Glossary of terms
Martial art name: Okinawan Kempo Karate
Advanced part of Okinawan Kempo Karate: Shiro Washi Ryu Kempo (Hands of the White Eagle)
Creator and Master of Oyata Shin Shu Ho: Taika Seiyu Oyata (10th dan)
The creator of Shiro Washi Ryu Kempo and the President of the International Federation of Okinawan Kempo: Hanshi Piotr Ciećwierz Polander (9 Dan). He trained with Taika Seiyu Oyata for 25 years.
Where is Okinawa located? Currently a Japanese island in the Pacific Ocean, the largest in the Ryukyu archipelago, located south of Japan and east of China.
Japanese language: Pronunciation in Japanese is based on syllables rather than individual letters, each syllable is stressed equally. For example, the word karate consists of three syllables ka-ra-te. The pronunciation of the syllables is the same as in Polish. Vowels with a dash at the top have a longer phonetic sound than regular vowels. This notation is called Hiragana.
Hiragana – allows you to write all words phonetically, as long as their spelling matches the Japanese syllable system. It is used to write particles, endings and words that are not written with characters. Apart from Hiragana, there are two other character sets.
Kanji – i.e. several thousand characters replacing hiragana (e.g. two syllables of hiragana are one character in kanji) or defining one word.
Katakana – the same as hiragana, only for the phonetic recording of words of foreign origin (non-Japanese). All endings masu, desu are read as mas, des.
Kempo: "kem" means "fist", and "po" means "method", i.e. a fist fighting method from Okinawa with ancient Chinese origins.
Karate: "kara", meaning "empty", "te", meaning "hand", means an open-hand martial art originating from Okinawa.
Kobudo: a term used for the Okinawan weaponry associated with traditional karate. Literally translated, Kobudo means old martial ways., "do" means "way".
Tuite Jitsu: a fighting method based on the the art of Joint Manipulation
Kyusho Jitsu: a fighting method that involves striking vital points.
Atemi Jitsu: a fighting method involving striking. It can be applied to any part of the body.
Who were Taika Oyata's teachers?
Uhugusku-tan-mei – a warrior who was one of the last to serve as bodyguard for the royal family in Okinawa. He was the main defender of the Shuri gate and the place where the Okinawan Samurai (Pechin) slept. He was a kobudo master - he specialized in keeping his opponent at bay. He wore a traditional Samurai hairstyle in the form of a top knot (a hairstyle allowed only for Samurai). He taught Master Taika Oyata Kobudo and Tiute.
Wakinaguni-tan-mei - came from Chinese families from the Ming dynasty, which lost 1/3 of the population living in the areas it ruled during a huge earthquake in the 15th century AD. This disaster significantly weakened the dynasty and, under pressure from other families, 36 Ming families emigrated to Okinawa. Wakinaguni-tan-mei was a 6th generation descendant of one of these families. He taught Master Taika Oyata Kyusho and fighting strategies. He was an expert in the art of Kyusho Jitsu. He was characterized by the fact that all the fingers on his hands were of the same length as a result of repeatedly striking hard objects with his fingers - this way he strengthened them.
Nakamura – responsible for introducing Bogu Kumite (martial art in protective armor) to karate, as a way to test self-defense techniques while providing protection to the trainee. He taught Taika the 12 open hand katas that are taught in Okinawan Kempo.
Uehara – Inherited the Motobu Ryu system from Choyu Motobu. He was part of a training group where Taika Oyata tested the knowledge received from his teachers (Uhugushiku and Wakinaguni) with Uehara's knowledge.
Taika Oyata and his history:
Taika Oyata is a Master (10th dan – Judan) from Okinawa. He was the main teacher of Ryu Te Renmei® and Oyata Shin Shu Ho Ryu®. He began his training with two masters, Uhugusku and Wakinaguni. He then trained with Shigeru Nakamura and his training partner Seikechi Uehara. He moved to the United States in 1977 to found an international organization with his closest disciples.
