Monthly Archives: January 2016

Matsumura Sokon: The Seven Virtues of Martial Arts

by Andreas Quast This is the true story of the seven virtues of martial arts as described by Matsumura Sokon. Considered the primary source-text of old-style Okinawan martial arts, the “Seven Virtues” are admired for their straightforward advice. Handwritten in … Continue reading

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Tachimura no Naihanchi

Translator’s Introduction Right now our friend Ulf Karlsson is on the plane back to Sweden. He just spent several months of practice and study in Okinawa and Japan. While there he also had the chance to meet with Motobu Naoki … Continue reading

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To Osu, or not to Osu: it is not a question

Since my colleague Andrzej had heard I was doing karate, every now and then he would “Osu” me in the Kyokushinkai fashion. That was always perfectly ok with me, I actually thought it was funny. All has been said about … Continue reading

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Issue

Issue: Popular, often abridged quotes by famous karate persons are found on the internet in English translation. Often neither the translator nor the source is named –> it is impossible to verify or to deny the authenticity. Due to its … Continue reading

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An almost unknown colleague and student of Chōjun Miyagi: Gushimiyagi Hōhitsu

By Andreas Quast and Humberto Nuno de Oliveira It will always be difficult and questionable, given the manifest impossibility, to indicate the “totality” of Master Chōjun Miyagi’s students throughout his life. Unfortunately, in the face of the large number of students that … Continue reading

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Bunkai and “knowing”

Karate is never about the limited boundaries of “knowing”, but rather about developing each and every case as new. During my study of mechanical engineering, there was no task and no test you would do without having a formulary with … Continue reading

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Friedrich Schiller: Der Handschuh

  Vor seinem Löwengarten, Das Kampfspiel zu erwarten, Saß König Franz, Und um ihn die Großen der Krone, Und rings auf hohem Balkone Die Damen in schönem Kranz.   Und wie er winkt mit dem Finger, Auf tut sich der … Continue reading

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Anleitung zur deutschen und französischen Umgangssprache, 1841

„Der Stock. Le bâton. – Der Fechtstock.  Le bâton à deux bouts. – Mit dem Stock fechten. Jouer du bâton. – Das Stockfechten lernen. Apprendre le bâton.“ Aus: Adler-Mesnard: Anleitung zur deutschen und französischen Umgangssprache. 1841. S. 143.

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Quote Mabuni correctly

In his 1938 book Mabuni Kenwa mentioned on the situation of karate in Tōkyō. He said that the people who learned karate there believed that it only consisted of kicks & punches. At the same time they thought that throws … Continue reading

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Combat Sport Activities in Ancient Egypt

The purpose of this article is to provide some information on the peculiarities of combat sports in ancient Egypt. Moreover, it is meant as a contextual resource for a comparative study for those who study both armed and unarmed Ryūkyūan … Continue reading

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