Victor Lopez Bondia

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shotokankaratedo

THE
NAMES
OF THE
SHOTOKAN
KATAS
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shotokankaratedo

Victor Lopez Bondia

July 2004
Last revision: February 2006
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Sannen kata milestone

(“ A kata three years ”)
THE NAMES OF THE SHOTOKAN KATAS
The Japanese word “ kata ” ( 型 ) literally means mould / model / style / form . Another
Japanese character is also used to write this word ( 形 ), the latter having the meanings
form / style / figure .
Katas are the oldest and most basic form of training in Karate-do . They are sets of
defense and counterattack movements against imaginary adversaries that are intended to
simulate real combat.
In kata training, you not only learn and perfect Karatedo techniques, but you also
develop the speed, power and spirit necessary for them to be maximally effective.
The names of the katas are not only mere identifiers, they let us know their history and
characteristics. By studying their names we better know the essence and meaning of the
katas.
Upon arriving in Japan from Okinawa, Master Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957)
transmitted 15 fundamental katas: 5 Heian , 3 Tekki , Kanku Dai , Bassai Dai , Enpi ,
Jion , Jitte , Hangetsu and Gankaku . In later years other katas would be added to the
Shotokan system.

The Shotokan style katas whose names will be the subject of study are the following:
- Taikyoku (6 versions)
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-Heian (5 versions) shotokankaratedo
-Tekki (3 versions)
- Bassai (2 versions)
(2 versions)
- Kanku
- Jion
- Jiin
- Jitte
- Enpi
- Hangetsu
- Gankaku
- Wankan
- Chinte
- Meikyo
- Nijushiho
- Gojushiho (2 versions)
-Unsu
-Sochin
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TAIKYOKU
大極
1. Meaning of the name “ Taikyoku ”
TAIKYOKU
大 TAI / DAI (タイ・ダイ) Big
End / Pole / Conclusion / Settlement / Very /
極 KYOKU (キョク)
Extremely / Most of
A very common translation of the word “ Taikyoku ” ( 大極 ) is “ First Cause ”. We see
that it is not the most literal translation.

According to Schlatt [2] “ Kyoku ” would have three meanings:

- As a noun: “ Fin ” or “ Pole ”.
- As an adjective: “ Extreme ”.
- As a verb: “ Go to the extreme ” / “ Study thoroughly ” / “ Take to the extreme ”.

According to Baeza [4] there are two etymologies for the name of this kata :
In relation to the physical: In relation to the spiritual:

Tai: “ Large ” or “ Extreme ” Tai: " Big "

Kyoku: “ Breath ” or “ Action ” Kyoku: " All "

Taikyoku: “ The beginning of everything ” (the physical) Taikyoku: “ The spiritual

purpose ”

The position of Camps and Cerezo [8] in this regard is the following:
“The name has two etymologies: on the one hand, as 'Formation of the Body' or as a kata
of 'The Last Action' or the 'Great Beginning'. Indeed, "Tai" means great, ultimate,
extreme and "Kyoku" means softness, action. But also, on the other hand, it may mean
'The Great Everything', that is, the great Totality, with the same spiritual purpose as
Chinese Tai Chi, differentiating Heaven and Earth."

As we see, the word “ Taikyoku ” could admit many and very diverse meanings, some of
them being: “ The Great Beginning/End ”, “ The Great Conclusion ”, “ The Greatest ”
(The Universe), “ Broad Study (large ) and Detailed ”, etc.
These katas would have been created and developed by Masters Gichin and Yoshitaka
Funakoshi at some point during the golden age of Karate development in Japan (1930-
1945).
One might wonder what idea Master Gichin Funakoshi wanted to convey when he
baptized them with this name. According to Pflüger [3] “ Taikyoku ” (in Chinese Tai-
Chi ) means “ Universe ”, and for Funakoshi it would be the kata of the “ Great Origin ”
to which masters should return after having mastered the Art of Karate-do .
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Master Funakoshi speaks of these katas in his book “ Karate-do Kyohan ” as follows: “If
practiced regularly, they will produce a continuous development of the body and a
confident ability to control the body correctly. Furthermore, the student who has gained
skill in the basic techniques and understands the essence of the Taikyoku kata will
appreciate the true meaning of the maxim 'In Karate, there is no advantage in the first
attack.'* . It is for this reason that I have given them the name Taikyoku . ”
Whatever the more or less literal translation we make of the Japanese characters that
make up its name, it is evident that the kata called “ Taikyoku ” are the most basic and
fundamental, designed to be the introductory tool to Karate . Therefore, it would be
logical to think that “ Taikyoku ” refers to the universality of these katas, the result of a
deep study aimed at reaching the extremes , the fundamentals and the bases of Karate-
do , and extracting the most basic essence of its techniques. .
2. Versions
There are 6 versions of this kata :
- Taikyoku Shodan (大極初段) → “ First Level ” Taikyoku
- Taikyoku Nidan (大極二段) → “ Second Level ” Taikyoku
- Taikyoku Sandan (大極三段) → “ Third Level ” Taikyoku
- Taikyoku Yondan (大極四段) → “ Fourth Level ” Taikyoku
- Taikyoku Godan
(大極五段) → “ Fifth Level ” Taikyoku
- Taikyoku Rokudan
(大極六段) → “ Sixth Level ” Taikyoku

Versions
初 Sho First time / Beginning / Beginning
二 Neithe Two 2)
r Level
三 Saint Three 3)
段 dan Grade
四 Yon Four 4) Step
五 Go Five (5)
六 Roku Six (6)
3. Curiosities
Originally there were only three versions of these katas: Shodan , Nidan and Sandan .
The other three versions ( Yondan , Godan and Rokudan ) could be the work of the
pioneer of Karate in Europe Henry Plee.

HEIAN
平安

*“ Karate ni Sente Nashi ” (空手に先手なし): “ In Karate There is No First Attack .”

