Monthly Archives: June 2020

A bare-handed man boxing

Posted on June 27, 2020 by Andreas Quast

Note the calligraphy in the upper middle of the photography. It shows the phrase “a handless man boxing” (無手人行拳), read from right to left. The phrase was taken from “The Quiet Hermitage”, a Chinese collection of 100 Zen Buddhist theoretical … Continue reading →

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Hide and seek

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Andreas Quast

In Japanese martial arts, including Okinawa Karate, the personal lineage of instruction is of utmost importance. It is so important that it is considered a standalone criterion for the authenticity of a person and his style. Sometimes technical expertise is … Continue reading →

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Sanchin

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Andreas Quast

It seems that Higashionna Kanryō trained Sanchin as a technique to acquire skill. Miyagi on the other hand thought there was already enough practice of kaishu-gata, but heishu-gata were lacking. He began to aim at physical education and martial arts … Continue reading →

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Clues from the short entry about “Ānankū”

Posted on June 17, 2020 by Andreas Quast

Is there an old and a new version of Ānankū? In his book on kata, Nagamine Shōshin included a short paragraph about the original creator and the characteristics of each kata. Below is my English translation of the short Japanese … Continue reading →

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What’s in a hairpin?

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Andreas Quast

Various experts repeatedly likened karate to Ryūkyūan dance. For example, Funakoshi Gichin wrote that “As a martial art unique to Okinawa, the Mēkata dances of the rural areas are the same as not yet developed karate.” (1) More than a … Continue reading →

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