Okinawan Kempo family tree
Dojo kun
- First! Strive for a good moral character!
- First! Keep an honest and sincere way!
- First! Cultivate perseverance or will for striving!
- First! Develop a respectful attitude!
- First! Restrain physical ability through spiritual attainment!
Ku Te Shu Gyo Sha no Kokoro'e - basic training principles:
1. Prepare yourself mentally to explore the secrets of your chosen art
2. Maintain a proper attitude towards teachers and educators
3. Train your mind
4. Protect others
5. Avoid violence in everyday life
6. Study systematically
7. Use training equipment appropriately
8. Practice kata with intense attention
9. Learn as many self-defense techniques as you can
10. Get rid of doubts
Ceremonial (obligatory for everyone):
Onegai-shimasu – please learn, said before training
Domo arigato gozaimashta – thank you very much for teaching, said after training
Sensei ni rei – a bow to teachers
O-tagai ni rei – a bow to co-trainers
Mokuso hajime – meditation (closing eyes) hajime – let's start
Mokuso yame – end of meditation (opening the eyes) yame – we finish
Rei – bow
Seiza – sitting position, on the heels
Yoi – ready position, fists down in front of you at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, feet parallel to each other, shoulder width apart
Sumimasen – I'm sorry
Konnichiwa – good morning
Konbawa – good evening
Oyasuminasai – good night
Hai – yes
Kyu student ranks (10 degrees before black belt level - Mudansha degrees):
10 kyu – white belt with a black bar
9 kyu – white belt with a black and red stripe
8 kyu – yellow belt
7 kyu – orange belt
6 kyu – purple belt
5 kyu – blue belt
4 kyu – green belt
3 kyu – brown belt with 3 black bars
2 kyu – brown belt with 2 black bars
1 kyu – brown belt with 1 black bar
Titles:
Taika – head of the family (martial arts)
Hanshi – teacher of teachers
Tasshi – raised above
Kyoshi – a person who understands
Renshi – a person who practices
Sensei – teacher, a term addressed to someone with greater knowledge or older
Sempai – a term addressed to a senior student/instructor
Basics (kihon): Japanese name:
Technical foundation 1: Kihon ichi
Technical foundation 2: Kihon ni
Technical foundation 3: Kihon san
Kata:
Naihanchi Shodan Kata
Naihanchi Nidan Kata
Naihanchi Sandan Kata
Tomari Seisan Kata
Pinan Shodan Kata
Pinan Nidan Kata
Pinan Sandan Kata
Pinan Yondan Kata
Pinan Godan Kata
Passai Kata
Kusanku Kata
Niseishi Kata
Shiho Happo No Te
Kata name translations:
Naihanchin - Ground fighting
Pinan – calm mind/calm manner
Seisan – thirteenth (13th moon)
Passai – Penetrating the fortress
Kusanku – looking at the sky
Niseishi – twenty-four steps
Shiho Happo No Te – all directions
Numbers (mandatory for everyone):
1 – Ichi, 2 – Ni, 3 – San, 4 – Shi, 5 – Go, 6 – Roku, 7 – Sichi, 8 – Hachi, 9 – Ku, 10 – Ju
Basic directions:
Migi – right
Hidari – left
Age – ascending, upwards
Soto – outside
Uchi – inwards
Ushiro – rear
Yoko – side
Mae – front
Jodan – head and neck
Chudan – trunk zone
Gedan – lower body
Ude – forearm
Hiza – knee
Gyaku – reverse
Basic positions (dachi):
Kiba-dachi (Naichanchi-dachi) – Horse Stance, knees out, feet parallel, calves vertical. (English: Horse Stance)
Zenkutsu-dachi (Seisan Dachi) – Front stance, front leg bent, rear leg straight, feet shoulder-width apart parallel to each other
Yoi-dachi – ready position, feet parallel, shoulder-width apart
Neko-dachi – Cat stance, (90% of the weight on the back leg, strongly bent, front foot with the heel high up)
Sankaku Dachi – triangle stance, at an angle of 45 degrees, weight 50/50%, whole feet on the floor
Ky o tske – formal position, attention (feet 45 degrees out, heels together, hands open along the body)
Seiza – sitting position, on the heels
Mayoko dachi – Weapon stance
Kokutsu Dachi – Back-weighted stance, 70% of the weight on the back leg, front foot straight ahead, heel slightly above the ground
