Both are very popular tournament katas, but are slightly different however even through these differences the core message still can be found. The recording of information through physical movement is an ancient practise. Unsu, translated is said to mean cloud hands, and is an advanced kata found in shotokan and shitoryu. Mike is coauthor of two groundbreaking lei workbooks, learning to see. While people analysing this motion tend to focus on the extended index finger, it is my view that that finger is largely inactive. A modified jumping technique was proposed to improve the already acquired technique. The neuromechanical evaluation, paralleled by a refereeing judgment, was then used to. This diplomat of the qing government, wang ji, is reported to have been a highly educated well rounded scholar for his time. To master these shotokan karate katas, you will also have to learn basic shotokan stances, karate kicks, karate blocks, karate punches, etc. This is a diagram which shows the directions of movement or floor plan of the kata. The complete kata, hirokazu kanazawa, the foremost figure in the karate world today and a disciple of gichin funakoshi, the father of modern karate, offers the definitive work on the subject. We have begun the migration to our updated website with improved features.
The second, expanded edition of this landmark book is now available. Nakayama sensei gave a wider karate audience access to master funakoshis ideas when he wrote a series of instructional books, including the famous dynamic karate and later the best karate series. It contains many intricate hand techniques, such as the ipponnukite one finger strike in the opening sequence. Video includes shotokan and 3 shitoryu versions of the kata with the above listed bunkai. Comparison of two variants of a kata technique unsu. In this book however, he has successfully given easy and systematic descriptions.
Shotokan karate kata hiroshi shoji unsu nijushiho this is a rare shotokanshoutoukankarate kata book. The list includes wankan, gankaku, meikyo, chinte, gojushiho sho. As we know kata, meaning form, or a series of movements, looks to the outsider as a dance, and history has recorded these dancelike forms in various cultures. Nidan and sandan as well as bassai sho, unsu, chinte, meikyo, wankan, and jiin. These techniques include punches, strikes, blocks, kicks, and other movements depending on the school and style. Karate kata and applicatgions vince morris and aidan trimble oop cr 1991 stanley paul press. Karate female team kata bronze medal serbia vs italy wkf world championships belgrade 2010 12 duration. Today, in many martial arts schools kata is taught as something aesthetic it is put to music and made to look pretty. Yasuhiro konishi of the first head family opened the total headquarters of japan karatedo ryobukai ryobukan konishi dojo in 1927. As is well known, unsu is very difficult to perform, strength and accuracy is demanded while executing the rapid changing movements. This, in my humble opinion, reduces kata to mere choreography. Title japanese traditional karate shoutoukan kata 1 recommended by masatoshi nakayama i called the publisher and found that originally,he had the plan to publish this series as 2 volumes.
Even today, many cultures use dances and sequences of physical movements to tell stories and to pass on their cultural heritage to the next. In the shotokan kata, the styletypical techniques are repeated from the first to the last kata, again and again. The shotokan version is called unsu while the shitoryu versions uses the kata s original name unsu. The kata is often viewed as being the most dynamic and difficult shotokan kata and is one of the more favored kata in tournaments. The kata in this volume are at the advanced level and may be selected for examination above the grade of shodan. Ahmed shawky egypt kata unsu sports and martial arts in. This page outlining the content for the book seienchin has already migrated and we will no redirect you in 6 secs. Kata consists of a prearranged series of movements designed to provide the student with a tool for practicing the basic karate techniques and combinations of techniques through repetition. Unsu or unshu in okinawan is one of three shotokan kata that can be traced back to seisho aragaki. The point of a kata, however is to kill the opponent or opponents. Fortunately,it is written both in japanese and in english. Unsu also contains a 360degree spinning doublekick with a doubleleg takedown at the same time, landing on the floor facedown before continuing.
According to masatoshi nakayama, anyone who tries to master unsu before first mastering the heian kata, kankudai, empi and jion will look like a scarecrow trying to dance. Symbolism is a recurring theme in the history of the martial arts and it has been suggested that the moves in unsu represent a thunder storm. In unsu, there are constant transformations, signified by the name meaning cloud hands. Below you will find each kata has a basic video slowly does it and a more advanced video faster, stronger. The objective of this work was to characterize from a neuromechanical point of view a jump performed within the sequence of kata unsu in international top level karateka. Like the first edition, it is produced to the highest standard, printed on the finest paper, and bound in the traditional manner as befits a book that is, and will continue to be, the ultimate reference to the art of shotokan karate. In fact there are references dating back to the egyptians and greeks, performing dances that emulates fighting. Unsu also contains a 360degree spinning doublekick with a doubleleg take continue reading unsu shotokan. Read more about the history of the unsu kata on wikipedia. Some vintage pictures, then proceeds to discuss the practice of kata. The team kata unsu performed with bunkai by the male japan national team at the 21st wkf world karate championships in paris, france.
Different versions of the shitoryu kata are performed fast and slow at different angles and includes a slow walk through of the pattern. This book is valuable one that is written by the predecessor, edited again as preservation of kata of shindojinenryu based on a lot of written books, and issued. The three kata in this volume 10 teaches the moves of unsu, which means cloud hands, this kata has a wide variety of advanced techniques, including finger strikes, blocks, punches and kicks. This is an advanced and challenging kata, involving kicks from the ground, unusual techniques such as the maekekomi front thrust kick, and a 360 degree double kicking jump ending face down on the ground. Unsu also contains a 360degree spinning doublekick with a doubleleg take down at the same time, landing. In shotokan, kata is not a performance or a demonstration, but is for individual karateka to practice full techniqueswith every technique potentially a killing blow. Similarly, sugiyamas books reflect his unique approach to karate. Complete karate jutsu kata of shindo jinen ryu 9784863440012 by japan karate and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. It contains many intricate hand techniques, such as the ipponnukite in the opening sequence. All parts of the body are used as weapons, with feints and provocations leading.
Unsu, literally cloud hands, is the most advanced kata found in the shotokan, shitoryu and karate styles and is generally taught to karateka at the 3rd to 4th dan. The kata consists of kicks, punches, sweeps, strikes, blocks, and throws. To understand the history and development of kata, it is vital to look at the history and development of karate as a whole. Mikes recent books are toyota kata mcgrawhill, toyota kata culture, and. Jion mercy is a representative kata in the shotokan system because of the importance of the perfection of the basic stances it contains, notably zenkutsu dachi front stance and kiba dachi horse stance. The three bent fingers dig into the back of the jaw, the thumb goes into the eyes, the index finger has. The history of the shotokan kata part two a rundown on the history of some of the more advanced kata in the shotokan karate sylibus, looking at their origins and development over the years. This page provides videos and instructions for shotokan karate kata unsu. His other books also break new ground and continue to develop the art of karate. Indeed, unsu possesses certain techniques characteristic of an aragaki kata such as teishoawasezuki in sanchindachi, the tenchi heaven and earth position, and kensei feinting. All karate styles and schools are founded on the use of basic martial arts techniques. Body movement in various kata includes stepping, twisting, turning, dropping to the ground, and jumping.
Unsu is his favourite shotokan karate kata together with kanku sho. This is the right way to do it since, as we all know, one cannot practice enough if one wishes to master a technique completely. Also practiced in some shito ryu organizations, emphasis is also placed on kokutsu dachi, the kata is noticeably shorter than its continue reading jion shotokan ryu. The first entry also contains the shotokan karate kata taikyoku embusen. Only in kata is a martial artist encouraged to perform traditional destructive techniques. Sochin, which is known as a kata showing strong stances in combination with powerful punches, blocks and kicks.