Meaning of the name Name of a chinese Master Moves: 71

Kosokun Dai

Classification Shorin-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu / Shotokan

Level Advanced

Kosokun   Dai   was   made   by   Yasutsune   Itosu.   The   famous   master   of   the Shuri-te   lineage   did   change   a   lot   of   the   old   Kata,   or   did   even   create some    new    one.    The    reasons    for    this    are    unknown.    Fact    is    his creations,    like    Kosokun    Dai,    are    easier    versions    as    the    original versions.   The   reason   for   this   could   to   have   to   do   with   Itosu’s   intention to make the Karate public. The   Kosokun   Dai   is   named   in   the   Shotokan   style   as   Kanku   Dai.   Kanku has   the   meaning   "view   to   the   sky",   what   has   it's   reason   in   the beginning   movement   of   the   Kata.   In   the   Shotokan   style   only   a   few technical details, especially the stances have been changed. The   Kosokun   Dai   is   clearly   shorter   as   the   Kushanku,   from   which   it   has been   created.   Though   it   is   one   of   the   longest   Kata   of   Karate   and   it’s performance   demands   a   good   edurance.   The   Kata   symbolized   the combat   against   8   opponents.   But   this   don't   mean   that   a   real   fight against   8   attackers   in   the   same   time.   Because   of   this   that   the   Kata teaches   many   different   forms   of   attack   and   defence   with   high   and deep   actions   and   also   techniques   to   the   front,   the   side   and   to   the back   with   many   and   fast   changings   of   the   direction   it   could   be   that the   number   8   has   to   do   with   this   attributes   of   the   Kata.   At   least   the question   is   if   the   Kosokun   Dai   should   be   done   additional   to   the Kushanku, though the version is usuable.

Meaning of the name Name of a chinese Master Moves: 63

Kosokun Sho

Classification Shorin-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu / Shotokan

Level Advanced

Also the Kosokun Sho is made by Yasutsune Itosu. The   Kata   includes   the   main   techniques   of   Kosokun   Dai,   but   shows also   some   own   specialities.   The   beginning   of   the   Kata   with   Morote Yoko    Uke    is    very    interesting    and    in    fact    more    difficult    as    the beginning of Kosokun Dai. Also   it   includes   techniques   from   the   Kata   Rohai   Shodan   and   Wanshu. In the Shotokan a   jump   (Tobi   Ushiro   Geri)   is   included,   but   in   the   original   version   it’s just   a   turn.   And   this   matches   much   more   with   the   Bunkai   of   the   Kata as the jump will do. Kosokun   Sho   is   a   Kata   with   a   strong   expression   und   though   it   is shorter   than   Kosokun   Dai   it   needs   as   much   endurance.   It's   level   is   a bit   higher.   Kosokun   Sho   was   the   primary   Kata   of   master   Chibana,   a student    of    Itosu,    and    his    version    of    the    Kata    shows    some    clear differences.   Another   Kata   named   Shiho   Kosokun   is   also   very   similar to   the   Kosokun   Dai,   but   it’s   Enbusen   is   mainly   to   the   side.   Shiho Kosokun   is,   according   to   Kenzo   Mabuni,   made   by   his   father   Kenwa Mabuni.

