Disqus - Latest Comments for Ikigai108

Re: In Memoriam: Shimabukuro Eizo, Hanshi of Shobayashi Ryu (1925-2017)

Ikigai108 — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 09:35:49 -0000

Thank you for sharing your experience Perkins Sensei.

Re: In Memoriam: Shimabukuro Eizo, Hanshi of Shobayashi Ryu (1925-2017)

Ikigai108 — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 10:11:58 -0000

Thank you as always Hayes Sensei.

Re: Kuwa – Okinawan Hoe (And Tool of Self Defense!)

Ikigai108 — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 10:03:15 -0000

Hi Carolyn. Yes, linking is no problem. Thanks for reading!

Re: Reader Week III Coming Soon! Submit Your Article Now.

Ikigai108 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 23:11:49 -0000

Roger that, thanks Colin.

Re: Reader Week III Coming Soon! Submit Your Article Now.

Ikigai108 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 14:27:28 -0000

Hi Colin! Great to hear from you, as always, and I appreciate your submission. For photos, I would recommend using the "upload article" file upload button. With that, you can send me a word document with the photos already imbedded. However, if you are intending on publishing the article on your website even if it goes up on mine, I would not consider it for the Reader Week. It's always best to avoid duplicate content. If I publish it first on my website, I'll get canonical credit for it, which means search engines may react poorly to it appearing on your site. Vice versa would be true if you published it on your site first. I hope you have a stand-alone piece you could submit!

Re: Hikite – The Withdrawing Hand

Ikigai108 — Tue, 30 May 2017 20:53:32 -0000

Couple of problems here Junko. First, your comment is rather snarky and dismissive. This is a bad habit for martial artists to be in. I say that as someone who has done some snarking myself, but learned to see it happening and try to eliminate it whenever possible. I would recommend that habit asap.

Second - I was well aware of meotode before, during, and after this article.

Third - The Okinawans were never slavish to technique names. That is more of a modern development. During the next phase of your training I would recommend you abandon your hard definitions of what a technique is/isn't and keep an open mind toward possibilities. It's the pathway toward Tichiki.

Re: Luke Skywalker Will Be in Star Wars Episode 9

Ikigai108 — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 13:23:33 -0000

What's the source for that image featured at the top of the article?

Re: Quick Look: The Bubishi, 2016 Edition

Ikigai108 — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 15:16:34 -0000

Good stuff Boykie, I'm sure you'll get value out of it!

Re: STORY: The Master’s Four Students

Ikigai108 — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 18:22:30 -0000

Thank you for checking out some articles Boykie!

Re: Tribute to Oyata Seiyu, Ryu-Te 10th Dan (1930-2012)

Ikigai108 — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 07:17:17 -0000

I'm guessing you are referring to Kuniyoshi Shinkichi? Kuniosh is not a name that exists. Also, Kuniyoshi Sensei is indeed associated with Tomari as he lived there for a time, although his background is not considered strictly Tomari Te due to his Chinese roots via Sakayama. Motobu Choki is more closely associated with Tomari Te due to his time with Matsumora Sensei. Of course, Motobu Sensei experienced multiple instructors as well, as was standard practice at the time. I hope this helps your studies.

Re: Story: A Karate Man Would Not

Ikigai108 — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 11:26:40 -0000

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kai, I'm glad you enjoyed the story!

Re: Your Bruce Lee Phase (A Giveaway!)

Ikigai108 — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 17:08:48 -0000

For those new to the site, comments start here!

Re: Is It Possible to Cross-Train Hard and Soft Styles?

Ikigai108 — Mon, 18 May 2015 13:12:20 -0000

I'm glad to hear your cross-training has proved fruitful!

Re: Building a Fire (A Martial Arts Thought Exercise)

Ikigai108 — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 10:21:00 -0000

Thanks for your comment Klein Sensei! I've had a chance to try BJJ and I can definitely see how it could be addicting.

Re: The Interweaving of Kata Beauty, Application, and Perfection

Ikigai108 — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 12:14:01 -0000

Exactly Sam - That is why I make mention of the chase!

Re: Interview: Katherine Loukopoulos Sensei (Part 2)

Ikigai108 — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 20:37:26 -0000

Hayes Sensei,

Thank you very much for your thoughtful response and for adding even more context to Loukopoulos Sensei's story!

Re: Making Sense of Passai (An Exploration of Origin and Style)

Ikigai108 — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 16:59:27 -0000

Very glad it proved helpful Tom!

Re: Making Sense of Passai (An Exploration of Origin and Style)

Ikigai108 — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 15:09:54 -0000

Thanks for your input Daniel. Could you trace the kata's lineage back to its Chinese roots and provide some documentation of your sources?

Much appreciated!

Re: STORY: The Master’s Four Students

Ikigai108 — Fri, 30 May 2014 01:47:58 -0000

Thanks for reading Earl!

Re: STORY: The Master’s Four Students

Ikigai108 — Thu, 29 May 2014 14:43:10 -0000

Thanks for sharing some of your story Lee and for being a part of the site here!