This maxim constitutes the second of “The Twenty Precepts of Master Funakoshi” ( Shoto Niju Kun ), and
is the inscription found on Master Funakoshi's tombstone at the Engaku-ji Zen monastery in Kamakura,
Japan.
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1. Meaning of the name “ Heian ”
HEIAN
平 HEI （ヘ Even / Smooth / Flat / Level / Peace
イ）
安 AN （ア Relax / Quiet / Quiet / Satisfied
ン）
The word “ Heian ” （平安） is often translated as “ Peaceful Mind ” or “ Peaceful Mind
”. While it is true that “ hei ” （平） can be translated as peace , “ an ” （安） does not
have any meaning that is related to mind , so “ peaceful mind ” would be a somewhat
loose translation. Any literal translation, resulting from combining in any way the
different meanings of the two characters that make up the word “ Heian ”, would be
valid. However, even with the same validity, there would always be some translations
more logical than others.
Camps and Cerezo [8] affirm that the name translates to “ Peaceful Mind ” and also “
Tranquility ”, a name that seems inspired by the first article in Bubishi.† （ 武 備 志 ）
which deals with the history and philosophy of the White Crane (Chinese style) and in
which it says that through a peaceful mind immeasurable personal conquests with internal
harmony are possible.
According to Kanazawa [1], the original name “ Heiwa-Antei ” became “ Heian ” or “
Pinan ” and means “ Peace and Calm ” or “ Peace and Tranquility ”.
For Schlatt [2] the meaning of “ Heian ” is “ Peace and Stability ,” understanding that it
comes from the contraction of the words hei wa （平和, peace ） and an tei （安定,
stability or balance ）.
There is a theory that Heian kata could come from an older kata from China called “
Chiang Nan ” or “ Channan ”. This kata would have two versions that Master Ankoh
Itosu (1830-1915) would have “sectioned” to give rise to the five Heian , instead of
having created them from other katas such as Bassai Dai , Kanku Dai and Jion . Camps
and Cerezo [8] comment that “it seems that the first two Pinan (Shodan and Nidan) were
created by Sokon «Bushi» Matsumura and were originally called Channan sho and
Channan dai, named after the Chinese master Chiag Nan, a diplomat resident in Shuri.
[…] The remaining three katas （Sandan, Yodan and Godan ） were created in 1907 by
the great master Ankoh Itosu, who integrated all five into his teachings . One can
speculate about the possible relationship between the names “ Chanan ” and “ Heian ”
but any conclusion would be nothing more than that, mere speculation.
In the history of Japan, the time between 794-1185 AD It is known as the Heian Period
( 平安時代 ), named after what was then named the capital of Japan, the city Heian-kyo,
currently Kyoto. Coincidentally, it was a time of peace and stability for the nation. The
Heian katas could have been named in memory of that period.
2. Other names
Apparently the original name of these katas created by Ankoh Itosu between 1905 and
1907 was “ Pinan ”. It would be his student, Master Gichin Funakoshi, who changed the
name to “ Heian ” when “Japanizing” Karate around the year 1935.
† The " Bubishi " is a classic Chinese work on technical aspects of martial arts and its relationships with
philosophy, strategy and medicine. For many years it was a secret text that was transmitted from teacher to
disciple first in China and later in Okinawa. There are no precise details regarding its origin. （Camps and
Cerezo, [8]）
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According to Schlatt [2] “ Pinan ” or “ Pian ” are synonyms of “ Heian ”.
Everything indicates that although the characters with which the name is written ( 平安 )
and their meanings are the same in both Japan and Okinawa, the “ Heian ” are called “
Pinan ” in Okinawa due to differences in pronunciation. Apparently different dialects of
the same language are spoken in Japan and Okinawa. In this way, Master Funakoshi
would not have altered the name, but simply adopted the pronunciation appropriate for
Japan.
They are currently practiced in the styles descended from Itosu's Shuri-Te line, retaining
the name “ Pinan ” in most of them.
3. Versions
There are 5 versions of this kata :
Heian Shodan ( 平安 初段 ) → Heian from “ First Level ”
Heian Nidan ( 平安 二段 ) → Heian from “ Second
Heian Sandan ( 平安 三段 Level ”
) → Heian from “ Third Level
Heian Yondan ( 平安 四段 )” → Heian from “ Fourth
Level ”
Heian Godan ( 平安 ) → Heian
五段 from “ Fifth Level ”

Versions
初 Sho First time / Beginning / Beginning
二 Neith Two 2)
Level
er
三 Saint Three 3) 段 dan Grade
Step
四 Yon Four 4)
五 Go Five (5)
4. Curiosities
- Apparently the current Heian Nidan was originally the first of the five ( Heian
Shodan ), and Heian Shodan the second ( Heian Nidan ). Master Funakoshi would
change the order to the current one, understanding that the natural order according to
difficulty should be the opposite (Pflüger [3]).
- Taiji Masters Kase (1929-2004) and Hiroshi Shirai created a new Heian kata in 1985
which they called “ Heian Oyo ” (“ Modified ” or “ Different ” Heian ).

TEKKI
鉄騎
1. Meaning of the name “ Tekki ”
TEKKI
鉄 TETSU （テ Iron
ツ）
騎 KI （キ） Rider / Equestrian / Equestrian / Horse riding
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“ Iron Rider ” or “ Riding an Iron Horse ” would beshotokankaratedo
possible and very appropriate
translations for the word “ Tekki ” （鉄騎）.
It is evident that the name highlights the technical characteristics of these katas, which
carry out all their work in the “ horse riding position ” or “ rider position ”, kiba-dachi
（騎馬立）.
Camps and Cerezo [8] use another character “ tetsu ” （鐵） to write “ Tekki ” （鐵騎）.
The name remains unchanged since both characters （ 鉄 / 鐵 ） have identical
pronunciation and meaning.

2. Other names
Gichin Funakoshi called these kata “ Tekki ” but originally there was only one called “
Naihanchi ” (Kanazawa [1], Schlatt [2]) or “ Naifanchin ” (Baeza [4]). “ Naihanchi
Nidan ” （ Tekki Nidan ） and “ Naihanchi Sandan ” （ Tekki Sandan ） were creations
of Master Ankoh Itosu.
Kanazawa [1] writes “ Naihanchi ” in Japanese in two different ways:
- Naihanchi （内畔戦） → “ Battle / War / Meeting In / Among Rice Fields ”
- Naihanchi（内歩進） → “ Move Walking Inward ”
We often find the name “ Naifanchi ” with obvious relation to the previous names. This is
another different pronunciation that Kanazawa [1] also contemplates, and writes it
representing the phonetics in Katakana‡ :ナイファンチ.
According to Camps and Cerezo [8] “ Naifanchin ” （ 内 歩 進 ） means “ Combat
Laterally ” or “ Hidden Steps ”. […] In the early days the kata was called Naifan-chi .
The first syllable, “ nai ” means interior or within ; “ fan ” means claw and “ chi ” is the
ground or pavement. The reference to the position in which the kata is practiced is
clearly seen, which is an extrapolation of the sanchin-dachi position. Another
interpretation of the name may be given by the fact that “ chin ” also means battle and “
naihan ” refers to the narrow paths that form squares in the rice fields, so the meaning of
the name of the kata could be “ Battle.” on a field

