Category Archives: Kata

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Jitte

Jitte
Jitte (or Jutte) means "Ten Hands." Mastery of the kata is supposed to imply that the karateka is able to perform the actions of ten men, further inferring that one has the ability to fight off ten armed opponents. Even within the Shotokan style, this kata has many variations. The JKA version consists of 24 moves. Jitte is a…
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Empi

Empi
Empi (formerly known as Wanshu, named after a Chinese diplomat) has 37 counts, making it the shortest of the Sentei kata. Empi translates as "Flying Swallow" or "Flight of the Swallow." It is a very dynamic Kata, requiring speed and agility. It gets its name from the diving patterns of the swallow, a small bird known for its excellent swiftness and…
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Jion

Jion
Jion is believed to be named after the Jion-ji, a Buddhist temple in China. Since there are many Jion-ji temples in existence, it is uncertain which one the Kata refers to. The actual translation of Jion means "Love and Goodness." Although the Kata's creator is unknown, credit is usually given to Sokon Matsumura, who is presumed to have learned this Kata…
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Kanku-Dai

Kanku-Dai
Having 65 movements, Kanku Dai is the longest of the Sentei Kata, as well as one of the longest Kata in the Shotokan syllabus. Kanku translates as "Looking at the Sky" or "Viewing the Sky," referring to the Kata's opening sequence. The word Dai (big) is used to describe the Kata's larger movements as compared to the Kata's smaller version, Kanku Sho. Kanku is one of…
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Bassai-Dai

Bassai-Dai
Bassai (pronounced Patsai in Okinawan) is most often translated as "Penetrate the Fortress," meaning that one must exhibit the power and spirit required to break through an enemy's castle. This is particularly evident in the Kata's first movement, when the Karateka launches forward with soete-uchi-uke. The word Dai means "big," describing the Kata's larger movements, contrary to its counterpart Bassai Sho. Bassai, Kanku, and Gojushiho are the…
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Tekki Ni-dan

Tekki Ni-dan
Naihanchi (ナイハンチ) or Tekki (鉄騎) is a karate Kata, performed in straddle stance. The form makes use of in-fighting techniques (i.e. tai sabaki (whole body movement)) and grappling. There are three modern kata derived from this; Shodan, Nidan and Sandan. Tekki Nidan  is the shortest Tekki kata, consisting of  24 movements. Similar to Tekki Shodan in many ways, this…
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Tekki Sho-dan

Tekki Sho-dan
Naihanchi (ナイハンチ) or Tekki (鉄騎) is a karate Kata, performed in horse stance. The form makes use of in-fighting techniques (i.e. tai sabaki (whole body movement)) and grappling. There are three modern Kata derived from this; Shodan, Nidan and Sandan. Tekki Shodan is the first Kata in the Tekki series and is also the first Kata that does…
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