. Tsuha were some of the earliest students of Uehara Seikichi sensei. They were also the earliest students of Nakamura Shigeru sensei (Okinawa Kenpo). By the way, this picture seems to be one of the oldest pictures of weapons sparring after WWII.

Changes I have experienced in my study of Isshinryu

 

 

We have seen incredible changes in the world since I began to study Isshinryu.

 

The was I was trained was on the floor. Sensei Lewis did not spend much time talking about history. Certainly we were interested, but there was little additional information. Some books, and certainly the karate magazines. Of course those authors also had agenda’s. Those were not discussed in class, and did not become part of the Isshinryu practice.

 

The only secret, was sweat equity. Pain was something you learned to deal with. Whatever the seniors knew and thought about what else was in the world, was not our concern.

 

Then for years things stayed the same way. Not being around others in Isshinryu, I built my practice and teaching on what I had been shown.

 

Before Video tapes, there was little else to consider. And when you think about it, it was very much the same on Okinawa. You knew what your instructor shared. Perhaps friends training, and then in time you may have met others, who shaped your thoughts on your practice.

 

When it comes down to it, it appears Shimabuku Tatsuo created a new paradigm teaching non-Okinawans his karate, and a very short training time by Okinawan standards. None of whom had the time to be considered instructors, and no one expected to spend a lifetime studying the art they had learned. Well the new paradigm took hold. But the individuals all had somewhat different experiences, and they for the most part, followed what they remembered.

 

There was no serious controlling mechanism to control the spread of Isshinryu. It seems to resemble more of a loose framework, but I certainly wasn’t there. Almost without any link back to Okinawa, except for the mail. No travel, No books or records available, Nothing like today’s resources. Perhaps individuals at times made claims, at that time there was no one to refute their statements. The one thing we can say is that Isshinryu happened, many different ways.

 

Then video tapes slowly became available. When the first Angi tapes were out, I discovered what other views about Isshinryu existed. For myself, none of them resembled exactly the way I had been trained, and though I watched them, what I followed was how I was trained.

 

The magazines were a way information could spread, but they were also controlled by interests pushing an agenda.

 

When I had accumulated time training with many I slowly began to see what I could do with my Isshinryu. But the progression of learning was spotty.

 

Meeting Sherman Harrill was a quantum leap forward to understanding my Isshinryu. But the most important thing was it inspired my own studies. At almost our first meeting he spent around 2 of 3 hours on the first movement of Chinto kata. I really learned a great deal, of course not everything he knew, but I was hardly ready for more.

 

And as time progressed, I would review my notes, practice those applications that made most sense to my training (everything did not fit the paradigm I followed, and that is OK).

 

Then one day about 2 years later I came to realize an aikido drill I had been teaching for 15 years, was also an explanation for Chinto’s opening. This was a basic study in what I had been shown.

 

So I had been practicing an answer, for a long time, not realizing it was Chinto.

 

Aikido 7  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dc2iT__Gok 

So was this a secret, or just an unrealized application study?

 

Does it matter, it works for me, and my gradual understanding does not make it less.

 

Today, there are movies, videotapes, dvd’s, youtube and other mechanisms. We have instant access and communication with the entire world at our fingertips. Much in the past, which had to be accepted blindly, can now be discussed, and examined. Including being shared.

 

Many of the past issues really are not worth the time pursuing. Take Okinawa, while acknowledging foreign sources for karate, they are not really going to pursue them for any great focus either. They hardly want people to go elsewhere and really study those arts.

 

The past is past, what we do with what we have now and for our students really builds the future of the art.

 

Michael Demeter Here is the problem as I see it. A few things and in no particular order. 1. Too many people came back and lied about rank. Now you have a bunch of long time trained green belts. 2. Improper use of terminology. Some of the terminology that people use literally means nothing. 3. American Rank. I'll just leave that one right where it is. Isshinryu is made up of one mans interpretation of what he was taught and he owned it and called it Isshinryu. Many, many people have studied all that makes up Isshinryu to help understand what its origins come from. Many more have not. Do what you want but own it and don't call it what it isn't. That's just my opinion I could be wrong.

Ken Marsh So true! To many "self promoters".

Michael Demeter It should be about preserving history, not re writing it. Not buying or (donating) to achieve rank. "I know it's not right but it's what my organization or teacher does, so I have to respect that." What?

John Kerker All you can do is teach your people in your Dojo to the best of your ability and be honorable and not live someone else's mistake

 

 

Victor The thing is I never studied Isshinryu to worry about others rank.

I respect all rank, just for myself don’t worry about it much. And in the end we all will move on.

 

In the dojo, rank is not an issue, everyone knows where everyone is in training. One either does or does not.