‡ Three alphabets are used in the Japanese language: Kanji （漢字）, Hiragana （平仮名/ひらがな） and
Katakana （ 片 仮 名 / カ タ カ ナ ） . In the Katakana alphabet the characters represent syllables and are
normally used to write foreign words.
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of Rice ”, from another name of the kata : Naihanchin . shotokankaratedo
On the other hand, the Okinawan
name Naihanchin contains the syllable “ chin ”, which refers to the vital points, a syllable
that appears in many katas: Sanchin , Sochin , Chinte , etc. without anyone paying much
attention to detail these days.
3. Versions
There are 3 versions of this kata :
- → Tekki of “ First Level ”
TAIKYOKU → Tekki of “ Second Level ” 5
1. Meaning of the name “ Taikyoku → Tekki of “ Third Level ”
” 5
2. Versions 6
3. Curiosities 6
HEIAN 6
1. Meaning of the name “ Heian ” 7
2. Other names 7
3. Versions 8
4. Curiosities 8
TEKKI 8
1. Meaning of the name “ Tekki ” 8
2. Other names 9
3. Versions 10
4. Curiosities 12
BASSAI 13
1. Meaning of the name “ Bassai ” 13
2. Other names 13
3. Versions 14
KANKU 15
1. Meaning of the name “ Kanku ” 15
2. Other names 15
3. Versions 16
4. Curiosities 16
JION 16
Meaning of the name “ Jion ” 16
JIIN 17
1. Meaning of the name “ Jiin ” 17
2. Other names 18
JITTE 18
1. Meaning of the name “ Jitte ” 18
2. Other names 19
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ENPI shotokankaratedo 20
1. Meaning of the name “ Enpi ” 20
2. Other names 20
HANGETSU 21
1. Meaning of the name “ Hangetsu ” 21
2. Other names 21
GANKAKU 22
1. Meaning of the name “ Gankaku ” 22
2. Other names 22
WANKAN 23
1. Meaning of the name “ Wankan ” 23
2. Other names 23
3. Curiosities 23
CHINTE 24
1. Meaning of the name “ Chinte ” 24
2. Other names 24
3. Curiosities 24
MEIKYO 24
1. Meaning of the name “ Meikyo ” 25
2. Other names 25
3. Versions 25
NIJUSHIHO 25
1. Meaning of the name “ Nijushiho ” 25
2. Other names 26
3. Curiosities 26
GOJUSHIHO 27
1. Meaning of the name “ Gojushiho ” 27
2. Other names 27
3. Versions 27
UNSU 28
1. Meaning of the name “ Unsu ” 28
2. Other names 28
SOCHIN 29
1. Meaning of the name “ Sochin ” 29
2. Other names 29
KARATE DO 32
SHOTOKAN 35
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- shotokankaratedo

Versions
初 Sho First time / Beginning / Beginning Level
二 Neith Two 2) 段 dan Grade
er Step
三 Saint Three 3)
4. Curiosities
- Apparently “ Naihanchi ” was the kata with which students of the Shuri-Te line began
before the 20th century.
- It is said that Master Motobu only knew this kata . (Kanazawa [1])
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shotokankaratedo
BASSAI
抜塞
1. Meaning of the name “ Bassai ”
BASSAI
抜 BATSU （バ Extract / Take out / Delete / Tear off /
ツ） Remove
塞 UPS （サイ） Close / Cover / Block / Obstruct
The commonly accepted meaning of “ Bassai ” （ 抜塞 ） is “ Assault on the Fortress ”
（Baeza [4]） or “ Penetrate the Fortress ” （Schlatt [2]）.
Nakayama [5] also points out that the name “ Bassai ” is because its execution must
show the spirit and power necessary to break the enemy's defense and penetrate its
fortress .
However, we see that assaulting or penetrating are not very faithful interpretations of the
character “ batsu ” （ 抜 ）. The character “ sai ” （ 塞 ） does not exactly mean fortress
either, although something closed and/or covered does suggest that idea.
Pflüger [3] writes “ Bassai ” in Japanese using another character “ sai ” （ 砦 ） which
has the meanings: fortress / fort / fort / bastion . This way of writing “ Bassai ” （抜砦）
is more consistent with the translation “ Breaking into a Fortification ”, which is the one
chosen by Pflüger [3].
Camps and Cerezo [8] state that its etymological meaning comes from “ pass ” （ break
or go through ） and “ sai ” （ fortress ）, that is, “ Break a Fortress ” or “ Go through
the walls of a Fortress ”. As can be seen from its execution, it means breaking the siege
of several enemies that attack the practitioner from close range. This literal meaning,
which corresponds to the strong, fast and lively movements of the kata , does not refer
only to the physical aspect but, as is usual in these exercises, to the psychological part of
them. It is about developing sufficient mental capacity to break the doors of perception
and reach full knowledge, in accordance with Buddhist precepts. These authors use the
same character “ sai ” as Pflüger [3] （ 砦 , fortress ） and another character “ batsu ”
（ 拔 ）, slightly different in appearance from the one we have studied but with identical
pronunciation and meaning.
More literal but surely less attractive translations of “ Bassai ” would be “ Remove the
Obstruction ” or “ Extract from the Fortress ”.

2. Other names
“ Passai ” or “ Patsai ” are other names given to these katas. As in the case of Pinan /
Heian , everything indicates that these names are different pronunciations of “ Bassai ”
typical of the Japanese language characteristic of the island of Okinawa.
According to Camps and Cerzo [8] the Okinawan name “ Passai ” was translated by
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Gichin Funakoshi into Japanese calling it “ Bassai ”. In shotokankaratedo
their work they write “ Patsai ”,
“ Passai ” and “ Bassai ” in Japanese interchangeably:拔砦.
3. Versions
There are 2 versions of this kata :
- Bassai Dai （抜塞大） → Bassai “ Big ”
- Bassai Sho （抜塞小） → Bassai “ Small ”

Versions
大 Dai Big

小 Sho Little

Bassai Sho is a kata created by Master Ankoh Itosu.

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KANKU
観空
1. Meaning of the name “ Kanku ”
KANKU
観 KAN （カ Look / Sight / Appearance
ン）
空 KU （クウ） Sky/Void
The meaning of “ Kanku ” （ 観 空 ） is clear: “ Look at the Sky ”. Although other
interpretations such as “ Looking at the Sky ”, “ The View of the Sky ” or “ Looking into
the Void ” would be possible, their meaning would be the same.
It was Master Gichin Funakoshi who chose this name, like many others, when
introducing Karate to Japan. This name is due to the first movement of the Dai version of
the kata （ Kanku Dai ,観空大）, in which one looks towards the sky through the hands.
For Schlatt [2], the jodan haishu uke movement that precedes the second jump of the Sho
version of the kata （ Kanku Sho ,観空小） can also be interpreted as a look at the sky .
Camps and Cerezo write “ Kanku ” in Japanese with the character “ kan ” 觀 . This
character would have the same pronunciation and meaning as the one studied, and
apparently it is out of use in the Japanese language.

2. Other names
Before Master Funakoshi changed the original name to “ Kanku ”, these katas were called
“ Kushanku ” in Okinawa. According to Schlatt [2] they were given this name in honor of
Kung Shiang Chün, the Chinese diplomat expert in kenpo who developed the kata * .
Nakayama [5] supports this theory when he explains that his former name “ Kushanku ”
comes from a corruption of that of Kung Siang Chun, a member of a diplomatic mission
during the Ming dynasty and an expert on Chinese fighting.
The name “ Kushanku ” became “ Koshokun ” or “ Kosokun ” when adopting Japan's own
pronunciation, before finally becoming “ Kanku ”. Kanazawa [1] also points out the
possibility that the Kushanku kata was introduced by Koshokun, an envoy of the Ming
Empire of China and an expert in kenpo . Kanazawa himself [1] writes “ Koshokun ” in
Japanese using the characters 公柤君. As a person's first name or surname, it would make
no sense to try to find a meaning for it. However, the translation of those characters
suggests something like “ state minister ” or “ councilman ”, in clear reference to a
government , state , public position. In this way we can deduce that “ Kushanku ” and
then “ Koshokun ”, still

*~1 c • 1C ••1117/1 11' r, 7 , ‘.c1 ' •'

