Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 2
- Title: Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 2, Kata Collection (玄制流空手道教範２型編, Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 2, Katahen). The word kyohan literally means textbook.
- Author: Kunihiko Tosa.
- Published: Officially, 1 July 1984.
- Language: Japanese (日本語).
Contents
Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 1[edit]
This part of the Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan series was being written by Kunihiko Tosa but never completed as he passed away in 2021. The plan was for it to contain the basics of Genseiryu Karate-do. According to Kunihiko Tosa's preface in Part 2 - Kata Collection the next book (part 1) would discuss the basic techniques (Kihon Gyogi), basic kata, prearranged sparring (Yakusoku Kumite), self-defence techniques (Goshin Jutsu) and classical martial arts (Kobudo). Unfortunately this book was never completed and most likely never will due to the passing of the author Kunihiko Tosa.
Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 2 - Kata Collection[edit]
Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 2 - Kata Collection is the very first book written in which it describes the style of Genseiryu. It was written by Kunihiko Tosa, around the period of 1982-1984 and was published in 1984 by Shureido. The content of the book is protected under copyright.
Nine advanced kata[edit]
The book contains images and texts of nine advanced Genseiryu kata. These are the depicted katas:
- Naihanchi
- Wankan
- Shukumine no Bassai
- Shukumine no Bassai (sho)
- Sansai
- Rohai
- Koshokun (dai)
- Koshokun (sho)
- Chinto
Preface(s)[edit]
In this book, Kunihiko Tosa wrote a preface dedicated to people who helped him in making this book as well as the people who helped him in his life. Also Seiken Shukumine wrote a preface in the book, as technical advisor during the making of it. He dedicated his preface to those who practise the style of Genseiryu. Seiken Shukumine wrote that it is very essential to train kata in order to understand the essence of Karate-do. Both prefaces can be read further down this page in an English translation.
Preface by Kunihiko Tosa[edit]
- Translated to English and included here with explicit permission from Kunihiko Tosa.
- This preface is protected under copyright.
Finally I managed to publish the book: Genseiryu Karatedo Kyohan 2 - Kata Collection, which has been my wish for such a long time.
The reason for taking such a long time to publish this book, is that it takes thorough planning and consideration, as well as investigation, to complete a book, which preferably remain - also for future generations. In addition, I am convinced that it would never have been a real book on the Genseiryu style, without the instructions and approval of Seiken Shukumine, who is my former instructor as well as the founder of Genseiryu Karate-do. I am convinced that we all have a responsibility to hand down the style as correctly as possible!
It is perhaps unnecessary to say, that such a book is indispensable, when we wish to hand down our style's characteristics to future generations. No style can be justified as being independent from other styles, without having it's own theory and it's own characteristics.
Regardless of a style's extent in theory and characteristics, the style would be without value, if we would not make an effort of spreading the style and at the same time generate a number of persons, who is accepted by the society as good citizens. Exactly this has been my goal, as far as friends as well as students are concerned. Literally this has been a lifelong challenge. Our big involvement in the teaching of our style, has resulted in a big spreading of Genseiryu - not only in Japan, but all over the world, where every individual school continually makes good results.
It would perhaps have been better to explain the basic techniques first, but for some reason I gave highest priority to explaining kata. As a result of this, the next book will be about basic techniques (Kihon Gyogi), basic kata, prearranged sparring (Yakusoku Kumite), self defense techniques (Goshin Jutsu) and classical martial arts (Kobudo).
This book is composed of both training kata and traditional kata. Besides these, I have included a kata called: "Chinto", which I have learned from Hiroyasu Tamae - a master of Shuri-te.
It is very important that we share this book with other practitioners of Genseiryu Karatedo, as we just practice an original style, but also because we are organized in a federation.
I sincerely hope, that this book will be of great help to all practitioners during their training in Genseiryu Karatedo, but we must not forget, that we are also connected to the Japan Karate-do Federation, and that we therefore must accept the rules, which this federation has prepared. To support the federation, we have included four of the eight kata specified by JKF, into our curriculum. Regarding this issue, I am convinced that our activities are no different from that of other style's.
After being taught by Master Shukumine, I was taught by Master Tamae. By him I was taught the basic kata: Heian, Taikyoku as well as Chinto. He was furthermore the first president of Genseiryu Butokukai.
From 1972 I worked nine years for the Japan Karate-do Federation. I worked together with Master Eriguchi, who at the time was my superior. He gave me, among others, the opportunity to play a big role as an official at the Japan Martial Arts Festival, at the NHK sports program, and at the All Japan Children Martial Arts Tournament. These events remain unforgettable memories up to this day.
As it is well known, Master Otake was the first chief director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Karate-do Federation. He founded the basis of the federation we know today. When I, in 1969, founded the Nerima Ward Karate-do Federation as well as working in the Tokyo Metropolitan Karate-do Federation, he appointed me as the PR Official. I worked with him as an office clerk. I can't thank him enough for his kindness!
