Spirit of Kata Being able to perform a Kata well does not mean that you have mastered it, especially its content. Each Kata (Kushanku) or group of Kata (Jion, Jiin, Jitte) contains its own fighting system, mastering which requires years of study. Today, when the need for self-defense is no longer as important as it was centuries ago, when the principles and secrets of the martial arts were developed, encoded, and passed on in the Kata, learning many Kata cannot be compared to the "learning" of earlier times. It's interesting to learn many Kata. But you don't have to train or even master every one.

And not every Kata appeals to every karateka. Some are loved, some are hated. With more than 70 different Kata, there should be something for everyone. It's perfectly fine to learn and practice many Kata. But mastering them is a whole different story. Ultimately, you have to choose just a few. Grandmasters say it takes 3-5 years to master a Kata (assuming a karateka at a good dan level). And in the case of Kushanku, it's even said to take 10 years of study! In reality, however, you can train a Kata for 40 years and still discover something new, even if it's just a tiny detail. Mastering a Kata has nothing to do with speed, strength, or a perfect outward appearance.