Tekki shodan, originally a Shuri-te kata, places much emphasis on deep rooting. To maintain a strong kiba-dachi, with accurate posture and to avoid bobbing up-and-down requires much lower body strength, and this kata, as with all of the Tekki Kata are renown for their effective development of the ‘Hara’ (Located three fingertips below the... more »
Tekki sono ichi is Kyokushinkai Karate Kata. It is known also as Naihanchi. This kata is a very old Okinawian kata with unknown origin. It is generally classified as belonging to the Tomari-te traditions. The name Tekki translates to “iron horse” but the meaning of the name Naihanchi is “internal divided conflict”. It was... more »
Tekki sono ni is Kyokushinkai Karate Kata. It is known also as Naihanchi. This kata is a very old Okinawian kata with unknown origin. It is generally classified as belonging to the Tomari-te traditions. The name Tekki translates to “iron horse” but the meaning of the name Naihanchi is “internal divided conflict”. It was... more »
Tekki sono san is Kyokushinkai Karate Kata. It is known also as Naihanchi. This kata is a very old Okinawian kata with unknown origin. It is generally classified as belonging to the Tomari-te traditions. The name Tekki translates to “iron horse” but the meaning of the name Naihanchi is “internal divided conflict”. It was... more »
Tensho “Turning Palms” is derived from the Chinese form “Rokkishu”. Unlike Sanchin, which is almost identical to its Chinese counterpart, Tensho is uniquely Okinawan. From his understanding of the Kata of Goju-Ryu and the “nature of man”, Miyagi Sensei developed Tensho to further complete his Goju-Ryu where Sanchin left off. Tensho has many of... more »
Tensho was originally created by Chojun Miyagi. “Tensho” means rolling or fluid hand, literally translated as “rotating palms”. Tensho is the soft and circular (yin) counterpart to the hard and linear (yang) Sanchin kata. Not only was Tensho one of Mas Oyama’s favorite kata, he considered it to be the most indispensable of the... more »
Tensho was originally created by Chojun Miyagi. “Tensho” means rolling or fluid hand, literally translated as “rotating palms”. Tensho is the soft and circular (yin) counterpart to the hard and linear (yang) Sanchin kata. Tensho is a basic illustration of the definition of Karate, derived from Chinese kempo, as a technique of circles based... more »
In this video, Kodokan Judo 10th dan Kyuzo Mifune and his students demonstrate the wide variety of techniques in judo: nagewaza, or standup grappling and throws newaza, or ground grappling and pins and submissions randori, or sparring kata, or forms Although the narrator speaks in Japanese, it’s not really necessary to understand him –... 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 »
Tonfa also known as tong fa or tuifa, is an Okinawan weapon. It was traditionally made from red oak and wielded in pairs. A similar weapon called the mae sun sawk is used in Krabi Krabong. The tonfa can be gripped by the short perpendicular handle or by the longer main shaft. In defense,... more »
Unsu, literally “cloud hands”, is an advanced kata found in Shotokan and Shito-Ryu karate styles. It contains many intricate hand techniques, such as the ippon nukite (one finger strike) in the opening sequence. Unsu also contains a 360 degree spinning double kick with a double leg take down at the same time, landing on... more »
Unsu, literally “cloud hands”, is an advanced kata found in Shotokan and Shito-Ryu karate styles. It contains many intricate hand techniques, such as the ippon nukite (one finger strike) in the opening sequence. Unsu also contains a 360 degree spinning double kick with a double leg take down at the same time, landing on... 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 »
Wankan (Japanese: “King’s Crown” or “Emperor’s Crown”) (also called Okan) is a kata practiced in many styles of Karate. Not much is known about the history of this kata. It originates from the Tomari-te school and in modern karate is practiced in Shorin-ryu, Shotokan, Genseiryu and Matsubayashi-ryu. It is often considered an advanced kata,... more »
Wankan (“King’s Crown” or “Emperor’s Crown”) (also called Okan) is a Karate kata practiced in many styles of Karate. Not much is known about the history of this kata. It originates from the Tomari-te school and in modern karate is practiced in Shito Ryu, Shorin-ryu, Shotokan, Genseiryu and Matsubayashi-ryu. Wankan is often considered an... more »
Wanshu is also the Okinawan-adapted name of Sappushi [Jp. ‘diplomat’] ‘Wang Ji’ (1621-1689), the leader of a large ambassadorial mission from China sent by the Qing government to the village of Tomari, Okinawa in 1683. A poet, calligrapher, diplomat, and martial artist in the Shaolin tradition of Fujian White Crane, he is often credited... more »
The name “Wanshu” means “flying swallow”. This is a Tomari-te kata based on movements brought to Okinawa in 1683 by a Chinese envoy of the same name. The metaphorical name, “Flying Swallows” comes from the soft blocking sequences near the end of this kata. Funakoshi renamed this kata as Empi. [Source:... more »