Reference is made to the original form of the kata , which became Kanku Dai . This was the only version
that existed at the beginning, Kanku Sho would be created by Master Itosu years later. referring to the
Chinese diplomat who created or introduced the kata in Okinawa, they do not evoke his
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name, but rather his profession. shotokankaratedo
The theory of Camps and Cerezo [8] is that the name of the kata comes from a Chinese
expert named Kwang Shang-fu, pronounced “ Kushanku ” and translated into Okinawan
by “ Kosokun ”. This teacher, transmitter of the kata , would have been sent by the Ming
emperor to the Okinawan colony of Kumemura in 1761. These authors write “ Kushanku
” and “ Kosokun ” interchangeably with the Japanese characters 公柤君. Funakoshi would
later change the name to “ Kanku ” or “ Kwanku ”.
Apparently in the English version of Master Funakoshi's book “Karate-do Kyohan”, the
translator, Tsutomu Oshima ( Shotokai ), states that “ Kwanku ” could be another name
that these katas received, being the Okinawan pronunciation of “ Kanku ” .
If the story of the Chinese master Kushanku is true, it is most likely that he visited
Okinawa in the mid-18th century, and taught Sakugawa (1733-1815), who in turn became
the teacher of Sokon Matsumura (1797-1889). Perhaps it was Sakugawa who created the
kata and named it in honor of his teacher.
3. Versions
There are 2 versions of this kata :
- Kanku Dai (観空大) → Kanku “ Big ”
- Kanku Sho (観空小) → “ Small ” Kanku

Versions
大 Dai Big

小 Sho Little
Kanku Sho is a kata created by Master Ankoh Itosu.

4. Curiosities
- Kanku Dai was Gichin Funakoshi's favorite kata (Schlatt [2]), the kata he most liked
to see performed (Nakayama [5]).
- The character pronounced “ku” in “ Kanku ” ( 観空) is the same character pronounced
“kara” in “ Karate-do ” (空手道).
- There are numerous versions of the kata in different styles: Shiho Kushanku ( 四方公
柤 君 , “ shiho ” means “ four directions ”), Yara Kushanku , Chibana Kushanku ,
Kitayara's Kushanku , Kuniyoshi's Kushanku, etc. (Kanazawa [1]).

JION
慈恩
Meaning of the name “ Jion ”
JION
慈 JI （ジ） Pity/Clemency/Mercy
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shotokankaratedo
恩 ON （オ Kindness / Kindness / Gentleness / Blessing
ン）
Kanazawa [1], Schlatt [2] and Baeza [4] agree that the word “ Jion ” （慈恩） refers to a
Buddhist term, and to an ancient temple in China where Martial Arts would be practiced.
For this reason, it was thought that the kata came from China (Kanazawa [1]). Nakayama
[5] supports this theory by stating that this name appears in very old Chinese documents,
and seems to refer to a type of fighting practiced by monks or people associated with a
monastery of that name.
For Baeza [4] the translation of the word “ Jion ” would be “ Love Piety ”, while Schlatt
[2] prefers to adopt the meaning of “ Love [and] Kindness ”. A more literal translation of
the word would be possible by combining the previous two, and curiously discarding the
part in which both coincide, resulting in the meaning “ Pity [and] Kindness .”
Camps and Cerezo claim that Jion-ji is a famous Buddhist temple and also the name of a
well-known saint of that religion. “ Jion-ji ” would be “ Temple of Compassion ” or “
Sound of the Temple ”, with Buddhist references to love and piety . Curiously, these
authors write the word “ Jion ” in two different ways, depending on the Karate school:
while for Kobayashi-Ryu and Shotokan they use the characters already seen （慈恩）, for
Shito-Ryu and Wado-Ryu they use a character “ on ” distinct （音）, whose meaning is “
sound ” or “ noise ”. The meaning “ Sound of the Temple ” must be in accordance with
this alternative way of writing “ Jion ” （慈音）.
The character “ ji ” is normally associated with the names of Japanese temples ( Engaku-
ji , Todai-ji , Ninna-ji , Koryu-ji , etc.), however it is not the same as that used to write the
word “ Jion.” ” （慈恩）, but another Japanese character also pronounced “ ji ” （寺）,
which literally means “ Buddhist temple ”. Camps and Cerezo [8] and Baeza [4] agree
that the root “ ji ” of the group Jion - Jiin - Jitte is a contraction of Sanskrit and its
meaning is “ compassion ”.
There is no apparent relationship between the meaning of the name and the techniques of
the kata , although if the kata was really called “ Jion ” after a Buddhist temple, no other
explanations can be sought.
Jion , Jiin and Jitte are considered “brother katas”. Not only do they have clearly similar
names, but also similar technical characteristics and something more relevant: the same
initial kamae (posture) that also recalls the way of greeting in China.

JIIN
慈蔭
1. Meaning of the name “ Jiin ”
JIIN
慈 JI （ジ） Pity/Clemency/Mercy
蔭 IN （イ Shade
ン）
Schlatt [2] translates “ Jiin ” （慈蔭 ） as “ Love [and] Shadow ” and like “ Jion ”, states
that it is a term from Buddhism. Another possible translation of the name would be “
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Piedad [y] Sombra ”. shotokankaratedo
The meaning “ Temple Grounds ” is also somewhat widespread, but to adopt that
meaning the word “ Jiin ” should be written using Japanese characters other than those
generally used.
Camps and Cerezo [8] write “ Jiin ” in Japanese when referring to the Shito-Ryu school
version in this way: 慈充 . The new character （ 充 ） has the pronunciation “ ju ” and the
meanings: distribute , distribute , assign . Therefore it is difficult to make sense of it in
this context. For the Shotokan version they use the characters already seen （慈 蔭）.
The character “ ji ” is normally associated with the names of Japanese temples ( Engaku-
ji , Todai-ji , Ninna-ji , Koryu-ji , etc.), however it is not the same as that used to write the
word “ Jiin.” ” （ 慈蔭 ）, but another Japanese character also pronounced “ ji ” （ 寺 ）,
which literally means “ Buddhist temple ”. Camps and Cerezo [8] and Baeza [4] agree
that the root “ ji ” of the group Jion - Jiin - Jitte is a contraction of Sanskrit and its
meaning is “ compassion ”.
Jion , Jiin and Jitte are considered “brother katas”. Not only do they have clearly similar
names, but also similar technical characteristics and something more relevant: the same
initial kamae (posture) that also recalls the way of greeting in China.
2. Other names
You can often find the word “ Jiin ” written in the form “ Ji'in ” （Kanazawa [1], Schlatt
[2]）.
Kanazawa [1] states that Master Gichin Funakoshi called this kata “ Shokyo ”. The
Japanese characters used to write this name in Japanese （ 松 喬 ） would mean “ Tall
Pine ”. Camps and Cerezo [8] affirm that “ Shokyo ” was the name by which it had
previously been called, however, it seems clear that the roots of these katas （ Jion , Jiin
and Jitte ） are very ancient and strongly linked to the particle “ ji ”, so it is most likely
that “ Shokyo ” was a modern name that did not endure, rather than an earlier kata name.

