Newcastle Sendai Karate Club

   

Kata

Sensei Enoeda

Karate kata are sequences of basic, intermediate and advanced techniques arranged into set orders and patterns. The closest examples or equivalents of the Karate kata in other activities or sports are shadow boxing, dance routines and the floor routines in gymnastics. The name kata is a Japanese term translated as mold, model, style, form or shape.

Each kata has it’s own character. Some kata are heavy and powerful whereas others are far more graceful and flowing in their nature. Some kata however, contain a mixture of both and each kata has it’s own unique timing. The 26 JKA shotokan kata are all individually named and given their own personality. In some cases, the source of the name is obvious. In others, the name of the kata can only be guessed at from the kanji that their identity was originally written in.
   

Heian Kata


On the island of Okinawa, this group of kata were originally called the 'Pinan’ kata. The name Heian was given to them by Sensei Gichin Funokoshi and is most commonly interpreted as meaning 'Peaceful Mind’. The Heian kata are named in a fashion that indicates their level of difficulty, i.e. one to five. With the exception of the Tekki kata, the other Shotokan kata are not named using such a numerical system.

Tekki Kata


This group of three kata were originally called the Naihanchi kata. Once again this name was replaced by Funokoshi Sensei and changed to Tekki. The name Tekki is taken from the character 'Tetsu’ meaning iron or steel and 'Ki’ meaning to ride a horse or simply knight. One possible translation of the name Tekki is 'Iron Knight’.

 Sensei Enoeda
   

Dai and Sho Kata


The Japanese kanji (characters) for Dai and Sho simply translate as 'Big’ and 'Small’. Despite a common misconception, Dai kata are not anymore or any less advanced than their Sho versions. Despite the translation of big and small, the Gojushiho kata are reversed. The 'dai’ version of these two kata is actually smaller than that of 'Sho’.


Common Kata Terminology

Grading Syllabus

Rei - Bow
Yoi - Ready position
Yasume - Return to Yoi
Naore - Relax
Enbusen - The invisible performance line on which the kata is performed.
Kiai - Focus point in the kata where the Karate-Ka shouts.

 

Click on the kata name for a short video of the kata being performed. This is only a guide.

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Heian Shodan (Peaceful Mind - Level 1)
21 movements, Kiai on movements 9 and 17

Heian Nidan (Peaceful Mind - Level 2)
26 movements, Kiai on movements 11 and 26

Heian Sandan (Peaceful Mind - Level 3)
20 movements, Kiai on movements 10 and 20

Heian Yondan (Peaceful Mind - Level 4)
27 movements, Kiai on movements 13 and 25

Heian Godan (Peaceful Mind - Level 5)
23 movements, Kiai on movements 12 and 19

Tekki Shodan (Iron Knight - Level 1)
29 movements, Kiai on movements 15 and 29

Tekki Nidan (Iron Knight - Level 2)
24 movements, Kiai on movements 16 and 24

Tekki Sandan (Iron Knight - Level 3)
36 movements, Kiai on movements 16 and 36

Bassai Dai (To penetrate a fortress)
42 movements, Kiai on movements 19 and 42

Kanku Dai (To look at the sky)
65 movements, Kiai on movements 15 and 65

Jion (Named after the temple Jion-Ji)
47 movements, Kiai on movements 17 and 47

Enpi (Flight of the swallow)
37 movements, Kiai on movements 15 and 36

Jitte (Ten Hands)
24 movements, Kiai on movements 13 and 24

Hangetsu (Half Moon)
41 movements, Kiai on movements 11 and 40

Gankaku (Crane standing upon a rock) 42 movements, Kiai on movements 28 and 42

 

Bassai Sho (To penetrate a fortress- small)
27 movements, Kiai on movements 17 and22

 

Kanku Sho (To look at the sky - small)
47 movements, Kiai on movements 6 and 47

Chinte (Incredible Hands)
32 movements, Kiai on movements 28 and 32

Sochin (Energetic Calm)
40 movements, Kiai on movements 28 and 40

Note: This kata was unsuccessfully renamed Hakko (Eight Storms) by Funakoshi Sensei. It is not known why some of Funokoshi Sensei’s new kata names didn’t succeed whilst others remain to this day.

Nijushiho (24 Steps)
33 movements, Kiai on movements 18 and 32

Meikyo (Bright Mirror)
33 movements, Kiai on movement 32

Note: This kata is sometimes referred to by the name Rohai. It is believed that Meikyo is taken from one of four Rohai kata practised in Okinawa.

Meikyo (Bright Mirror)
33 movements, Kiai on movement 32

Note: This kata is sometimes referred to by the name Rohai. It is believed that Meikyo is taken from one of four Rohai kata practised in Okinawa.

 

Gojushiho Dai (54 Steps - Big)
62 movements, Kiai on movements 54 and 6

Note: This kata was unsuccessfully renamed Hotaku, which is the Japanese name for `woodpecker’. This was due to the likeness of the action of a woodpecker tapping its beak against a tree

 

Gojushiho Sho (54 Steps – Small)
65 movements, Kiai on movements 57 and 64

Unsu (Hands in the clouds)
48 movements, Kiai on movements 38 and 48

 

Wankan (Kings Crown)
25 movements, Kiai on movement 25

Ji’in (Named after the temple grounds of Jion-Ji)
35 movements, Kiai on movements 11 and 35

Note: This kata was unsuccessfully renamed Shokyo (Pine Shadow) by Funakoshi Sensei. Ji’in is no longer recognised as an official JKA kata although it is still widely taught and practised.