I worked for Master Takeshi Sasaki for four years from 1970, first as an undersecretary, later as a director in general. In this period Master Takeshi Sasaki was the chief director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Karate-do Federation. Now he is the vice president of the organization. He gave me the opportunity to develop and acquire indescribable human values. I thank him for his generosity. Unfortunately it was not possible to get a preface from him this time.
Master Mano, who at the time was a director general as well as my direct superior, took especially good care of me, as I worked for nine years as his under secretary. He still helps me in different ways.
There are of course many others who have helped me and instructed me in different ways through the years. As far as writing a preface to this book, I chose to ask those who are closest to me.
For their contribution of prefaces to this book, I want to use this opportunity to express my gratitude to the following masters: Hiroyasu Tamae, Eiichi Eriguchi, Ichizou Otsuke and Takaichi Mano.
Master Seiken Shukumine gave me much advice and detailed instructions in connection to the publishing of this book, as well as he, as the founder of the Genseiryu style, took responsibility for the technical level of this book.
Finally I want to express my special gratitude towards Seiken Shukumine for being the founder of our style.
Preface by Seiken Shukumine[edit]
- Translated to English and included here with explicit permission from Kunihiko Tosa.
- This preface is protected under copyright.
Today, karate has become very popular and has therefore spread all over the world. Acknowledging this situation, we, the karate players, should not be attracted by and satisfied only with it's special characteristics. We have to look into what karate really is, in order to understand how to teach it correctly.
Traditionally in the karate world, instructors teach kata and kumite as indispensable means to learn karate. To know the nature of karate, to understand it, to develop techniques, to win tournaments, and finally to succeed in understanding the essence of karate as a martial art, all depends on how effectively we learn and train both kata and kumite.
Realizing this aspect of karate training, the head Shihan Kunihiko Tosa has collected the Genseiryu kata, and then published the "Master Text Genseiryu karate-do Kata Collection".
I'm sure that this great work will be of continuing importance in the future. I really appreciate to have this opportunity of writing this preface for the book.
When I founded the Genseiryu style, I was first thinking of how to apply speed and angles in fighting techniques, and how to use them to get the best results. Then I thought about what would be the most appropriate and efficient way to move and how actual fighting should respond to real attacks and fake attacks. Finally I looked on how to develop an optimal physical condition by using basic techniques and kata in order to complete the Genseiryu style.
By creating these characteristics, I wanted the Genseiryu style to be different from other styles. Even though I was aiming in the right direction, I can't say that I have completely matured the Genseiryu style. I believe, however, there are instructors who succeed to the goal of training, and make the most of it's original characteristics, which is most important to me. I admit that we can't tell the worth of something only by it's characteristics. But as for martial arts, a style without any character or theory is of no value.
In the history of karate after the World War II, some college students claimed: "Kata isn't worth learning" and they did away with kata in competitions. However, as a matter of fact, kata contains the result of all the techniques of martial arts. Also movements in kata that can be applied in actual fighting, can become suggestions for creating new techniques. Therefore, I think people who claim: "Kata isn't worth learning", don't really understand what martial arts are all about.
Though kata should be handed down strictly, it is apt to change and become mere movements for form's sake instead of fighting. I think that the reason for this, is that nothing can be handed down as it is from person to person. And that each instructor justifies his own way of teaching without having any clear criteria. I'm afraid that this situation of various katas being sustained in such ambiguous ways can do harm to the existence of the respective styles including the Genseiryu style.
Now, Shihan Tosa has intended to publish a textbook about kata teachings while thinking deeply and looking into the future of the Genseiryu style. I believe that he wants to explain the kata, in order to clarify the way of learning kata without any misunderstanding, thus preventing wrong teaching of kata.
The book is not just a manual, but a medium to come closer to the essence of karate-do. Not reading it that way, teaching karate will be meaningless.
Of course, for a real understanding, it's not enough just to read the book. For a consistent instruction in any style of karate it's necessary to understand properly in what way a textbook can be helpful. Each karate style must aim to learn the thought of the karate world in general. Each style of martial arts must aim to understand the thought of the martial arts in general, and make efforts to learn about the origin of each style. Otherwise we are not qualified as instructors and we should admonish ourselves.
I'm sure that the techniques of Genseiryu have the potential to be applied widely and to be developed creatively. But we must adjust some techniques that are developed only in the Genseiryu style to the rules and ways of the karate world in general. Further, the Genseiryu techniques should be recognized as one of the representative styles in the karate world. Though I have my own opinion about this problem, there's no room for referring to it here, due to the limited length of this preface. Therefore, I will refer to it next time.
Finally, I would like to dedicate a message to all people who loves the Genseiryu style:
"Karate is a way through which we train ourselves and seek a true art. By mastering it, another road opens before us. Beyond that road we can come to understand the universal essence of martial arts. It's not too much to say that the starting point which leads to this essence lies in the training of kata!
