Chatan Yara is taught as the second Sai kata in the Isshin Ryu system, coming from Tatsuo Shimabuku’s Kobudo instruction with Shinken Taira. The form focuses on the development of the “sequential summation of movement”, which is the scientific term for full-body whipping motion. This is exemplified by the emphasis on whipping strikes, which... more »
Hama Higa No Tuifa is the Tonfa Kata of the Isshin Ryu curriculum. This form is from Shimabuku’s studies with Shinken Taira. It is the only Tonfa kata in the Isshinryu system. Shimabuku always referred to the weapon as tuifa. The kata bears many similarities to the Uechi Ryū empty-hand form Seisan, and actually... more »
Kusanku Sai is the first Sai kata taught at Isshin Ryu Karate system. This form is a product of Shimabuku’s own research into the art of kobudō, the coverall for Okinawa’s weapons studies. The kata was built as an introduction to Sai practice, with the weapon movements replacing the empty-hand applications. The form is taught one... more »
Seisan Kata is a kata (form) of Isshin Ryu Karate. Tatsuo Shimabuku learned Seisan from his primary instructor, Chotoku Kyan. Previous to Kyan’s instruction, the Seisan form was a staple of local traditions. This kata is sometimes the first introduced to students after the First and Second Charts of basics have been learned. This... more »
Sunsu is the seventh hand kata in Isshin Ryu Karate. This kata was designed by the founder of Isshin-Ryu, Tatsuo Shimabuku. It incorporates several movements from other kata in the Isshin-Ryu syllabus, as well as from kata from other instructors, in addition to techniques and concepts Shimabuku favored. It was used as a dojo... more »
Upper body basics of the Isshin Ryu Karate, a style of Okinawan karate founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku and named by him on 15 January 1956. Isshin-Ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and kobudō. The name means, literally, “one heart method”. As of 1989 there are 336 branches of Isshin-ryū throughout... more »
Upper body basics of the Isshin Ryu Karate, a style of Okinawan karate founded by Tatsuo Shimabuku and named by him on 15 January 1956. Isshin-Ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and kobudō. The name means, literally, “one heart method”. As of 1989 there are 336 branches of Isshin-ryū throughout... more »
Kyan No Sai is taught as the third Sai kata in the Isshin Ryu. This form comes either from Shimabuku’s studies of Sai methodology with Kyan, his primary karate instructor, or was possibly a form taught in its entirety. Shimabuku was teaching this kata in 1951 but by 1958 he had dropped in favor of Kosunku... more »
Shimabuku Tatsuo (1906–1975) was born September 19, 1906 in Chan (Jp. Kyan) village, Okinawa. Shimabuku began training under Shinko Ganeku, his maternal uncle. Ganeku later sent Shimabuku to study karate from Chotoku Kyan. He was around age 23 or 24 at the time (c. 1932). Chotoku Kyan would be his most influential instructor (and... more »
Tokumine No Kun is the first Bo Kata of Isshin Ryu Karate This bō form comes from Shimabuku’s time with Chōtoku Kyan. Kyan is to have learned the form either from Tokumine himself, or from Tokumine’s landlord after the aforementioned had passed on. Shimabuku Tatsuo also commented that this was his favorite... more »
Urashi No Kun is the second Bo Kata of Isshin ryu, a Karate style that embeds Kobudo in its curriculum. The form Urashi no Kun was taught to the founder of Isshin ryu, Tatsuo Shimabuku by his kobudō instructor, Shinken Taira. Taira is the founder of the Ryūkyū Kobudō Hozon Shinkokai, whose goal is... more »