JITTE
十手
1. Meaning of the name “ Jitte ”
JITTE
十 JU （ジュ Ten
ウ） （10）
手 TE （テ） Hand
The meaning of the name “ Jitte ” written in Japanese in the usual way （十手） is “ Ten
Hands ”. Kanazawa [1] translates it as “ Ten Techniques ”. According to Nakayama [5]
the name “ Jitte ” implies the idea of reaching the action capacity of ten men.
Both Schlatt [2] and Baeza [4] point to the possibility that the name of the kata comes
from the sai variant§ （ 釵 ） jitte call** . Schlatt [2] defends this theory by stating that
§ Sai （釵）: Japanese three-pointed knife.
** Jitte : Variant of Sai . Japanese two-pointed knife that was used against the Katana (刀, Japanese
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kata techniques reveal the use of the weapon called jitte shotokankaratedo
, while Baeza [4] refers to the
similarity of kata techniques such as yama-gamae with the form of the sai . It should be
noted as a curiosity at this point that the Japanese character with which the term from
which the yama-zuki and yama-gamae techniques take their name is written, “ yama ”
（山, mountain ）, is similar in a more than obvious way to the form of the sai .
Schlatt [2] offers an alternative way to write “ Jitte ” in Japanese with the same character
for “ ji ” that is used in “ Jion ” and “ Jiin ”. In this way “ Jitte ” （ 慈手 ） would mean
something like “ Merciful Hand ” and the name would be in total consonance with those
of his “brothers” Jion and Jiin .
Camps and Cerezo [8] present the different theories:
- “ Ji-Te ” may come from the Chinese “ Ji-hi ”, which means “ piety ”. Name
that in Okinawa was abbreviated to “ Ji ”. This would give the kata the
meaning of “ Hand (or technique) of Mercy ”.
- In Japan it was called “ Jute ” ( ten hands ).
- “ Jitte ” refers to the name of the sai （釵）.
These authors for the Shito-Ryu school version of the kata write their name in Japanese
with the characters 術 手 which would mean “ Hand Techniques ”. For the Shotokan
version they use the already studied characters （十手）.
Jion , Jiin and Jitte are considered “brother katas”. Not only do they have clearly similar
names, but also similar technical characteristics and something more relevant: the same
initial kamae (posture) that also recalls the way of greeting in China.
2. Other names
The first character of the word “ Jitte ” （ 十手 ） is “ ju ” and represents the number ten
in the Japanese language. It is for this reason that the Jitte kata is often called “ Jutte ” or
“ Jute ”. However, when the character “ ju ” is used the way it is used in “ Jitte ,” it is
pronounced “ji” instead of “ju.”

sword).
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shotokankaratedo
ENPI
燕飛
1. Meaning of the name “ Enpi ”
ENPI
##t EN （エ Swallow
J） ン）
飛 HI（ヒ） Fly
“ Enpi ” （燕飛） means “ The Flight of the Swallow ” or “ The Flying Swallow ”. It was
Master Gichin Funakoshi who baptized the kata with this name. It is logical to think that
this name was chosen because of the technical characteristics of the kata : speed,
pronounced changes of direction, and even a jump, characteristics that recall the flight of
a bird.
The character “ hi ” （飛） is pronounced “pi” by joining the character “ en ” （燕）.
The word “ Enpi ” is often found written in the form “ Empi ” due to the influence of
Western spelling.
2. Other names
Before Master Funakoshi renamed it by “Japanizing” Karate already in the 20th century,
this kata received the name “ Wanshu ”. It is believed that Wanshu, like Kushanku, was a
Chinese Kenpo expert who lived in Okinawa and taught Martial Arts. Wanshu could be
the creator of the kata , the first to teach it, who brought it to Okinawa, or perhaps one of
his students created the kata and named it in his honor.
Kanazawa [1] records the belief that the kata was introduced by the Sappushi Wanshu.
Other sources reveal that “ Sappushi ” would not be a proper name but rather a reference
to a job, translating it as “ Chinese imperial envoy .” The theory in this regard by Camps
and Cerezo [8] is that the kata appeared in 1683, the date on which a delegate of the
Emperor of China called Wan Ji but known in Okinawa under the name of Sappushi
Wanshu moved to Okinawa. These authors write “ Wanshu ” in Japanese as follows:腕秀.
The first character （ “ wan ” 腕 ） has the meanings arm , capacity , aptitude , talent .
The second （ “ shu ” 秀 ） means to excel , surpass , excellence or beauty . We could
propose interesting interpretations of these characters, but since they most likely simply
refer to a person's proper name, we could never conclude that these hypotheses had any
real value.
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shotokankaratedo
HANGETSU
半月
1. Meaning of the name “ Hangetsu ”
HANGETSU
半 HAN （ハン） Half/Half
月 GETSU （ゲ Moon/Month
ツ）
“ Hangetsu ”（半月） means “ Half Moon ”. Other translations such as “ half a month ”
would also be possible, although less logical.
According to Schlatt [2] the kata takes its name from its main position: hangetsu-dachi
（ 半 月 立 ） . However, others think that it is the position that is called the kata . The
hangetsu-dachi position is known as the “hourglass position.” Certainly, in this position
the shape of the legs resembles an hourglass, but one should not think that the term “
hangetsu-dachi ” literally means “hourglass position”, because like the kata , the
translation Correct would be “ half-moon position ”. For Kanazawa [1] the name comes
from the semicircular movements of the feet. Nakayama [5] also defends this theory,
making it extendable to semicircular hand movements.
2. Other names
Its previous name is “ Seishan ” or “ Seisan ” （ 十 三 ） in Okinawa, and it means “
Thirteen ” （13）. The Japanese pronunciation of that name would make it “ Jusan .”
Camps and Cerezo [8] use the previous Japanese characters （十三 ） for all versions of
“ Seisan ” that they present in their work, except for that of the Shito-Ryu school. For
this version they use the characters 征 參 which could be translated as “ Submit Three
Rebellions .”
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GANKAKU

