Naihanchi

Mr. Jones

Kata: Naihanchi

The iron horse or battlefield kata. It is called Tekki Shodan by Shotokan karateka. According to his book, Wado Ryu Karate, Otsuka Sensei learned this kata from Choki Motobu, renowned Naha-te fighter, and he personally favored Naihanchi over all other kata. Its origins are from pre-1825 Matsumura to Shuri/Tomari.

Note: Once this kata is started, every resting stance is Naihanchi dachi.

Note: Because of its overwhelming use in Wado techniques, if only one hand is mentioned, the other hand is performing a back hikite. Also, unless otherwise mentioned, all jun-tsukis are at the chudan (solar plexus) level.

Choki Motobu
taught this kata
to Otsuka

H. Otsuka

T. Suzuki

Opening

1. Rei. Masuba dachi.
2. Yoi. Te hidari kosa kinteki shooto uke. (Hands left crossed groin openhanded block). Heisoku dachi.
3. Hajime.

Body

1. Hands rise to jodan level, then fan outwards while dropping and meeting again at the gedan level, then left over right, rising up to cover the throat (nodo), dropping back down to the original yoi position. Pause. Heisoku dachi.
2. Slowly look to the left then to the right. Hands to chudan, explode right into a right shotei, left empi. Left kosa step, then right step into naihanchi dachi.
3. Mawata forward, left tai uke.
4. Look left, left gedan uke, right kake tsuki, right tae uke.
5. Explode left, looking left cross over step. As naihanchi stance is hit, look forward, and right soto uke. Right kosa step, then left step into naihanchi dachi.
6. Left jodan ago (chin) ura tsuki (uppercut punch).
7. Right gedan uke, left hikite.
8. Left jodan ago (chin) ura tsuki.
9. Left soto uke, right tae uke.
10. Look left, kick left with left age (rising) heisoku (Instep) hiza (knee) geri, mawata left (90°).
11. Look right, kick right with right age (rising) heisoku (Instep) hiza (knee) geri, mawata left (180°).
12. Look left, left tae uke.
13. Left mawata (90°) morote tsuki.
14. Draw hands in, left turns palm up, right to obi. When obi is reached, do a right empi.
15. Mawata forward, right tae uke.
16. Look right, right gedan uke, left kake tsuki, left tae uke.
17. Explode right, looking right cross over step. As naihanchi stance is hit, look forward, and left soto uke. Left kosa step, then right step into naihanchi dachi.
18. Right jodan ago (chin) ura tsuki (uppercut punch).
19. Left gedan uke, right hikite.
20. Right jodan ago (chin) ura tsuki.
21. Right soto uke, left tae uke.
22. Look right, kick right with right age heisoku hiza geri, mawata right (90°).
23. Look left, kick left with left age heisoku hiza geri, mawata right (180°).
24. Look right, right tae uke.
25. Right mawata (90°) morote tsuki.

Closing

1. Yame. Pull into heisoku dachi, te hidari kosa kinteki shooto uke.
2. Norei. Masuba dachi.
3. Rei.

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