 

What rank I have is Tom Lewis’ business. I have the responsibility to try and live up to it.

 

I once wrote “If someone remembers you 25 years after you died, then you were a master. And if someone remembers you 50 years after you died, then you were a grand-master.” It really is not an honor I am rushing to achieve, as I would not be here in any case, even if it is deserved.

 

The whole Rank thing came from the export of karate into the Japanese culture. The Okinawans do not seem to have worried about it. Life might be simpler if we tried to follow what the Okinawans’ did.

 

But Rank is here. Let’s be more progressive in our studies than worry about others.

 

JudyAnne Bonafede It is my understanding that bunkai means to "dissect" a movement.. to understand it's many possibilities. Opening your eyes to see the abstract of movement from many perspectives can truly preserve the art.
I was once told a story: My wife used to always cut the end of the ham off before cooking. When asked she said, "This is the way my Mother taught me to do it!" So he asked his Mother-in-law. Why do you cut the end of the ham off before cooking? She said, "This is how my Mother showed me to cook it" So he finally asked the Grandmother. Her reply was... "I cut the end of the ham because it was too big for my pan!"

Michael Demeter Funny, it always goes back to not worrying about rank. I'm not. That wasn't the point. Have a fantastic weekend! I'm going to the dojo.

Kiya (Kyan) Taketoku (Chotoku) no Kumite

 

Motobu-ryu   September 27, 2023 11:13 PM

 

Previously, I introduced a photo of Kiya Taketoku's kumite in Ameblo.

Source:

Karate e Kobudo Tradizionali di Okinawa - Okinawa Dento Karate-do

 

As you can see in the link above, the source was uploaded to Facebook by an overseas karateka, and the author was taught by German karate researcher Andreas Kvasto.

 

I had seen photos of Kumite of Takeshi Kiya's students before, but I think this was the first time I had seen a photo of myself. I was asked about the source, so I looked it up at the time but couldn't figure it out. However, after that, I heard that he apparently copied from a book published by a person from the German branch of a certain Kiya Takeshi dojo in Okinawa. I have not seen the book.

 

Later, information was received from various people, and it turned out that these photographs were from Okinawa Kenpo Kara-tedo Basic Kumite (1932) by Taketoshi Kiya.

 

Come to think of it, when I attended the inauguration ceremony of the Okinawa Karate Kaikan in 2017, I remember hearing that a book by Takeshi Kiya had been discovered. I didn't think much about it at the time, but looking back now, it seems that it was the above book. The original is handwritten and seems to be about 70 pages long. More detailed images have also been uploaded to the Facebook page of the Shaolin-ryu Tsukamoto Dojo.

 

All Okinawa Shaolinji Karatedo Association Zen Okinawa Shorinji-Ryu Karatedo Kyudoukan Tokyo

 

When I saw these photos, I thought they were similar to the kumite of Motobu Asamoto. It has been pointed out that Professor Takeshi Kiya's counterpart in the photo may be Motobu Asamoto, but I don't think so. Probably one of his apprentices. Of course, as mentioned in "Honaga Asanoku - Kiya Taketoku's Real Name", the two are relatives and have been practicing karate together since they were children, so I think they naturally practiced kumite as well.

 

Previously, I wrote about the characteristics of Koryu kumite such as "entering the body", "body preparation", and "removal". It can be seen that the above kumite also applies to these principles.

In addition, the description of the photo above says "back throwing type", which shows that it is a photo of the throwing technique. In other words, it is a photo of the handle.

 

The picture is blurry, but it looks like the moment you go deep into the enemy's bosom, put your right arm around the enemy's back, and throw it. In the Motobu style, this type of throwing technique is called "entering throw". Unlike judo, enemies will poke you, so you need to devise ways to prevent them from hitting you.

 

In the past decade or so, Toride has been attracting attention in the karate world. Even in the breakdown of the WKF (World Karatedo Federation) group type, flashy throwing techniques have been demonstrated recently. Unfortunately, they are not the original handles. It is a newly created acrobatic handle.

 

In the Showa era, it was often claimed that "there is no throwing technique in karate" or "it is an evil way to use such a technique in karate". Many older people may still believe so. Professor Takeshi Kiya's photographs would serve as proof against such claims.

 

Source:

"Kiya Taketoku no Kumite" (Ameblo, May 10, 2020).

"Kiya Taketoku's Throwing Technique" (Ameblo, May 13, 2020).

 

Chibana Choshin – Butoku

 

By Jesse Enkamp

 

 

The following article is composed from different quotes and teachings of the late Shuri-te Karate expert Chibana Choshin (1885-1969), founder of the Kobayashi-ryu (Kobayashi Shorin-ryu) style of Karate (one of the most widely practised in Okinawa today).