1. Meaning of the name “ Gankaku ”

GANKAKU
岩 GAN （ガン） Rock / Precipice / Cliff
鶴 KAKU （カ Crane / Stork
ク）
The translation of the word “ Gankaku ” （岩鶴） would be “ The Crane on the Rock ”.
This name would be inspired by the main characteristic of the kata : the work on one leg
in the tsuru-ashi-dachi position （鶴足立, crane leg position ） or sagi-ashi-dachi （鷺
足立, heron leg position ）, which clearly recalls the figure of the crane .
The adoption of the name “ Gankaku ” is attributed to Master Funakoshi.
2. Other names
His previous name is “ Chinto ”.
As in the case of Wanshu （ Enpi ） and Kushanku （ Kanku ）, Chinto could have
been a Chinese envoy who taught Martial Arts while passing through Okinawa.
However, this is information that cannot be corroborated.
Camps and Cerezo [8] state that the name means “ Fighting to the East ” or “ Towards
where the sun rises ”, although it could also be the name of a Chinese martial artist sailor
named Chinto, a pirate who was shipwrecked in the Ryukyu Islands and with whom
Master Matsumura befriended and from whom he learned the kata . These authors write
“ Chinto ” in Japanese as follows: 鎮 党 . The first character, “ chin ” （ 鎮 ） , means
calming or centers of preservation of ancestral peace . The second character is “ to ”
（党） and represents the cardinal point “ East ”.
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WANKAN
王冠
1. Meaning of the name “ Wankan ”
WANKAN
王 OU （オウ） King / Tycoon / Potentate
冠 KAN （カ Crown / The best / Incomparable
ン）
“ Wankan ” （ 王冠 ） means “ Crown [and] King ” （Schlatt [2]）. “ King's Crown ”
could also be an appropriate translation.
The Japanese pronunciation of the two characters that make up the word “ Wankan ”
would be “ Ohkan ”. However, it seems that the name of this kata has retained its
pronunciation according to the Okinawan dialect. A possible explanation for this would
be that the kata was not one of the fifteen fundamental katas that Gichin Funakoshi
transmitted when bringing Karate to Japan. When it was later added to the Shotokan
system, it may have retained its name, or more specifically, its original pronunciation.
Camps and Cerezo [8] despite stating that the meaning of “ Wankan ” is “ King's Crown
” write the term in Japanese with the characters “ wan ” （ 腕 ） and “ kan ” （ 貫 ）
which mean arm and pierce . respectively.
2. Other names
This kata is also called “ Shofu ” （松風） and “ Hito ” （飛濤）. “ Shofu ” can also be
pronounced “ Matsukaze ” and means “ Pine [and] Wind .” “ Hito ” means “ Flying
Waves ”. Curiously, “ Sho fu” （松風） and “Hi to ” （ 飛濤 ） contain the characters
that form the pseudonym of Master Funakoshi: Shoto （松濤） or “ Wave Pine ”.
According to Camps and Cerezo [8] “ Wankan ” （ “ King's Crown ” ） is the Chinese
name of the kata and “ Matsukaze ” （“ Wind in the Pines ”） the Japanese.
3. Curiosities
It is the shortest kata in the Shotokan style and only has one kiai .
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shotokankaratedo
CHINTE
珍手
1. Meaning of the name “ Chinte ”
CHINTE
珍 CHIN （チ Strange / Strange /
ン） Curious
手 TE （テ） Hand
“ Chinte ” （珍手） means “ Strange Hand/s ”, “ Strange Hand/s ” or “ Curious Hand/s
”. For Schlatt [2] “ rare ” has to be understood as “ extraordinary ”.
This name could be due to the kata 's use of unusual or curious hand techniques such as
the nihon-nukite （二本貫手） or the nakadaka-ippon-ken （中高一本拳）.
Camps and Cerezo [8] expand on this point, pointing out that these conclusions result
from the most recent Japanese reading, which alludes to the external aspects of the kata .
The older Chinese reading would refer to its internal aspect and, in its ancient meaning, “
chin ” would designate in Okinawan the Chinese “ tienshue ”, a technique for attacking
the vital points, following the cycles of energy. With this argument they offer the
possible translation, or rather interpretation, of “ Chinte ” as “ The way to attack the vital
points following the circulation of energy .” It is curious that these authors use some
kanji†† different depending on the version of the kata . While for the Shotokan version
（ 松濤館 ） they use the ones we just studied, for the Shito-Ryu school version （ 糸東
流 ） they use 鎮 定 which could be translated as “ Determine/Establish the Centers of
Preservation of Ancestral Peace （vital points） ”.
2. Other names
Master Funakoshi called it “ Shoin ” （ 松蔭 ） （Kanazawa [1] ） which means “ Pine
Shadow ”, but this name did not last.

3. Curiosities
According to Kanazawa [1] it is a kata widely practiced by women as it includes highly
effective techniques that do not require much physical strength.

MEIKYO
明鏡

†† Kanji （漢字）: Characters of Chinese origin that are used in Japanese writing along with the katakana
and hiragana syllabaries.
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shotokankaratedo
1. Meaning of the name “ Meikyo ”
MEIKYO
明 MEI （メイ） Bright/Clear/Light
鏡 KYO （キョ Mirror
ウ）
“ Meikyo ” （ 明鏡 ） means “ Shining Mirror ”. Camps and Cerezo [8] opt for “ Espejo
Claro ” or “ Espejo Pulido ”. According to Baeza [4] it could be translated as “ Clean
the Mirror ”.
Kanazawa [1] states that “ Meikyo ” is the Shotokan name given by Funakoshi Sensei .
The name of the kata perhaps comes from the opening movement in which the hands are
raised towards the face and looked into them as if it were a mirror. The theory of Camps
and Cerezo [8] is that it could refer to one of the three jewels of Japan: the mirror , the
saber and the fan. Or more likely related to “The Mirror Dance”, performed by the
goddess Amaterasu according to Japanese mythology.

2. Other names
Meikyo 's previous name is “ Rohai ” （鷺牌） which means “ Heron Symbol ”.
Camps and Cerezo [8] translate the above Japanese characters as “ White Heron ” or “
White Gray Heron ” and present (as do other sources) “ Lorei ” as an alternative name to
“ Rohai ” for the kata . This name of unknown origin is still curious, since it has the
sound of the letter ele, which does not exist in the Japanese language.

3. Versions
According to Kanazawa [1] Rohai was divided into Shodan , Nidan and Sandan . Other
sources go further by naming a fourth version: Matsumura Rohai , and saying that the
other three are Itosu's creation. Supposedly Shotokan 's Meikyo would come from one of
the three versions created by Itosu. Apparently Master Tetsuhiko Asai's Shotokan line
practices Meikyo Shodan , Meikyo Nidan and Meikyo Sandan .
In the Shito-Ryu style there are precisely these four versions, the original form
Matsumura no Rohai , and the three versions of it created by Master Itosu: Rohai Shodan
（ 鷺牌初段 ）, Rohai Nidan （ 鷺牌二段 ） and Rohai Sandan （ 鷺牌三段 ） （Camps
and Cerezo [8]）.

NIJUSHIHO
二十四歩
1. Meaning of the name “ Nijushiho ”
NIJUSHIHO
二 NI (ニ) Two 2)
JU （ジュ
十 Ten (10)
ウ）
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四 SHI (シ) Four 4)
二十四 NIJUSHI Twenty-four (24)
歩 HO (ホ) Walk
“ Nijushi ” is the number twenty-four in Japanese. “ Ho ” means “ walk ”. Hence the
translation of “ Nijushiho ” (二十四歩) as “ Twenty-Four Steps ”.

2. Other names
The ancient name of this kata was “ Niseishi ” which is the number twenty-four in the
Okinawan dialect.
3. Curiosities
In an interview, Master Masatoshi Nakayama (1913-1987) recalled how katas were
incorporated into the Shotokan system, commenting that in 1934 Master Funakoshi took
him to visit Master Kenwa Mabuni (1889-1952), founder of Shito-Ryu . Master
Funakoshi encouraged Nakayama to learn the Nijushiho and Gojushiho katas so that he
could study them later with peace of mind. Master Mabuni taught Nakayama these kata
which he would later alter slightly to adapt to the Shotokan style.
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shotokankaratedo
GOJUSHIHO
五十四歩
1. Meaning of the name “ Gojushiho ”
GOJUSHIHO
五 GO (ゴ) Five (5)
JU （ジュ
十 Ten (10)
ウ）
四 SHI (シ) Four 4)
五十四 GOJUSHI Fifty-four (54)
歩 HO (ホ) Walk
“ Gojushiho ” (五十四歩) means “ Fifty-Four Steps ”.

