Notes on Karate

I started martial arts in the 1980s with my father introducing me to Japanese Judo. He signed me up with a summer seminar with Cottonwood Goju in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. I was hooked. Over time, I learned some English boxing, some Wado-ryu, but returned to my Cottonwood Goju roots and study of Goju-ryu. I am a member of Lou Angel's NCMA. I practice karate in Magna City and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Contents

What is Karatedo

The martial art of Ryukyu Kenpo Toudi JutsuPatM99 is now called Karatedo. Ryukyu refers to islands roughly south of Japan of which Okinawa is a part. Toudi (or Tode)PM87 refers to the Tang dynasty, or Chinese, hand. Karatedo is therefore the result of Okinawans learning White Crane, and Southern Shaolin Quanfa (Kung Fu), when Quanfa practioners visited the RyuKyu kingdom (and sometimes practiced in Naha parks), or were taught while they visited China.

Karatedo follows templates (a choreography) of techniques, sometimes two person drills, and Chinese classical forms, all of which were adapted, sometimes into simplified or even new kata. Kata are forms that express what a defender might do in response to acts of violence. Kata is the foundation of traditional Okinawan Karatedo. Understanding and practicing the applications and templates for relevant adaption to the individual, and refinement of the kata, is the life long journey of karatedo.

Different schools of Karatedo have different katas, mostly from the lineages of MatsumuraPM87, Itosu, and Higaona (Kanryo). Sanchin or Naifanchi (especially the first of three) are used as the fundamental (heishu) classical kataPatM99. Different introductory training katas are commonly used for beginning (kyu) levels, especially within the school system or with children. Every teacher presents a unique approach to teaching, training, and improving the art. Basho, Matsuo (quoting Kukai)PatM16 gives this pithy wisdom: Don't [blindly] follow in the footsteps of the old masters, but rather seek what they sought. Understanding the principles of kata design, especially the classical katas and martial application, is key.

[Note:] Is there a problem with commercially driven karate studios? Are you getting your money's worth: a sound martial art? At a bare minimum, karate should teach basic self defense, discipline, respect for people and life, promote health and well being, and install what Matsumura called the indomitable spirit. Children have different developmental stages, and instructors should be aware of and navigate needs and differences. Ranking doesn't matter too much in the particulars, yet ranks (e.g. green, brown, black belts) have some universal, demonstratable capabilities that are expected in Japanese and nationally recognized dojos. Junior ranks are not the same as adult ranks. The McDojo label becomes more poignant when ranks fail to meet the expected standard, raising the question of whether a rank has been sold. There are garage dojos, and in-the-park training, which charge less and have motivations that don't have to weigh money to pay for itself and the instructors. Some good teachers you'll find at open tournaments. A good black belt will always have references and community that recognize the individual.

Karatedo Goju-ryu

I learned Goju-ryu as my Karatedo foundation. The primary schools of Goju-ryu taught by Miyagi, Chojun's senior students are Shodokan (Higa), Meibukan (Yagi), Shoreikan (Taguchi), and the Jundokan (Miyazato/Iha). All other existing schools of Goju-ryu are derived from (or influenced by) these.

For instance, the Jundokan International is from Chinen sensei, a young neighbor of Miyagi, and a later student of Miyazato, (some claim with some influence from Miyagi An'ichi, a claim also made by Higaona Mario). The Goju Kai, the Japanese Goju-ryu of Yamaguchi, which influenced Paul N. Starling (Goju Kai in Australia), Peter Urban, and Lou Angel (of the NCMA). There is some understanding that the Meibukan influenced Yamaguchi's training. Tetsuhiro, Hokama, like Taguchi, was a student of Higa, Seiko.

The katas of Goju-ryu are as followsGH18:

Sanchin
This video is from an Instruction at the Goju Karate Musuem in Okinawa. Sanchin is a kata based on the White Crane Sanzhan, demonstrating the white crane style of breathing and power generation, and often understood as a grappling foundation. Goju-ryu often starts instruction of this with the first part of the kata, especially with the nigiri game, jars held by fingers while stepping up and down the dojo.
Saifa
Following Sanchin, Saifa is the first classical combat or kaishu kata taught in most Goju schools, mainly for its simplicity. The order of kata depends on the school, and sometimes (and originally) the student.
Seiunchin
To control and pull in battle. The Meibukan describe it as marching far quietly.
Shisochin
Legend has it that this kata was Miyagi Chojun's favorite
Tensho
Oddly, this gets mistaken for Sanchin. Tensho is the soft to Sanchin's hard, and thought to be based on Rokkishu, introduced from Gokenki. As Matayoshi Shinpo once documented: hard and soft, not twoGH18. So maybe, Tensho replaces Sanchin as the more advanced heishu kata.
Seisan
The Goju version has differences from other Okinawan schools, all being a smaller part of the larger White Crane form. It is likely the oldest known kata in Okinawa. This is a primary classical kata used by all the early schools, often after Sanchin or Naifanchi. Compare with Toon-ryu, Shodokan (Higa), and Ryuei-ryu which have subtle differences, and Uechi-ryu (among others) with more variations.
Seipai
Eighteen
Sanseiru
The Toon-ryu form from Higaonna has some differences, and Higa's had some subtle variations to how Miyagi taught it.
Kururunfa
Higa Seiko's son performs this kata here, but starting from the right instead of the more common left. Older forms started by blocking up from the inside and then elbowing down, where these round from the outside and down.
Suparenpei
This is an old video of Higa Seiko, missing the transition into shikodachi, only showing the last part of that sequence, but the primary moves are complete, and the kata otherwise intact.