Basic blocks (uke):
Uchi-uke – single block, middle block inside
Soto-uke – single block, middle block outside
Jodan-uke – face block, upper forearm block
Gedan-uke – low block
Shuto uke – knife hand, block with the outer edge of the open hand
Kake – cover
Basic punches (uchi):
Tsuki – straight punch
Seiken – punching with the surface of seiken (knuckles)
Uraken – backfist strike (Shomen – forward, Mawashi – forward circular, Yoko – to the side, Otoshi – falling down)
Nukite – spear hand
Sanbon tsuki – triple strike
Nikai tsuki – double strike
Kizami Tsuki – hand over leg strike with a lunge
Oi Tsuki - striding hand over leg (front punch, e.g. right leg in front and right hand punch)
Gyaku Tsuki - opposite hand strike (opposite strike, e.g. left foot in front and right hand punch)
Yoko shuto – Ridge Hand strike
Basic kicks (geri):
Mae-geri – front kick (Shou mae-geri) – rising (whipping)
Yoko-geri – side kick: (Shou – rising (whipping), Kekomi – pushing (kick at one level)
Mawashi-geri – roundhouse kick
Ushiro Geri – back kick
Hiza-geri – knee kick
Gedan geri – low kick
Weapon (kobudo):
Bo-jutsu - the art of fighting with a stick
Bo – wooden stick (180cm)
Chizikun Bo – two short sticks attached to the middle finger with a rope
Tan Bo – two short sticks (60 cm) used for striking and catching
Jo – shorter stick than Bo (120cm)
Sai – a trident made of steel
Tonfa – a wooden baton (like a police baton) for turning and hitting the opponent
Eku (Kai) – an oar used as a weapon
Kama - a sickle, a sharp weapon with a wooden handle
Other:
Kampu – Samurai top knot
Dojo – karate school, training place
Kiai – exclamation
Neweza – ground fighting
Jutsu – martial art
REMEMBER!
“KARATE NI SENTE NASHI” – karate does not strike first. This is not only a moral principle, but also a strategy. Attacking the opponent after he has made his first move causes him to reveal his weaknesses to us and he will not be able to defend himself against us.
Karate Principles
- When entering a dojo or asking to be taught, be free from prejudice and be submissive, so that you will accept the teachings as shown. This will help you not to establish bad habits.
- Observe respect toward the Master and superiors. Also be courteous to fellow students and followers. Strive to develop the virtue of humbleness.
- A healthy body can be obtained through constant training. Cultivate the spirit of perseverance.
- Strive to be a warrior for the construction of a peaceful and free world through the character building, morality and spirituality obtained by learning the way of karate.
- In daily conduct, do not engage in fights or arguments. Always be prudent.
- In actual training, move up from the easy to the difficult, and from the simple to the complicated. More time and hard work will be required for repetition and continuous training. Never hurry but strive for gradual development, and never engage in senseless or reckless practice.
- Become familiar with the use of the makiwara and other training equipment. Train yourself to use your fist or other parts. Be patient and earnestly study the kata or matches. Never aim for hurried the success.
- It has been said that it takes three years to comprehend a kata. In ancient days, a master studied a single kata for ten years. There is no time limit for kata to be improved. Never be proud, even if much is accomplished. Pride hurts achievement in virtue, as well as technique and will become like a poison.
- Be cautious in training, do not develop a favorite technique or it may become a weakness. Be careful not to become too theoretical or technical.
- Any questions should be freely asked. Always strive to understand what is being taught.
Oyata Shin Shu Ho
“To strive to attain true moral goodness, and to express it through one's every action.”