Rohai
is
known
in
the
Matsumora
school
of
Tomari-te
lineage
as
well
as
in
the
Matsumura
school
of
Shuri-te
lineage.
Rohai
is
from
the
white
crane
style
but
not
as
dynamic
as
Chinto
and
also
not
as
strange
and
mysterious
as
Hakutsuru,
Hakkaku
or
Haufa.
The
Kata
shows
elegance
and
majetic
and
it
is
very
difficult
to
find
the
right
way
between calmness and dynamic.
With
Shuto
Barai
using
Sagi
Ashi
Dachi
it
includes
a
very
elegance
motion
followed
by
a really demolishing counterattack.
Rohai is very good for to improve the skills of balance.
The
Kata
Meikyo
is
known
as
the
Shotokan
version
of
Rohai.
Reason
for
this
is
a
similar movement in the beginning.
But
in
fact
the
Meikyo
shows
no
other
relationship
to
the
Rohai
wheter
in
technical
part nor in the concept.
Matsumora Rohai
Meaning of the name
Vision of a White Crane
Moves: 45
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
The
Matsumura
Rohai
is
similiar
to
the
Matsumora
Rohai.
Both
versions
are
nearly
identical,
though
the
Matsumura
shool
prefere
a
more
direct
performance
of
the
techniques. Also the stances are different and the whole Kata has a higher dynamic.
For
the
beginning
of
the
Kata
we
find
different
versions.
One
of
them
shows
a
combination with three techniques, instead of one.
The
exact
number
of
Movements
of
the
most
of
traditional
Kata
can
not
be
count
for
sure, because a lot of schools have own versions and add or delete a movement.
Sokon
Matsumura
has
developed
the
Rohai
not
only
in
some
parts
and
techniques,
but also in the inner dynamic, still using the principles of the white crane shool.
The
Matsumora
Rohai
shows
the
calm
and
proudful
crane,
while
the
Matsumura
Rohai
shows an vital and activ Rohai.
Matsumura Rohai
Meaning of the name
Vision of a White Crane
Moves: 41
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
Rohai Shodan
Meaning of the name
Vision of a White Crane 1
Moves: 21
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
Yasutsune
Itosu
made
Rohai
Shodan
based
on
the
Kata
Rohai.
The
Kata
is
also
known
as Itosu no Rohai Shodan.
These
Rohai
form
is
in
the
beginning
similar
to
the
Matsumura
Rohai,
but
continues
with
an
enbusen
to
the
side.
Also
clear
differences
are
to
see
in
the
used
techniques.
So
the
Ashi
Barai
techniques
are
more
complicate
and
demand
a
precise
insertion
of
the
body
with
a
good
using
of
the
body
weight.
The
Kata
is
very
short,
but
interesting. It is versatile and with elegance.
Rohai Nidan
Meaning of the name
Vision of a White Crane 2
Moves: 51
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
In
counterpart
ot
the
traditionell
Rohai
Kata,
the
Rohai
Nidan
shows
non
of
the
typical
specialities the other Rohai have.
So
we
don't
find
any
technique
which
will
be
done
standing
on
one
leg.
The
Kata
is
also clearly longer as Rohai, or Rohai Shodan and Sandan.
Some
techniques
like
Shuto
Uke
in
Kosa
Dachi
will
be
done
again
and
again
in
4
directions
at
all.
Analyzing
this
part
of
the
Kata
we
find
some
kind
of
a
mirror
concept.
And
in
fact
these
Rohai
Nidan
seems
to
be
the
basic
Kata
for
the
development
of
Kata
Meikyo.
Rohai Sandan
Meaning of the name
Vision of a White Crane 3
Moves: 40
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
Rohai
Sandan
also
don't
use
the
typical
techniques
of
the
traditionel
Rohai.
It
is
shorter
than
Rohai
Nidan,
but
clearly
longer
than
Rohai
Shodan.
Also,
like
the
other
versions
of
Itosu
Rohai,
the
Kata
is
not
often
to
see.
But
the
technique
Sukui
Uke
has
been taken into the development of Shotokan Kata Meikyo.
Rohai
Sandan
includes
also
techniques
which
we
find
in
the
Kosokun
Sho.
Because
of
this it can be supposed if Itosu did first create Rohai Sandan or Kosokun Sho.
Some
techniques
using
the
centrifugal
force
of
the
shoulder
joint
and
reminds
to
the
Kata
Chinte.
And
furthermore
the
beginning
of
the
Kata
is
a
bit
similar
to
the
concept
of the beginning from Matsumura Rohai and very dynamic.
Seishan
Meaning of the name
Thirteen
Moves: 56
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
Seishan
is
mainly
known
in
the
Style
of
Matsumura
Sokon.
This
Seishan
is
the
root
of
Shotokan Kata Hangetsu.
Only the beginning reminds to the Kata Seisan of Naha-te (Shorei-ryu)
The
main
part
of
the
Kata
follows
the
concept
and
the
combinations
of
the
Aragaki
Seisan.
So
it’s
hard
to
believe
that
Seishan
is
a
just
a
version
of
Goju
Ryu
Seisan.
Much
more
it looks like an own Kata.
Wanshu
Meaning of the name
Name of a chinese Master
Moves: 32
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
Probably
the
Kata
Wanshu
found
it's
way
to
Okinawa
by
the
chinese
Martial
Arts
expert Wang Ji.
Two
very
different
versions
of
wanshu
are
known.
The
Tomari
Wanshu
shows
a
big
relationship
to
the
Shotokan
Kata
Empi.
But
the
movement
to
the
beginning
of
Wanshu is identical to the beginning of Kata Chinte.
And
also
like
Chinte
Wanshu
is
an
extraordinary
Kata,
which
is
unusual
for
the
concepts of the Shorin-Ryu Kata.
And this could mean that the Wanshu is in fact also a very old Kata which possilbe has
the same chinese roots as Chinte.
Wanshu
teaches,
also
for
Shorin-Ryu
unusual,
concepts
for
close
combat
and
a
kind
of hidden techniques (hidden fist).
In
both
versions
of
Wanshu
we
find
techniques
for
throwing
and
for
to
attack
the
lower area like the groin and the knee.
Tomari Wanshu
Meaning of the name
Name of a chinese Master
Moves: 40
Classification
Shorin-Ryu
Style
Shito-Ryu
Level
Medium
The
Tomari
Wanshu
much
is
totally
different
to
the
Wanshu.
It
is
possible
to
come
to
the
conlcusion
that
it
is
a
different
Kata.
The
beginning
of
Tomari
Wanshu
is
identical
to
the
beginning
of
the
Kata
Jion.
But
some
kind
of
connection
to
the
Chinte,
like
we
find in Wanshu, don't exist.
The
Shotokan
Kata
Empi
has
been
created
from
Tomari
Wanshu.
Tomari
Wanshu
teaches
also
very
effective
techniques
for
close
combat
with
a
lot
of
throwing
techniques.
With
Age
zuki
we
find
also
a
special
kind
of
doing
a
tsuki.
Some
passages
of
the
Kata
also have a relationsship to other old Kata like Patsai and Rohai.