Continuing discussions about Isshinryu II

 Chuden

 

Tommy Jones wrote: "Notice the fingers on their open hand techniques. Looks very familiar."

 

Good observation. The open fingers with raised and crimped thumb is a feather that we know Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei taught in Sunsu kata.

 

When Charles Murray trained in Agena back in 1972 with Shinso he observed how hard Shinso hit with his nukite strikes. His nukite struck with the fingers as a single unit and of course he trained those strikes on the makiwara. Shinso noted that Charles fingers were not all the same length, so he showed Charles to open his nukite and then flex some of his fingers so they can all strike at the same time, as a single unit.

Charles also noted that they had a special makiwara for nukite strikes. It was a open box hanging on the walls. The open box was covered with a tire inner tube so the nukite strike could hit into the unit for nukite development.

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Is ISSHIN-RYU KUSANKU A "NIGHT FIGHTING KATA"?

I am often told by some that Isshin-ryu Kusanku kata is not a night fighting kata. That those of us who believe that it is a night fighting we must be mistaken.

The sad part, is that some of those grits are suppose to be teaching Isshin-ryu karate.

So how many do not teach Isshin-ryu Kusanku as a night fighting kata and why.

Photos Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei with Bob Ozman when Tatsuo Sensei was in the USA in 1966.

Nelson Jones Jr.

Is it true that some okinawan karate practitioners practiced in the quietness of night. Did the ruling japanese ban okinawan karate practice generations ago?

 

Arcenio Advincula

 That a true story.

 

Nelson Jones Jr.

 There is a day and nigh time version of kusanku?

 

Arcenio Advincula

Parts of Kusanku are specific night fighting. Now which parts!

 

David Knight Arcenio Advincula

feeling in the dark, shielding your eyes, stomping for mis direction,dropping to lower stances to profile your opponent against the night sky....

 

Tommy Jones David Knight

Exactly Skipper. That is what I teach my students.

 

Tommy Jones

Feeling with your hands and feet, when drop looking for silowet (sp) of person against moon, stomping to misdirect, etc.

 

Sandra Cail

I think it's just a sneaky kata?

 

Bob Schlosser

Years ago I used to practice kusanku blindfolded. Got the idea after attending a demo by Tadashi Yamashita where he demonstrated a kata blindfolded.

 

Claudia Whiteley

 In Chinto Kata you do the double jump kick and take up distance. In Kusanku Kata we do not. In the dark you might want to land where you know you have been.... ie. solid ground.

 

Nick Reimers

My Senseis have always taught me its a night fighting Kata, 

 

Jason Wahoski Sr.

I was taught bunkai for the kata. That means it is a fighting kata. There is deception taught in the kata as well. If it were not a fighting kata there would be no bunkai.

 

John Kerker

Mr Harrill taught is as a night fighting kata. He also said, " Night time or daytime they won't know the difference once I get my hands on them."

 

Mark Radunz

It's a kata. Not the only one I'd apply in the dark or light. Ditto on what Mr. Kerker said. However, I also remember him ridiculing the night fight kata claim where people tap their foot on the floor as a misdirection by saying "Hark, hark, what's that in the dark."