New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

General discussions on Wado Ryu karate and associated martial arts.
kenshindoryu
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New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by kenshindoryu »

Just released on Amazon: Wado Ryu Kata Bunkai
Applications to every movement in the Pinan Kata series, taken from jujitsu and aikijutsu using wado principles.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wado-Ryu-Kata-B ... s=wado+ryu
wadoka
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by wadoka »

Please can you update your signature with your full name please.

As it is your first post to the forum, it would be nice to get a brief introduction in the Introduce Yourself section - viewforum.php?f=8

Also some comments on the publication.
kenshindoryu
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by kenshindoryu »

Done, Thanks.

The book was written to look at bunkai from a uniquely Wado perspective as I believe that the changes Master Otsuka made from Shotokan were to make them more relevant to HIS techniques. As such, the current trend towards homogenous applications, irrespective of style, I don't think works with Wado kata. I have tried to apply wado principles as espoused by the new Grandmaster, (from an interview with Jenny Carter on USEasternWado.com) : My grandfather went to study under Founder Sensei but Founder Sensei was a specialist in kata. He knew the order of each movement of kata, but he didn’t study, or he didn’t know, or he didn’t want to teach, I don’t know, but when my grandfather asked what was the meaning of each movement he didn’t give any answer. So my grandfather wondered why kata has to move like this. Sometimes he went to visit another Okinawan sensei. Sometimes they could give some answer; mostly it was very difficult to find out. Finally, after [he broke away from Funakoshi Sensei] and created Wado Ryu, he joined the idea of jujitsu to kata. That’s when he found out this movement must be similar to applications from some technique of jujitsu.

My training in Jujitsu had shown me techniques which were performed in a near-identical manner to movements in the kata, yet were taught from a jujitsu self-defence perspective without any knowledge of karate kata and I have tried to utilise these techniques to give lower-grade students some close-in self-defence ability. There aren't any 'punch-block-punch' type techniques, but lots of throws, locks and some pressure-point applications - all of which I believe Master Otsuka would have been intimately acquainted with!

When teaching our applications on courses, inevitably they lead to other variations and, for me, this is the whole point of the kata - to give working examples of wado principles that can be adapted to a wide range of techniques.
oneya
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by oneya »

Hi Jim,

I don't think I have seen much evidence of a 'current trend' in bunkai around? Certainly not for Wado ryu anyway, in fact many practitioners would argue Wado ryu doesn't have bunkai at all but tend to favour kaisetsu analysis which copes with Ohtsuka meijin's koryu lineage and his visionary changes quite well.

Are you saying this YT clip of your Kenshindo ryu bunkai example https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=NobMU4qXtUc speaks from a uniquely Wado perspective and therefor would be more appropriate than the "current trend".?

oneya
Reg Kear.
Wado Kokusai San no Ya.

http://www.sannoya.com
kenshindoryu
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by kenshindoryu »

Hi Reg

I would say that. The techniques all relate to the wado version of the kata and not, for example, the Shotokan version. The techniques are all applying 'ju' or aiki principles which require no undue strength, tai sabaki and irimi are evident, as is noru.

Although you haven't identified a trend in bunkai, we train on many multi-style and multi-art course each year and in the overwhelming majority of these there will be bunkai-based sessions. Usually these will be set around a Shotokan-ish version of the kata and the techniques will use the stalwart techniques of that style.

A large number of wado clubs host bunkai courses now and, if I go back as far as 2000, Wadokai England was running a series of courses including applications (before it decided to concentrate solely on competition)

Master Otsuka said that kata is infinite. Within that infinity, therefore, there must be room to achieve the goal of understanding Wado principles through examples of technique which make sense in a modern world?
Regards
oneya
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by oneya »

Hi,

I guess if you train on many multi-style and multi-art course each year Jim you would surely expect the bunkai to be homogeneous or perhaps generic.

Seems to me that bunkai was never a Wado ryu issue in the early days because of Ohtsuka meijin's koryu history which reflected the form or shape and rhythms of the gyo kata rather than the Kei bunkai of its Okinawan relative. Japanese custom also not being well understood at that time saw fractures and divisions for whatever reasons and this ensured any benefits that might be had from the Shu Ha Ri philosophy were still born.

I wonder if bunkai's current 'cottage industry' confection aren't the result of this.