2. Other names
The ancient name of this kata was “ Useishi ” which is the number fifty-four in the
Okinawan dialect. Camps and Cerezo [8] translate this term as “ Fénix ”.
Master Gichin Funakoshi called this kata “ Hotaku ”, a word that Kanazawa [1] writes
with the Japanese characters 鳳啄 which can be translated as “ Bird Pecking ”. This name
would be inspired by the similarity of the kata techniques with the woodpecker (
kitsutsuki in Japanese (啄木鳥)) that hits the bark of the tree with its sharp beak.
3. Versions
There are 2 versions of this kata :
- Gojushiho Dai (五十四歩大) → Gojushiho “ Big ”
- Gojushiho Sho (五十四歩小) → Gojushiho “ Small ”

Versions
大 Dai Big

小 Sho Little

There was some kind of confusion between Dai and Sho so, what is “ Gojushiho Sho /
Gojushiho Dai ” for the Japan Karate Association (JKA) is “ Gojushiho Dai / Gojushiho
Sho ” for the Master's Shotokan Karate International (SKI). Hirokazu Kanazawa.
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UNSU
雲手
1. Meaning of the name “ Unsu ”
UNSU
雲 A （ウン） Cloud
手 SHU Hand
（シュ）
The term “ Unsu ” （雲手） means “ Cloud Hand/s ”.
The name would come from the movement of parting the clouds with open hands that
appears twice in the kata (at the beginning, and after rising from the ground after the
mawashi-geri ). Kanazawa [1] calls this movement “ kaiun no te ” （開雲の手）: hands
that open the clouds .

2. Other names
Sometimes we can find the name “ Unsu ” written as follows: “ Unshu ”. Schlatt [2]
claims that the pronunciation should actually be “ unshu ” according to some
dictionaries. Certainly the Japanese character for hand （手） is pronounced “shu,” as in
“ hai shu ” （背手, back of the hand ） or “ shu to ” （手刀, sword hand ）, when not
pronounced “te ”, as in “ Jit te ” （十手）, “ Chin te ” （珍手） or “ Kara te ” （空手,
empty hand ）.
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SOCHIN
壮鎮
1. Meaning of the name “ Sochin ”
SOCHIN
壮 SO （ソウ） Robust / Strong / Virility / Maturity / Prosperity
鎮 CHIN （チ Tranquilize / Ancestral Peace Preservation Centers
ン）
“ Sochin ” （壮鎮 ） could take the meanings “ Calm Strength ” or “ Strong and Calm ”
among others. Schlatt [2] translates the term as “ Strength [and] Calm .” Baeza [4] points
out that it is also called the kata of the “ Great Silence ”.
Camps and Cerzo [8] write the term using a “ so ” （ 壯 ） character that, although it
appears in dictionaries, does not have associated information about its pronunciation and
meaning, and yet it is reported that it is an advanced grade character whose frequency of
appearance is zero, from which it follows that it is an obsolete character in the Japanese
language.
“ Robustness ” is the main characteristic of the kata , so the name should be determined
in this sense.
The main position of the kata , fudo-dachi （ 不 動 立 , immovable position ） , is a
fundamentally sound position and is also called “ sochin-dachi ” （壮鎮立）.

2. Other names
Its previous name was “ Hakko ” （ 八荒 ）, supposedly devised by Gichin Funakoshi
and which would mean something like “ Eight Storms ”.
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APPENDIX I shotokankaratedo
SHOTOKAN KARATE-DO KATA 松濤館空

手道型
NAME MEANING
Taikyoku 大極 “The Great Conclusion”

Heian 平安 "Peace and tranquility"

Tekki 鉄騎 “Iron Horseman”

Bassai 抜塞 “Penetrate the Fortress”

Kanku 観空 “Look at Heaven”

Jion gk g ~ /Ee “Pity [and] Kindness”

Jiin 慈蔭 “Pity [and] Shadow”

Jitte 十手 “Ten Hands”

Enpi 燕飛 “The Flight of the Swallow”

Hangetsu 半月 "Half Moon"

Gankaku 岩鶴 “The Crane on the Rock”

Wankan 王冠 "King's crown"

Chinte 珍手 “Rare Hand/s”

Meikyo 明鏡 “Shining Mirror”

Nijushiho 二十四歩 “24 Steps”

Gojushiho 五十四歩 “54 Steps”

Unsu 雲手 “Cloud Hand(s)”

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APPENDIX I shotokankaratedo
Sochin 壮鎮 “Robust [and] Quiet”

Shodan 初段 First level

Nidan 二段 Second level

sandan 三段 Third level

Yondan 四段 Fourth level

Godan 五段 Fifth level

Rokudan 六段 Sixth level

Sho 小 Little
Dai 大 Big
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APPENDIX II shotokankaratedo

KARATE DO
空手道
KARATE DO
空 KARA （カ Void/Sky
ラ）
手 TE （テ） Hand
道 DO （ドウ） Path

The Japanese martial art currently known as “ Karate-do ” （ 空 手 道 ） or simply “

Karate ” （ 空 手 ） was not always given this name. Karate-do is the evolution of a
fighting method born on the island of Okinawa, in the Ryukyu archipelago, south of
Japan.
In the early days the inhabitants of the island simply called it “ Te ” （ 手 , hand ） . It
then developed and experienced enormous influences from the Chinese （Tamano [7]）
fighting styles. According to Funakoshi [6] it has its origins in Chinese Kenpo and was
initially known by the name “ Okinawa-Te ” （沖手, Okinawan hand ） .
“Te” was developed mainly in the cities of Shuri, Naha and Tomari, giving rise to the
styles Shuri-Te （首里手）, Naha-Te （那覇手） and Tomari-Te （泊手）.
There is great inconsistency about what the names of the art were and, above all, what
they referred to before the 19th century. However, everything points to the following
theory: In Okinawa there originally existed a martial art called “ Te ” （ 手 ） . Later,
Chinese martial arts arrived on the island, giving rise to another martial art that was
called “Tode” (唐手, Chinese hand ) based on its origin. “ Te ” （手） would become a
generic name, since there were now two types of martial art based on hand, fist and foot
strikes on the island: the indigenous “ Okinawa-Te ” （沖縄手） and the “ Tode ” ” （唐
手 ） from China. Both martial arts were very similar and were practiced together,
eventually merging and developing as one that would receive the name “ Te ” （手）, “
Okinawa-Te ” （沖縄手） or “ Tode ” （唐手）.
In the 19th century, the time of Master Funakoshi （ 1868-1957 ） and his
contemporaries, the martial art practiced in Okinawa was “ Te ” （手） or “ Tode ” （唐
手）. That's what they called it and that's how they learned it from their teachers.
The Japanese language is complex, different characters can have exactly the same
pronunciation and a single character can be pronounced in different ways, depending on
the sense in which it is used. Kanji (characters with which the Japanese language is
written) are Chinese ideograms and can be read in two different ways: on and kun . On is
the Chinese method, while kun is the Japanese method.
APPENDIX II
The kanji for the word “ Tode ” （ 唐 手 ） read with the kun method, the Japanese
method, are pronounced “karate”, and the Japanese, more accustomed to the kun method,
began to adopt this pronunciation when the art arrived in Japan around 1920 （ Size
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[7]）. shotokankaratedo
However, although pronounced differently, the word was still written using the same
characters （ 唐手 ）, which had been used traditionally, and therefore the meaning was
still “ Chinese Hand ”.

