GoJu-Ryu Basic Bunkai

Here are the basic bunkai or applications for the Gojuryu kata, all the way from Gekisai Dai Ichi through Shisochin, so this is a good opportunity to review how the techniques are used. Of course, all techniques have multiple interpretations and applications, so it is important to learn and practices as many variations as possible. Some of these are hidden deeply in the kata and passed on only via the oral teachings. 

Elijah

Sanchindachi was delighted to meet last week with Elijah, a student of Yoyogi Ryushinkan member Sergey, who currently teaches Gojuryu karate in Moscow. Elijah was briefly passing through Tokyo after two months in Okinawa studying karate at Koei Teruya Sensei’s Kenshukan dojo. Teruya Sensei is a former student of Eichi Miyazato Sensei, the founder of Jundokan. Before our meeting, Elijah also called upon Aragaki Kancho in Tokyo to pay his respects.

Elijah with Teruya Sensei (front center) at Kenshukan

Gojukai Seminar

The 2017 JFK Kanto Regional Kata Seminar will be held on Sunday, May 21 at Toshima-ku Sports Center in Minami Nagasaki in Tokyo. The address is 4 Chome-3-5 Minaminagasaki, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. The main purpose is to prepare students for upcoming black belt grading examinations by focusing on kata, especially Sanchin.

Shisochin Bunkai by Morio Higaonna

Ryushinkan Shisochin Kata

Here is the kata Shisochin roughly as taught and practiced at the Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan dojo. 

Higaonna Sensei Performs Shisochin kata

Renshukai Update

There will be no session of Renshukai on the evening of Monday, February 27 as Shinjuku Sports Center is closed. 

Renshukai is the informal training group of Members of Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan that meets at Shibuya and Shinjuku Municipal Sports Centers weekday afternoons and evenings.

Mawashi Uke Applications

Interesting video of Masaji Taira Sensei in the US teaching bunkai applications of the fundamental Mawashi Uke technique. The technique is a core component of Okinawa Gojuryu karate, and found in Sanchin, Tensho and many other kata. The video is from Taira Sensei's own channel. His teacher was Eiichi Miyazato, the founder of the Jundokan dojo to which Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan is affiliated. Taira Sensei's karate follows that of Miyazato Sensei and the Jundokan, with the addition of his novel approach to the bunkai application of kata. 

Shibuya Ward Spring Tournament

The 2017 Shibuya Ward Spring Karate Tournament will be held on Saturday, April 29 (Showa Day). There will be kata and kumite competitions divided into categories by age, gender and grade. There are 22 categories for kumite and 19 categories for kata.  

The opening ceremony is at 9:45 The Venue is Shibuya Sports Center at 1-40-18 Nishi Hara, Shibuya-ku.  The nearest stations are Hatagaya  and Yoyogi Uehara.

Shibuya Ward is the home to Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan. There are many different dojos and university sports clubs in the ward, including Imperial University's highly rated team, so the tournament is a good opportunity to see and compare various styles of and approaches to karate.

Randori

Randori is a form of controlled, semi-full contact sparring used in Gojuryu karate and other martial arts. The purpose is to practice a variety of techniques in a realistic situation without causing injury. Here is footage of instructors from the famous Yoyogi dojo sparring in South Africa during an exhibition tour in 1976. The three instructors featured from Japan are Tadano Sensei, Terauchi Sensei and Aragaki Kancho, who became the head of the dojo several years later in 1981. The name of the dojo became Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan in 1986.

Renshukai Update

The latest Japan Karate Federation Newsletter features Renshukai leader and organizer Hato-san on the front page; Hato-san placed well in the national championships last year. 




And there is no evening training this week for "Renshukai" as the Shinjuku Sports Center facility is closed for renovations. The next session will be on January 30.