 

The article was put together by somebody unknown, and has simply been passed down to several senior practitioners of Shorin-ryu whom apparently often makes use of it in different publications. I threw in a little editing myself too.

 

Butoku (Martial Virtue)

 

The great master Itosu Anko studied Karate very hard. He was not only a great Karate expert, but a scholar and excellent calligrapher. I first visited Anko Itosu in 1899 and asked him to teach me Uchinan-no-te [old name for Karate].

Twice he refused me, leaving me waiting at his entrance gate. Only upon asking him for the third time did he finally accept me as a personal student.

 

He taught Karate secretly at his home to a select group of about six or seven followers. They trained in Bu (Karate as a martial art), not as sport, as they do now. During that period of time I, too, kept my training a secret, even from my family. In 1903, or 1904, Itosu sensei began to publicly teach Karate in the school setting. It was at this time that I told my parents that instead of going to school I had been practicing the art of “te.”

 

In 1918 a group of Karate enthusiasts (Hanashiro Chomo, Kyan Chotoku, Miyagi Chojun, Mabuni Kenwa, Go Kenki, Oshiro Chojo, Yabu Kentsu, Kyoda Juhatsu, Yabiku Moden and myself) formed a group for Karate study since the two greatest teachers had died (Itosu Anko and Higaonna Kanryo both died in 1915). It was called the Karate (written as Tode) Kenkyukai which was established in Shuri City.

 

This was the first time that practitioners of different methods (Shuri, Naha and Tomari styles) met to train together and exchange information. Each time we met one senior would lead the training and all would benefit from their knowledge. This lasted until 1929 when, because of the popularity of this art, we all became too busy with our own students to train collectively.

I first began to teach Shuri-te Karate-jutsu in 1920 but by 1929, at the age of 44, I opened my first training hall (dojo) in Shuri City. In 1933 my good friend and colleague, Magusuku (Miyagi) Chojun, and I registered the names of our respective teachings with the Dai Nippon Butokukai (Greater Japan Martial Virtue Association). I called my teachings Shorin-ryu meaning the “small forest style.” My colleague, Chojun-sensei, called his style the Goju-ryu meaning “the half hard and half soft style.”

 

We were good friends and he died in 1953. He was a good colleague and a friend to all Shorin practitioners. He is missed.

 

Both Bucho (Bushi) Matsumura and Itosu Anko were poor. When I spoke of this to Itosu he told me that this was not a universal truth, that is that a martial person is poor. He stated that Okinawan bushi (warriors) were poor because they did not know how to handle money, as was the custom back then.

 

A true Okinawan martial artist makes his living away from the martial arts. They should not concern themselves with the making of money out of teaching the martial arts. A martial person must make their living away from the martial arts so as not to contaminate it through the influence of “making money” in order to “make a living.”

 

This is the Okinawan way.

 

Karate, as it is transmitted, changes every few years. This is a common phenomenon. It happens because a teacher must continue to learn and adds his personality to the teachings. There is an old Okinawan martial arts saying that states that Karate is much like a pond. In order for the pond to live, it must have infusions. It must have streams that feed the pond and replenish it. If this is not done then the pond becomes stagnant and dies. If the martial arts teacher does not receive infusion of new ideas and/or methods, then he, too, dies. He stagnates and, through boredom, dies of unnatural causes.

 

I remember learning the kata Tawada Patsai (Passai/Bassai) from Tawada-sensei. At that time I was receiving instruction from Itosu and he, too, taught a version of Patsai kata which he called the Matsumura Patsai, which I learned.

In 1913 or 1914, having practiced the Tawada-no-Patsai with all my heart, as was the custom back then, I approached Itosu and advised him of this. He asked me to demonstrate the kata for him. I did and Itosu then stated to me that was the finest performance of this rarely seen form that he had ever witnessed.

 

He then told me that this form must be preserved and passed on to future generations and to add it to his (my) teachings. So [in Kobayashi-ryu] the Matsumura Patsai is now called the Patsai-no-sho and the Tawada Patsai is called Patsai-no-dai.

 

Many of today’s practitioners are too timid in their training. They train with only the thought of being able to finish and not with the thought of progressing – pushing yourself to become better. You must train hard if you want to progress otherwise you are just a mediocre practitioner, and there are many of them.

 

If you wish to learn mediocre karate, go some place else and do not waste my time.

 

If a teacher teaches with his heart he can only expect the student to train with their heart. It is only right – then both the teacher and the student progress. The student motivates the teacher and the teacher teaches the student the correct attitude and spirit of the Okinawan martial arts. This is good training – the student and the teacher progressing together!