TODE / TOTE
唐 TO / KARA （トウ・から） China/T'ang
手 TE （テ） Hand
In the term “ Karate ” （ 唐 手 ） , the character with the meaning “ China ” （ 唐 ）
pronounced “kara” sounds exactly the same as the character whose meaning is “ empty ”
（空）. In this way the new name of the art arose: “ Karate ” （空手）, “ Empty Hand
” . It was a name phonetically identical to the previous one, but it changed in the way it
was written and also in its meaning.

KANJI PRONUNCIATION MEANING

唐手 “Tode” (in Okinawa) Chinese hand

“Karate” (in Japan)
空手 "Karate" Empty hand

In the autobiography of Master Funakoshi （“Karate-do. My way”[6] ） the replacement

of the ideogram “kara” as “ China ” （唐） with “kara” as “ empty ” （空） is located in
the year 1933. However, it was Master Chomo Hanashiro （ 1869-1945 ） , student of
Master Ankoh Itosu （1830-1915）, who was the first to use the character of “ void ”
（ 空 ） in his old notes on art from August 1905. Master Gichin Funakoshi, as the main
pioneer of Karate in Japan, was a great defender of the new name with the meaning “
empty hand ”, and this was revealed in his book “Karate-do Kyohan”. ‡‡ published in
1935, when the “new name” was not yet generally accepted.
On October 25, 1936 in the city of Naha, on the island of Okinawa, a meeting was held
in order to determine what was the most appropriate name for the martial art. At that
time the art in Okinawa was still called “ Te ” （ 手 ） or “ Tode ” （ 唐手 ）, while in
Japan the established name was already “ Karate ” with its meanings of both “ Chinese
hand ” and “ empty hand.” ”. It was necessary to establish uniformity regarding that
matter. The main Masters of the time (residents in Okinawa) attended the meeting:
Chomo Hanashiro, Chotoku Kyan, Choki Motobu, Chojun Miyagi, Juhatsu Kyoda,
Choshin Chibana, Shinpan Shiroma, Chotei Oroku, Genwa Nakasone.
APPENDIX II
The name change from “ Tode / Karate ” （唐手, Chinese hand ） to “ Karate ” （空手,
empty hand ） was approved based on the following:
^ If the art became popular throughout Japan as “ Karate ” （空手） and remained
as “ Tode ” （ 唐 手 ） in Okinawa, the island's practitioners would be
marginalized. One would think that the art practiced in Japan was different from
‡‡ The title of this book was already written by Master Funakoshi in Japanese using, logically, the kanji
for “ Karate-do ” with the meaning “ Way of the Empty Hand ” （空手道）.
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that practiced in Okinawa and could be completely disconnected from its
shotokankaratedo
Okinawan origins.
^ To introduce the art in Japan and have it accepted as any other genuinely
Japanese “ Budo ” ( 武道 , Martial Art ), the kanji whose meaning was “ China ”
(唐） was not at all convenient.
^ The meaning “ Empty Hand ” was very appropriate for the name of a martial art
that does not use weapons but blows of the hand and fist.
^ It was not correct to think that the art was of Chinese origin, however this was
precisely what the meaning “ Chinese hand ” suggested. Although influenced by
Chinese martial arts, the art had fully developed and evolved in Okinawa, and
was already something with its own identity associated with Okinawa and not
China.
At the same time that the change from “ Chinese Hand ” to “ Empty Hand ” occurred, in
the years of introduction of the art in Japan, the particle “ Do ” (道, path ) was also added
to the name, common to all other Japanese martial arts （ Ju do （柔道）, Ken do （剣
道 ）, Kyu do （ 弓道 ）, etc. ） and which was intended to highlight the spiritual aspect
of the art. The introduction of the particle “ Do ” is attributed to Master Gichin
Funakoshi.
In this way, the definitive name that endures to this day was established: “ Karate-do ”
（空手道）, “ The Way of the Empty Hand . ”
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APPENDIX III shotokankaratedo

SHOTOKAN
松濤館
SHOTOKAN
SHO （ショ
松 Pine tree
ウ）
濤|涛 TO （トウ） Waves
館 KAN （カン） Building
Currently the term “ Shotokan ” （松濤館） is used to refer to a style of Karate-do （空
手 道 ） , the style that comes from Master Gichin FUNAKOSHI （ 1868 1957 ） .
However, unlike other terms such as “ Goju-Ryu ”§§ （剛柔流） or “ Shito-Ryu ”*** （糸
東流 ） for example, the term “ Shotokan ” was not devised to differentiate one style of
Karate-do from others.
The meaning of the word “ Shotokan ” is “ Shoto Building ”, and it was the name that
was chosen for what would be the first Karate-do Dojo * （道場） in Japan.
“ Shoto ” can be written in Japanese using both the character 濤 （ 松 濤 ） and the
character 涛 （ 松涛 ）, both of which have identical pronunciation and meaning. It was
the pseudonym that Master Funakoshi had chosen in his youth to sign the Chinese poems
he wrote. Funakoshi himself explains the meaning and origin of the term in his
autobiography “Karate-do. My way”[6]: Master Funakoshi enjoyed, when he was young,
walking alone through the forest on his native island, Okinawa, and listening to the
whistling of the wind among the pine trees. Hence he chose the name “ Shoto ” which in
Japanese literally means “ swaying pine ”.
The “ Shotokan ” Dojo was located in Zoshigaya, Tokyo. It was inaugurated in January
1939 and destroyed by American bombers on April 29, 1945, during World War II.
What was originally the name of a building, came to refer to the type of Karate-do
practiced by Master Funakoshi's group, giving rise to the name “ Shotokan style ”, or in
Japanese “ Shotokan-Ryu ” （松濤館流）.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] KANAZAWA, Hirokazu: Shotokan Karate International. KATA (vol. 1 and 2)
[2] SCHLATT: Shotokan Karate Dictionary .
Kamikaze Karategi Española SL, 2004
[3] PFLÜGER, Albrecht: 25 SHOTOKAN KATAS .
Ed. Paidotribo, 2000
[4] BAEZA López, José de Fátima: KATA, Path to knowledge (Thesis). Alicante 2000

§§ Goju-Ryu （剛柔流）: Karate-do style founded by Master Chojun Miyagi （1888-1953）. Literally “
Hard and Soft Style ”.
*** Shito-Ryu （糸東流）: Karate-do style founded by Master Kenwa Mabuni （1889-1952）. The term
means “ Style of Itosu and Higaonna ”.
*
Dojo （道場）: Training room. Literally “ Place of the Way ”.
 Victor Lopez Bondia
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[5] NAKAYAMA, Masatoshi: Superior Karate (vol. 6-8) .
shotokankaratedo
Ed. Fher, 1985
[6] FUNAKOSHI, Gichin: Karate-do. My path (Autobiography, 2nd edition).
Ed. Eyras, 1989
[7] TAMANO, Toshio: Karate Course. Goju-Ryu Karate .
Ed. De Vecchi, 1992
[8] CAMPS, Hermenegildo and CEREZO, Santiago: Comparative technical study of
Karate Katas .
Ed. Wings, 2005

Japanese fonts used in the editing of the document:

- MSMincho
- HGSeikaishotaiPRO
- HakusyuGyosyoKyokan