Seminar support materialsfrom Shihan Tony Annesi, Takeshin Sogo Budo

BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARSc/o 300 Eliot St. #369

Ashland, Mass. [01721]usA

(508) 881-4007Teiji KAZE (France) performs Shotokan Empi.

Bushido-kai Kata Comparison SeriesBushido-kai Kata Comparison SeriesBushido-kai Kata Comparison SeriesBushido-kai Kata Comparison SeriesBushido-kai Kata Comparison Series

Analysis and ApplicationsAnalysis and ApplicationsAnalysis and ApplicationsAnalysis and ApplicationsAnalysis and Applications

Empi/WanshuEmpi/WanshuEmpi/WanshuEmpi/WanshuEmpi/Wanshu

Matsukaze/WankanMatsukaze/WankanMatsukaze/WankanMatsukaze/WankanMatsukaze/Wankan

NAME:

E m p i / W a n s h uAdditional Information compiled by Shihan Tony Annesi & Toby Reed

History & Name• Potentially one of the oldest kata in karate (however, estimated dates vary between 17th Cen-tury and very early 19th century).• The common belief is that Wanshu kata developed in Tomari especially by Masters SENAEDAand MATSUMORA and, later, a Shuri-te version developed from Masters Sokon MATSUMURAand Ankoh ITOSU; but there is enough conflicting evidence to suggest that both Tomari and Shurihad a verison of the kata at the same time or that Shuri did not have it at all. Another lineagestates that Chotoku KYAN learned Wanshu from MAEDA and passed it on to NAGAMINE. Thisalso suggests a Tomari-te lineage.• The ideographs for EMPI (also pronounced as Enpi) means a “Flying Swallow” to remind us ofthe common features of many “bird” kata: up and down, in and out motion. Its original name wasWANSHU (some pronounce it Hanshu) but the ideographs for this pronunciation are completelyundecided and therefore the word has no definite meaning beyond that of a name. RyushoSAKAGAMI in his Karate-do Kata Taikan uses the ideographs which mean “Arm Excellence” butthis is probably fitting a meaning to the sound rather than being historically accurate.• Shoshin NAGAMINE uses a specific set of characters for WANSHU but those characters, whichtranslate roughly into “Oar in the Water”, are not the characters used by the emissary WANSHUand thus are a modern inaccuracy. This is complicated by the fact that WANSHU (the name) iscommonly considered the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese WANG Ji. But WANG Ji wouldbe transliterated into Oushu, not Wanshu. But perhaps Wan is the Okinawan pronunciation of theJapanese Ou. If this is so, who then was Wang Ji?• WANG Ji was a Supposhi (embassary) who arrived in Okinawa in 1683 (according to RyushoSAKAGAMI) and stayed for only six months. Was this enough time to teach Okinawans and havea kata named after him?

General• EMPI shows up/down as well as in/out motions while WANSHU tends to show only the in/out motions• The embusens of EMPI and each WANSHU variation are different, but one can see a similarityin the general L-shape• Isshin and some Shito schools refer to this kata as “The Dumping Form” perhaps because of thekata guruma (shoulder wheel) throw illustrated near the end of the kata.• Wankan (Matsukaze), Wanshu (Empi) and Wandoh (Wanduan) may be related kata, all fromTomari-te.

Other Versions• Isshin-ryu (Kyan to Tatsuo Shimabuko); Matsubayashi-ryu (Maeda to Nagamine); Itosu-kaiShito-ryu (Mabuni? to Sakagami); Seibukan Shorin-ryu (Kyan to Zenryo Shimabuko); OkinawanKenpo (Toma to Odo); Kyan to Okuhira Bunei; Shorei-ryu; Gohakukai Tomari-di (Seiyu to Iken: 2versions Dai and Sho)

NOTE: “2 versions” may give a hint as to the variation in main versions above

References:• Alexander, George W., Okinawa, Island of Karate , Yamazato Publications,1991• KANAZAWA, Hirokazu, Shotokan Karate International Kata (Vol. 1), 1981• Kim, Richard, “KATA”, Dojo Magazine, vol. 1, no. 1, Fall 1992• NAKAYAMA, Masatoshi, Best Karate (Vol. 7), Kodansha International, 1981• Morris, Vince & Aiden Trimble, Karate Kata and Applications, Vol 2, Stanley Paul Pub., 1990• Reed, Tobey, Wanshu no Kata (a report, 9/00)• Reed, Tobey, Wansu (personal handout to students)• SAKAGAMI, Ryusho, Karate-do Kata Taikan, Japan Publications, 1978.

BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS, c/o 300 Eliot St., Ashland, Mass. [01721] 508 881-4007

The following illustrated outline of the kata comes from KARATE-DO NO SHOSAI(The Details of Karate-do) Volume 4: Nidan by Tony Annesi

(Available through BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA, this manual includes 9 other forms, suggested bunkai,as well as Takeshin Nidan sparring and kicking requirements.)

Because the WANSHU varaitions taught at this seminar are not on therank requirement list in Takeshin Karate-do, we have not provided illustrations

for thaose forms. Refer to the seminar videotape for the sequences of those forms.

Matsukaze l Wankan (Pine Wind) (King’s Crown)

Additional Information compiled by Shihan Tony Annesi

• There are two distinct kata bearing the name Wankan (“King’s Crown”): the first is the Shito-ryu form also known as Matsukaze (literally “Pine Wind” or figuratively “Wind through thePines”); the second is the Shotokan form Wankan (“King’s Crown”) which, at first glance, bearsno resemblance to the Matsukaze form

History & Name• Matsukaze is said to descend from tomari village through Matsumora and is preserved inShito-ryu, Matsubayashi Shorin and other styles• Shotokan’s Wankan, although seemingly different, is said to descend from Tomari-te and thusis probably a variation or a derivation of Matsukaze• SAKAGAMI uses ideographs for Wankan which translate into “Arm Piercing” or “PiercingArm” but this is probably a fanciful name based on the sound of the word• Funakoshi changed the name of Wankan to both Shiofu (“Tide” or “Appearance”) and Hito(“Man”, “Mankind”, or “Messenger”) but the old name prevailed• Although Pine Wind and Tide suggest the back and forth wave of the signature movement inMatsukaze, I have been unable to discern why the term “King’s Crown” is relevant to eitherkata

General• Wankan (Matsukaze), Wanshu (Empi) and Wandoh (Wanduan) may be related kata, all fromTomari-te• Both Matsukaze and Wankan are based on the L- or modified T-shape but the direction of theL or T differs from one kata to the other• Shito’s Matsukaze is considered a basic or intermediate kata while Shotokan’s Wankan isusually listed as an advanced kata despite the fact that it is the shortest form in the Shotokansyllabus

References:• Alexander, George W., Okinawa, Island of Karate , Yamazato Publications, 1991• KANAZAWA, Hirokazu, Shotokan Karate International Kata (Vol. 2), 1981• Kim, Richard, “KATA”, Dojo Magazine, vol. 1, no. 1, Fall 1992• NAGAMINE, Shoshin, The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do, Tuttle, 1976• NAKAYAMA, Masatoshi, Best Karate (Vol. 7), Kodansha International, 1981• Morris, Vince & Aiden Trimble, Karate Kata and Applications, Vol. 4, Stanley Paul Pub., 1990• SAKAGAMI, Ryusho, Karate-do Kata Taikan, Japan Publications, 1978.

BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS, c/o 300 Eliot St., Ashland, Mass. [01721] 508 881-4007The following illustrated outline of the kata comes from KARATE-DO NO SHOSAI

(The Details of Karate-do) Volume 4: Nidan by Tony Annesi (Available through BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA, this manual includes 9 other forms, suggested

bunkai, as well as Takeshin Nidan sparring and kicking requirements.)

BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS,c/o 300 Eliot St., Ashland, Mass. [01721]

508 881-4007

The preceding illustrated outlineof the kata comes from

KARATE-DO NO SHOSAI(The Details of Karate-do)

Volume 4: Nidan by Tony Annesi (Available through

BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA,this manual includes 9 other

forms, suggested bunkai, as well asTakeshin Nidan sparring and

kicking requirements.)

NOTE: The presentation of thisseminar on videocassette,

professionally edited in vinyllibrary case is available from

BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA at theabove phone number.

Ryusho SAKAGAMI performs Itosu-kai Wanshu.