It might be just me Jim but I don't think your Aiki or judo bunkai versions fare any better in the world of wado ryu when the reality is that Wado ryu has a smorgasbord of paired kata that demonstrate both torimi and ukemi stratagems at a far greater depth, so why not just practice them.?

oneya
Reg Kear.
Wado Kokusai San no Ya.

http://www.sannoya.com
kenshindoryu
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by kenshindoryu »

And to follow the argument to a logical conclusion, presumably drop the kata altogether and move towards a purely Shindo yoshin ryu koryu art.
I imagine that Otsuka included the kata in Wadoryu as he saw some value and, as his grandson says, that part of that value was to match the movements to jujitsu technique.
Most, if not all, of the Japanese instructors in the UK have taught bunkai at some point, even if they no longer do so and I well remember those sessions with Mr Suzuki, Mr Shiomitsu and Mr Shinohara in my early years. Perhaps the new grandmaster will bring this practice to the fore once more?

Regards
Gary
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by Gary »

kenshindoryu wrote:The book was written to look at bunkai from a uniquely Wado perspective as I believe that the changes Master Otsuka made from Shotokan were to make them more relevant to HIS techniques.
Hello Mr Dart and welcome to the Forum.

Could you expand on what you consider “HIS” techniques?

Not seeking contention, but having reviewed the “taster”, I see little similarity to (from my understanding anyway) the koryu Jujutsu Otsuka practiced!

Whilst I totally commend your want to realise the movements / techniques found in Wado kata - perhaps this only acts to cloud the bigger picture?

I’m assuming the following is your good self for example? From a Wado perspective, I struggle to see what you are trying to achieve out of this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ybKqIXJSLU

What I see is some very generic gendai jujutsu techniques.

If you haven't already read it, can I point you in the direction of an excellent essay written by Tim Shaw (another board member here) about Wado and its connection to Koryu Bujutsu.

http://www.wadoryu.org.uk/jujutsu.html
Gary Needham
Walton Wado Karate Club

清漣館双水執流英国稽古会
http://seirenkanuk.wordpress.com/
kenshindoryu
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by kenshindoryu »

Hi Gary

The quotation was to reference the changes made by Master Otsuka rather than to act as a comment on his style. For example, the raising of the shutouke/shutouchi 'blocks' to head height from the chudan-level of Shotokan. In our interpretation of the kata meaning we ensure that this change is relevant to the technique rather than using Shotokan-based applications to the lower movement.

The techniques will indeed be Gendai jujitsu, as that is what my jujitsu ranks are in (Kempo jujitsu, Nihon ryu jujitsu and Kano ryu), the latter of course being a comparatively modern style based on the koryu styles studied by Kano. That doesn't automatically mean that all of the principles are different from koryu jujitsu. My Judo is based on pre-Kodokan Butokukai judo, but still not koryu. Likewise my sword experience is in modern styles: Shinkendo, Toyamaryu and Nakamura Ryu, which take their movement and techniques from koryu styles but are no longer such.

I have read Tim's article previously, but thanks for the link as it's always worth revisiting. Frankly I don't see any dichotomy between this and our approach.

Perhaps our Wadoryu is a progression from that taught to me in the seventies. Certainly I see much of what I have learned in other arts within Wado techniques and that is the reason for my continued love of and enthusiasm for the art, in which I have been honoured to have been supported by Shinohara Sensei, 8th Dan, (despite not being a member of his organisation) who was of course a direct student of the original grandmaster.
Regards
Gary
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Re: New Wado Kata Bunkai Book

Post by Gary »

kenshindoryu wrote: Certainly I see much of what I have learned in other arts within Wado techniques and that is the reason for my continued love of and enthusiasm for the art, in which I have been honoured to have been supported by Shinohara Sensei, 8th Dan, (despite not being a member of his organisation) who was of course a direct student of the original grandmaster.
Regards
Thanks for the reply Jim,

It's great you have the support of such an 8th dan.

Some of the lads on this board have well earned 6th and 7th dans (not sure we have an 8th dan?).

Sadly, I have no such lofty grade (which is why I hang round here, to appreciate the guys that get it!)
Gary Needham
Walton Wado Karate Club

清漣館双水執流英国稽古会
http://seirenkanuk.wordpress.com/
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