Re: How to Choose a Karate Uniform (Or Gi)

Ikigai108 — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 18:44:50 -0000

Hi Ella. That all depends on your style. Most traditional styles are a single color...but not all! The Matayoshi family, for example, wears black top and white bottom.

Re: Making Sense of Passai (An Exploration of Origin and Style)

Ikigai108 — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 11:50:46 -0000

Hi Mike. I took a peek online and viewed a few performances of the Shuri Ryu version. To me, the name (Bassai Dai) and stancework is very indicative of a Japanese influence. At the end of the kat there are two low clearing blocks that are trademarks of the Shotokan/Shito version of Bassai Dai.

While this version has it's own flair, I would say it's closest cousin is from Shotokan or Shito Ryu.

Re: Making Sense of Passai (An Exploration of Origin and Style)

Ikigai108 — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 17:44:49 -0000

Thanks for the head start on the Mabuni+Funakoshi connection for Bassai. I will keep looking into it and make any corrections needed!

As for Funakoshi in the Imperial outfit - unfortunately I don't have any insight into that. Perhaps he was being honored in front of important Japanese Delegates?

Re: Making Sense of Passai (An Exploration of Origin and Style)

Ikigai108 — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 13:10:59 -0000

If I am interpreting you correctly you are referring to the Menkyo Kaiden system where Makimono scrolls were sometimes used as transmissions of secret techniques or lineages of an art. Those family scrolls would then be used to delineate senior students or the successor of a style. It's important to note that the Okinawans relied on this system much less heavily than Japanese and Chinese martial cultures. Matsumura Sokon is believed to have participated in this tradition due to his exposure to Japan and China, but many masters did not. You can read more about Okinawan rank here - http://www.ikigaiway.com/20...

On Okinawa it was much more common for a karate practitioner to have multiple influences. By all accounts Funakoshi seems to have gotten his start via Azato sensei - (Okinawa Island of Karate, Page 55). However, we musn't get mixed up in semantics to the point where we don't consider Funakoshi a student of Itosu. Funakoshi's situation was much different than the modern habit of having a primary teacher and then visiting others a few times for seminars. He actively trained under both men ,with Azato being his first and Itosu as a second instructor. This was not uncommon. To quote Funakoshi:

"Meanwhile, I continued assiduously with my karate, training under a number of teachers: Master Kiyuna...Master Toonno of Naha...Master Niigaki...and Master Matsumura...this is not to say that I neglected either of my first two masters. On the contrary, I spent as much time with them as possible." ("Karatedo My Way of Life" pg. 13)

"Masters Azato and Itosu were the teachers who instructed the writer, and to whom the writer is greatly indebted." (Kyohan pg. 12)

"My esteemed teachers, the late masters Shishu (Itosu) and Azato, were both very weak in their childhood, but after starting to train in karate...they seemed like different people compared to their old selves." (Kyohan pg. 12)

"My teacher, Master Itosu, had a body that could be likened to a cast-iron torso." (kyohan, 240)

"Master Itosu, from whom I learned the Heian, Tekki, and other kata, was the private secretary to the Ryukyuan King...When I studied under Master Azato, considered the greatest karate expert of his time, I was his only student; and when I trained under Master Itosu, he had very few students, fewer than even the poorest neighborhood dojo today." (Karatedo Nyumon pg. 22-23)

Believe it or not, this kind of split or mash-up learning was much more common on Okinawa than the Menkyo Kaiden system. Even when successors were named it was often a matter of convenience rather than seniority.

It should also be pointed out that while Azato Sensei was an astute political observer and supporter of working with the Japanese, it was Itosu's renovations that Funakoshi took to Japan. It required close cooperation between Funakoshi and Itosu to make this happen, and indeed on multiple occasions Funakoshi discusses Itosu's spearheading of bringing karate into the Okinawan school systems.

Also, I have not seen any evidence that Mabuni Kenwa received a Menkyo Kaiden from Itosu Anko - although I would love to see it if it exists.

The more important point here (I think) - it seems very possible that Mabuni Sensei influenced Bassai as taught by Funakoshi. They were known to interact with each other and Mabuni was most definitely a senior student of Itosu and a kata savant. That being the case, it is feasible that Mabuni provided the groundwork for bassai sho to Funakoshi (but it is still Itosu's Bassai Sho). If we can get a little more documentation suggesting that Shotokan's Bassai came from Mabuni I would definitely add a line on my lineage chart reflecting that. Thank you for the Cybershitokai article to get the ball rolling!

Re: Making Sense of Passai (An Exploration of Origin and Style)

Ikigai108 — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 22:48:21 -0000

Thanks for your thoughts Igor. Could you provide some documentation supporting your ideas?

In both "Karatedo My Way of Life" and Karatedo Kyohan" Funakoshi refers to himself as a direct student of Itosu, so I don't believe you are correct in that assertion.

I also have not seen any documentation suggesting that Passai Dai came from Azato, although I hope you can provide me with the evidence if such is the case.