Shisochin

Shisōchin is written with the kanji characters 四向戦 which literally translates as "four directions fight". The kata integrates powerful linear attacks (shotei zuki) and circular movements and blocks, while also being highly symmetrical. The opening features nukite, or knife hand thrusts, rather than the sanchin-style closed fist found in Sanseru, Seisan and Suparinpei. It is the first kata to contain nukite, and the first not to feature shikodachi. The reference to Shisochin in Wikipedia is uncertain at best, but another blog speculates that "there is a written record of Seisho Aragaki performing a kata named "chisaukin" at a demonstration in 1867. Seisho Aragaki was, of course, Kanryo Higaonna’s first teacher."

Renshukai Update

Members of Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan continue to train together on Mondays and Fridays, the timing depending on everyone's schedules. 

As can be seen in the photo, there is also an opportunity to observe many other styles and disciplines of martial art in the Budojo at Shinjuku Sports Center in Tokyo.

As well as the evening sessions, some members also attend periodical seminars organized by the All Japan Karatedo Goju-Kai Association to deepen their knowledge and understanding of kata.

Seiyunchin Bunkai

Here is a full and detailed bunkai (or breakdown of applications) of Seiyunchin. The individual applications are here used and developed as Yakusoku Ippon Kumite for deeper understanding.

The Green Book on Seiyunchin

According to the 2015 edition "Gojuryu Karatedo" published by Sanshodo and authorized by the Japan Karatedo Federation Goju-kai, while "Seiyunchin" in the past was written with the kanji characters 征遠戦 and 制引戦, today it is written as 制引鎮. The book goes on to note that it is the only kata in Gojuryu that does not contain any kicks. As it features the key stances of shikodachi, nekoashidachi and sanchindachi, it carries great significance for basic training. Moreover, the kuriuke block at the close of the kata is unique to Gojuryu: its circular countering exemplifying the "soft" aspect of the style, while the "gouging" impact of the elbow strike demonstrates the "hard" side. The book concludes that "Seiyunchin is an exquisite Kata that combines techniques that are at times powerful...and at other times tenacious, soft and flowing."

　

Seiyunchin Origins

Miyagi Chojun teaching Seiyunchin 

As with most Gojuryu history, the origins of Seiyunchin are hazy at best, though it seems the kata has long been known and practiced in Okinawa. It is pronounced in different ways depending on the various schools, including Seiyunchin, Seiunchin, and Seienchin. The former pronunciation was the one I heard most at Yoyogi Ryushinkan, though not the only one. 



Moreover, different kanji can be used, so it is often written phonetically in the katakana script as セイユンチン. The most common characters used by Okinawan masters such as Eiichi Miyazato and Morio Higaonna are 制引戦, meaning "control pull fight.” These seem appropriate given the throwing and grappling techniques found in the kata, as well as Miyazato Sensei's Judo background.* Another set of kanji is 征遠鎮 and pronounced Seienchin, more commonly used in Shitoryu. This loosely translates as “attack far suppress.” More information on the history of this kata can be found here. 
* See next post for further clarification on the kanji used in Gojuryu for this kata.

Higaonna Sensei Performs Seiyunchin

Renshukai Update

Members of Gojuryu Karatedo Yoyogi Ryushinkan continue to train together as "Renshukai" at the refurbished Shinjuku Sports Center in Takadanobaba on Monday and Friday evenings. Aragaki Kancho regularly instructs during the Monday sessions, with the focus on kata, especially Sanchin.

Ryushinkan Seiyunchin Kata

On the tatami again - and with too much motion of the head in the opening stages. Watching videos of one's own kata performances provides valuable insight into the many areas that can be improved, especially posture and other bad habits which are not visible in a mirror.  

Seiyunchin

Seiyunchin (制引戦) is the first "black belt kata" and has many unique and interesting aspects. There are no kicks; only hand techniques are used, such as back fist and elbow strikes. There are techniques to unbalance, such as leg sweeps, throws and close-quarter strikes.

The shikodachi stance is employed throughout, moving both diagonally and in straight lines. 

The kanji characters used above mean respectively 'control,' 'pull' and 'fight,' and this is clearly seen in the opening, which begins slowly in a series of solid stances, drawing the opponent in and pulling down, before exploding into rapid strikes.