Meaning of the name Name of a chinese Master Moves: 84

Kushanku

Classification Shorin-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu

Level Advanced

According   to   history   tales   the   Okinawaner   Sakugawa   did   meet   the chinese   Martial   Arts   master   Ku   Shan   Ku,   also   known   as   Ko   So   Kun, who   did   accept   him   as   a   student   and   handed   him   down   this   Kata.   If Ku   Shan   Ku   was   the   founder   of   the   Kata   is   unknown.   Kushanku   is   a typical   chinese   Kata.   Very   long,   fast   and   with   acrobatic   elements which demands a high flexibility. According   to   some   master   it   will   need   10   years   for   mastering   the Kata.   This   includes   not   only   the   technical   skills   for   doing   the   Kata,   but especially   the   fighting   aspects.   Not   only   the   knowledge   about   to   use the   techniques,   but   also   the   knowledge   how   to   use   the   technique   in real   fight   is   important.   In   Shuri-te   as   well   as   in   Tomari-te   the   Kata   is known as the most advanced one.. It    has    been    used    from    many    master,    has    been    developed    and interpreted.   So   there   are   many   different   versions   like   the   Chatanyara no    Kushanku,    Sakugawa    no    Kushanku,    Kuniyoshi    no    Kushanku, Chibana no Kushanku and Itosu no Kushanku. The most authentic version is probably the Chatanyara no Kushanku All   these   Kushanku   versions   are   very   similar,   expect   the   Chibana   no Kushanku,   which   is   in   parts   similar   to   the   Kosokun   Sho.   Itosu   no Kushanku   is   the   basic   of   the   Kata   Kosokun   Dai   (Kanku   Sho)   and Kosokun   Sho   (Kanku   Sho).   And   also   the   Shiho   Kosokun   is   sometimes called   as   a   creation   of   Yasutsune   Itosu,   as   a   kind   of   summary   of   the main   techniques   from   Kosokun   Dai   and   Kosokun   Sho.   But,   according to    Kenzo    Mabuni    Shiho    Kosokun    was    made    by    his    father    Kenwa Mabuni. Some   techniques   allows   to   count   Kushanku   to   the   style   of   white crane.   The   idea   to   see   the   Kata   as   a   Kata   for   fighting   in   the   Night   or fighting   in   the   darkness   isn't   without   doubts.   Basic   for   this   theory   are the   technique   to   duck   down   to   the   ground.      Some   suppose   that   this   is a    kind    of    emergency    dodge,    because    of    the    sound    of    an    attack without to be able, because of the darkness, to see the attack. But   this   technique   is   only   to   see   in   Kanku   Dai   and   in   no   other   older version of Kushanku, so it’s not for sure to see it like this. We   can   see   mystic   in   some   Kata.   But   it’s   not   necessary   to   try   to   make them even more mystic.

Meaning of the name Kings Crown Moves: 35

Matsukaze

Classification Shorei-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu

Level Basic

Matsukaze is a very powerful and dynamic Kata. The   word   Matsukaze   can   be   translate   as   neck   and   in   fact   many technique   targeting   to   the   Karotis   (the   main   vein   at   both   sides   of   the neck.   In   Shito-Ryu   known   as   Matsukaze   in   the   Shorin-Ryu   schools and   in   Shotokan   it   has   the   name   Wankan.   But   the   Shotokan   Wankan is very different to the original version. Matsukaze   is   a   Kata   where   we   find   very   precise   single   techniques, followed   by   a   couple   of   fast   combinations.   Some   of   it’s   techniques   we can find in the Kata Patsai. Kenwa   Mabuni   did   take   some   techniques   of   the   Matsukaze   into   his development of the Kata Juroku.

Meaning of the name Sidewise fighting 1 Moves: 27

Naifanchin Shodan

Classification Shorin-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu / Shotokan

Level Medium

Naifanchin   is   an   old   Chinese   Form.   The   original   version   is   very   long and   especially   the   movements   from   Naifanchin   Dachi   into   Kosa   Dachi will   be   done   with   maximum   speed,   in   chinese   Quan   Fa,   while   it's   done very   slowly   in   okinawan   Karate.   But   this   kind   of   fast   move   out   by   step into   Kosa   Dachi   is   one   of   the   main   points   of   the   fighting   principles   of the   Kata.   In   Naifanchin   Shodan   it's   done   in   the   beginning   of   the   Kata in   a   way   which   also   allows   to   do   Hiza   Geri.   Another   speciality   of   the Kata are the Ashi Barai techniques and the Morote zuki to the side. Naifanchin   Shodan   is   a   very   short   Kata.   One   of   the   main   parts   are that   all   techniques   will   be   done   left   and   right   side.   So   both   sides   of the body will make a profit by this. There   are   a   lot   of   theories   trying   to   explain   the   reason   why   it’s   done only   to   the   side.   Some   suppose   that   the   Kata   give   a   simulation   for techniques   sitting   on   the   back   of   a   horse,   according   to   the   stance Naifanchin   Dachi   (horse   stance).   But   we   can   have   doubt’s,   in   point   of view   that   techniques   (Ura   zuki)   will   be   done   to   the   front   (to   the horses   neck?).   Another   theory   tells   that   the   Kata   teaches   the   art   to fight   in   low   space,   with   the   back   on   a   wall,   or   an   abysss,   where   only the   way   to   the   side   is   possible.   This   is   obvious   what's   done   in   the Kata.    But    the    figthing    principles    of    any    Kata    mustn't    follow    the principles   of   training.   So   it   is   also   possible   to   make   this   steps   not   only to   the   side,   but   also   in   diagonal   directions.   So   it   is   possible   to   step around the opponent. And   by   using   this   kind   of   move   out,   the   fighting   ways   of   the   Kata   are very effective, dynamic and surprising.