 

When you train you have to devote yourself only to the way of Karate – think of nothing else. Do not think of others, or what they may think. You must develop the ability to focus your mind, hands and feet strongly. You must not only learn body movements but also research and study the art itself [Bun Bu Ryo Do].

 

You should develop and improve yourself before you reach the age of fifty. Your body naturally begins to deteriorate after fifty years old so you must then adjust your training accordingly. If after fifty you still train every day then you may not decline so much. I noticed a slight decline at age fifty, but I don’t think I declined much at all between fifty and sixty years of age.

 

Of course, you cannot help deteriorating to a degree but if you continue training you will not age so rapidly, even between seventy and eighty years of age. Therefore, train continuously.

 

In the old days we trained at Karate as a martial art, but now they train at Karate as a gymnastic sport [remember, this was written a long time ago in Okinawa!] I think we must avoid treating Karate as a sport – it must be a martial art at all times!

 

Your fingers and the tips of your toes must be like arrows, your arms must be like iron. You have to think that if you kick, you try to kick the enemy dead. If you punch, you must thrust to kill. If you strike, then you strike to kill the enemy [Ikken Hissatsu].

 

This is the spirit you need in order to progress in your training. The effort required is great, and you can strain the body by doing too much. So keep in mind your own physical condition and train accordingly.

 

Years ago I decided that through my own hard training I wanted to leave my name connected with Okinawan Karate-do. I trained hard and taught to the best of my ability and talent. Now I think that my name will remain a little in the history of Okinawan Karate-do.

 

Not only do we need physical training, we need to think for ourselves, studying and researching the kata and their applications.

 

It is vitally important to understand kata and train your body to develop the core of Karate. You can achieve a five or six times increase in your body power if you train hard. Naturally, if you do this you will be pleased with the result, so train very hard.

 

Whether you become great depends on only two factors – effort and study. Your movements must be sharp – never be slow – and when you train at kata your eyes will get sharper and your blocking and striking will get stronger. Even when you reach the age of seventy or eighty you must continue your research with a positive attitude, always thinking “not yet, not yet…”

 

Chibana Choshin passed away in 1969, from throat cancer, at the age of 83.

He never stopped training.

 

Defining Traditional

 

Nolyn Sprouse

What makes a style "traditional?" How long does a style have to exist and be passed down to be called such? When someone branches off of a larger organization and begins their own, similar organization, are they still traditional? Why should or shouldn't this matter?

 

Top of Form 1

Erich C. Shoemaker I guess I’d argue that none of it really matters and that the word “traditional” really cropped up as a means to differentiate the school/style from the more prevalent and modern “sport karate”.

 

Russ Smith The word "traditional" is so subjective and fluid as to be nearly useless.
I come "from a tradition", but I teach what and how I teach.
I try to be explicit about where I learned each bit, but that becomes difficult over time unless you take very good notes.

 

Robert Belisle Traditional martial arts came from a need to defend yourself, therefore traditional martial arts are focussed on this aspect, regardless of whether the art is 100 years old or 30 years old - while non traditional is more likely focused on the sport aspect; rules , points, etc . IMHO

 

Andy Sloane In Okinawa, to be recognized as a traditional style, it has to survive 3-4 generations.

 

Victor Donald Smith The meaning of traditional is very slippery depending on the context in which it is used. Personally I find it a descriptive of very limited value.

More useful is I tend to view the origins of systems by the following descriptions. They are not hard set, more general guidelines useful for cataloging systems a bit.

There are classical systems – those taught prior to 1920.
There are traditional systems – created between 1920 and 1950.
There are modern systems – created after 1950.
Finally any system created in the past 10 years is a contemporary system.

It helps when I use this system of characterization to cut through any description.

All systems being taught to current students are real, regardless of when they were created.

Real does not imply the value to be assigned to that school.

 

 

 

Further reading from Funakoshi Ginchin's Tanpenshu

  

Dojo TokyoMushinkan Interesting. The term Soshiki-Bunkai was indeed in the original article and was not added by the translator to facilitate understanding.

I have seen the term Bunkai in Okinawan sources since at least 1914, another example in 1918, and reference to Kumite bouts in Okinawa since at least 1911... I think we need to reevaluate our demonization of "the evil Japanese influence on Karate that started in the 1930s" stance that many "Okinawan purists" like to spout off about... LOL

Second, it has since come to light that the Japanese term “Dan no Mono” used in the original was merely a term describing the Kata, and has nothing to do with the Dan rank system. Indeed, in 1914 (when the article was published) Karate didn’t even have a Dan ranking system.