Katas

Wado Ryu Katas

The following 17 kata (excluding First Basic) are listed as Wado Kata with the Japan Karate Federation (JKF)-Wado Kai and the World Karate Federation (WKF)

In 1939 the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai (the Japanese governing body for martial arts) held a Budo festival in Kyoto for all of the martial arts of Japan and every Style (Ryu) had to register its name, and the name of its founder. Otsuka Sensei registered his style here for the first time and listed as its original kata the first 16 kata (excluding Unsu).

In his book, Wado Ryu Karate, Otsuka Sensei demonstrates the first nine, and he "only incorporates these nine in his movements", commenting that "some falsely believe that mastery and progress comes by knowing as many kata as possible. One must remember that it is quality over quantity when practicing any kata."

Okinawan Name

Funakoshi Name

Taikyoku Shodan

Heian Nidan

Heian Shodan Variation

Heian Sandan

Heian Yondan

Heian Godan

Kanku Dai

Tekki Shodan

Hangetsu

Gankaku

Jitte

Jion

Bassai Dai

Nijushiho

Meikyo

Empi

Pechurrin (Chinese Name)

Unsu

Origin

Gichin Funakoshi

1907 - Anko Itosu, Shuri-Te

1761 - Chinese Envoy Kusanku

Pre-1825 Matsumura to Shuri/Tomari

1700 from Fukien, China to Naha

Chinese Sailor - China to Shuri

Tomari-Te

Pre-1869 Kosaku Matsumora - Tomari

Shuri-Te, Ankichi Aragaki

Tomari-Te

1683 from China to Tomari

1600s from China to Naha

Tomari-Te

Description

Balance, Timing, Coordination, and Reflexive Thinking

Defense using Free Style Sparring Techniques

Introduction to Body Shifts (Tai Sabaki)

Defense for Close-In Fighting

Defense using Jujutsu Techniques

Defense against Weapons

'To View the Sky' - The Pinan katas 'originator'

'The Iron Horse' or 'Battlefield' kata

'The Half-Moon' or '13 Hands' kata

'Crane on a Rock'

'10 Hands' - Representing mastery over 10 men

'In the Jion-ji Shaolin Temple'

'To Storm a Fortress'

'The 24 Steps'

'The Mirror of the Soul' or 'White Heron'

'The Flying Swallow'

'108 hands' - Representing the 108 evil spirits of man

'Defense of a Cloud' or 'Cloud Hand'

Kata Belt Requirements

Our schools currently practice all of the katas above except Unsu. However, the katas are not taught in the order that they were originally listed by Otsuka Sensei. They are taught in an order that allows basic techniques to be introduced first with more advanced techniques coming in the later katas.

Kyu – Belt Requirements

Dan – Belt Requirements

Kata Movements

This section links to pages that detail the movements in each kata. Each kata's page begins with the Japanese lettering for the kata name, the Funakoshi name, the origin, and a brief description of the kata. The katas are listed below in the order that they are practiced in our schools.

Kata Videos

Videos of Sensei Conrad Jones performing the 12 katas required through 2nd Dan are available for purchase here. They are highly recommended for CJK students.

The following sites provide online videos of different versions of the katas. Some are Wado versions that are fairly close to the way we do them, and some are from different styles and are dramatically different.

Kata History

For more detailed information on the katas practiced by our school, CJK students can download the Karate Katas document from the Downloads page.

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