Meaning of the name Sidewise fighting 2 Moves: 30

Naifanchin Nidan

Classification Shorin-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu / Shotokan

Level Medium

Naifanchin   Nidan   is   as   short   than   Shodan   and   starts   with   a   release techinque by using Empi. In   a   chinese   version   this   is   the   beginn   of   the   original   Naifanchin. Which was  known in Naha-te before the Kata found the way to Shuri. In   the   Shuri-te   lineage   the   Kata   was   used   from   Anko   Azato   who handed    it    down    to    Gichin    Funakoshi    in    the    old    original    version. Yasutsune   Itosu   did   develop   the   Kata   to   the   present   knwon   version Naifanchin Shodan, Nidan and Sandan. But   also   it's   said   that   Sokon   Matsumura   did   create   Naifanchin   Shodan and   Nidan.   The   summary   of   all   three   version   don't   bring   it   back   to   the original Naifanchin. A   special   point   of   Naifanchin   Nidan   is   a   way   of   doing   Ashi   Bara   which is   very   similiar   to   the   Osoto   Gari   which   is   known   from   Judo.   These throwing   technique   is   very   effective   and   good   for   close   combat   even in tournaments. In   fact   the   Naifanchin   are   Kata   with   fighting   principles   of   a   high   level. To   interpret   them   as   fighting   to   the   side,   or   with   the   back   on   the   wall, is   as   if   to   look   at   the   forrest   and   only   to   be   able   to   see   one   single tree. So   the   Naifanchin   Shodan   was   the   primary   Kata   of   Choki   Motobu,   one of the most famous fighters of Okinawa. The   original   version,   is   in   the   hand   of   some   very   few   grand   masters like Kenei Mabuni.

Meaning of the name Sidewise fighting 3 Moves: 35

Naifanchin Sandan

Classification Shorin-Ryu

Style Shito Ryu / Shotokan

Level Medium

Naifanchin   Sandan   ist   the   longest   and   most   advanced   of   the   three Kata. It includes very difficult combinations. So   at   the   beginning   we   find   8   arm   techniques   done   in   Naifanchin Dachi without any brake or any step. These    techniques    are,    in    connection    with    a    difficult    kind    of    hip insertion, are from highly technical level. Another    part    are    the    circular    techniques    which    are    using    the possibilities of the shoulder joint to create centrifugal forces. In   fact   the   three   Naifanchin   Kata   at   all   includes   a   very   advanced   and versatile   complete   fighting   system.   About   the   roots   of   the   original version   only   few   details   are   known.   So   the   Chinese   master   Ason   was probably the one who brought the Kata to Okinawa into the Naha-te. Into    the    Shotokan    style    the    Kata    was    taken    nearly    without    any changes. Only   the   stance   Naifanchin   Dachi,   which   is   just   a   bit   more   than shoulder   wide   and   more   a   kind   of   high   stance,   but   with   a   lot   of stability   and   possibilities   for   fast   reactions,   was   exchanged   with   Kiba Dachi.   But   the   Kiba   Dachi   doesn't   match   well   with   the   original   fighting methodes of the Kata.