Though it is possible to learn Karatedo, such as Goju-ryu, from a book and internet videos, it is more difficult to fully comprehend or master karate fundamentals without a qualified, trusted teacher, especially if the old ways, the original martial applications of kata, are desired to be understood. A training partner or the dojo environment is especially important. Karatedo is a life time path of inner discovery and discipline, and is not the same as being a paper dragon. Also, beware purposeful (and unintentional) confusions in books and videos. However, I recommend the book on Karatedo fundamentalsST76 by Toguchi for learning karate fighting basics from the Goju-ryu perspective.

References

[GH18]
The Kata and Bunkai of Goju-ryu Karate, Giles Hopkins, Blue Snake Books, 2018
[GH20]
Wandering Along the Way of Okinawan Karate: Thinking about Goju-ryu, Giles Hopkins, Blue Snake Books, 2020
[MAD15]
Karate Kata: For the Transmission of High-Level Combative Skills, Vol. 1, Michael A. DeMarco, Via Media Publishing Company, 2015
[MS23]
Our Way of Life: Principles, Customs, Practices, Traditions, and Philosophy of Traditional Karate, Manny Saavedra, Visual Gypsy Publishing, 2023
[OS81]
Karate Katas of Wadoryu, Ohgami Shingo, Wadokai Karatedo AB 1981
[OS95]
Introduction to Karate, Ohgami Shingo, Japanska Magasinet, Goeteborg 1995
[PM87]
Classical Kata of Okinawan Karate, Patrick McCarthy, Ohara Publications, 1987
[PatM99]
Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts 2, Koryu Uchinadi, Patrick McCarthy, Turtle Publishing, 1999
[PatM16]
Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat, Patrick McCarthy, Tuttle Publishing, 2016
[PatM18]
Legend of the Fist, vol #1, Patrick McCarthy, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 7 March 2018
[PM25]
Ryukyu Kobudo. Modern Pioneer, Taira Shinken, Second Edition, Patrick McCarthy, IRKRS, 2025
[PU67]
The Karate Dojo: Traditions and Tales of a Martial Art, Peter Urban, Tuttle Publishing, 1967
[PU84]
The Karate Sensei, Peter Urban, Masters Publication, 1984
[SN00]
Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters, Nagamine, Shoshin, translated by Patrick McCarthy, Tuttle Publishing, 2000
[ST76]
Okinawan Goju-ryu: Fundamentals of Shorei-kan Karate, Toguchi, Seikichi, translated by Tomano, Toshio, Ohara Communications, and later Century Martials Arts, 1976
[ST01]
Okinawan Goju-ryu II: Advanced Techniques of Shorei-kan Karate, Toguchi, Seikichi, translated and compiled by Tomano, Toshio, Ohara Communications, and later Black Belt Publishing, 2001
[TT21]
The key to karate kata: The theory of kasai, Toshio Tomano, 2021
San Zinsoo Okinawa Goju-ryu Karatedo
Yamada san blogspot. Though Patrick McCarthy translated Miyagi's early 1934 essay and meeting note fragments, Sanzinsoo has translated a later essay, and the revised 1936 essay which I used as preparation for my shodan test. My gracious thanks to the author for such a rich set of work.
Goju-ryu Karate-do (Giles Hopkins)
This is the blogspot that led to Giles Hopkins bringing this information to his books (listed in References). This is reverse engineering the kata templates based on known principles passed down from Higa, Toguchi, Matayoshi, Wall, and Hopkin's own studies with white crane. It's a gold mine of thinking based on the principles we were (all?) taught.
Way of Least Resistence
wayofleastresistance.net. Keeping track of this at least for now as I'm enjoying perusing his blog.
Dan Smith Letters
1, 2, 3, 4
Patrick McCarthy
The Enigma of Fujian quanfa

©David Egan Evans.