Author Archives: Andreas Quast

Appropriation of Aphorisms etc.

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Andreas Quast

Japanese calligraphy sometimes uses four-character idiomatic phrases (yojijukugo 四字熟語). These are compound phrases consisting of four kanji used for idiomatic expressions the meaning of which are usually not directly inferred from the individual characters used. A few examples appropriated into … Continue reading →

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10. Tag des 6. Monats 1479: Prozession mit dem Prinzen, dem späteren König Shō Shin

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Andreas Quast

(Nach dem Bericht eines koreanischen Schiffbrüchigen in „Authentische Aufzeichnung der Schönheit der Yi-Dynastie“, übersetzt von Andreas Quast aus Iha Fuyu: Onarigami no Shima, S. 296) Ich und die anderen sahen die Königin Mutter, wie sie zum Umzug erschien. Sie benutzte … Continue reading →

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Matayoshi’s Imperial Medal, or: The Art of Creative Reinterpretation in Postwar Kobudō-Historiography

Posted on April 23, 2023 by Andreas Quast

Okinawa karate and kobudō is an amazing realm of sport, fitness, self-protection, and culture. It can be many different things for many different people. Embedded within the Okinawa karate kobudō landscape with its emblems, dōjō, photos, certificates, costumes, world championships … Continue reading →

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Lax Character, Lifestyle, Superpower: What is Tēgē テーゲー?

Posted on April 9, 2023 by Andreas Quast

I recently spoke with an expert about the Japan-Okinawa relationship, and why Japanese budōka sometimes despise Okinawa. As a possible reason was quoted the generally lax character of the Okinawans, which is ridiculed as tēgē (テーゲー = lax character) or … Continue reading →

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Excommunication and School Name

Posted on March 12, 2023 by Andreas Quast

A recent seminar announcement introduced a certain Tamaki Kazuo as an 8th Dan representant and teacher of Motobu Udundī. The reason is that Okinawan masters often know each other from school or elsewhere. Okinawa karate and kobudō is largely based … Continue reading →

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Funakoshi and Nagamine

Posted on March 5, 2023 by Andreas Quast

When Nagamine was in third grade, eight elementary schools would jointly hold an autumn athletic meet at Onoyama Park on November 13, 1916. The state of the joint athletic meet was also reported in the Ryūkyū Shinpō newspaper the following day. The karate perfomers … Continue reading →

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Nagamine Shoshin as a Politician

Posted on March 5, 2023 by Andreas Quast

Sometimes you hear the argument spread by some Okinawan guy, saying “I don’t like him. He was a politician.” I often wondered what that was supposed to mean. Obviously, it can be very simple black & white thinking. Here’s an … Continue reading →

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The story of “Maezato no Nunchaku Dai” and “Akamine no Nunchaku”

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Andreas Quast

In connection with Okinawa karate and kobudō, questions often remain answered unsatisfactorily, or unanswered at all. This may have different reasons. For example, people have long since forgotten what exactly happened several years or decades ago, or they were not … Continue reading →

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Form Follows Fiction

Posted on February 11, 2023 by Andreas Quast

“Form follows function,” an old concept borrowed from architecture is the congenial didactic behind karate kata, or so we were told. It can be. However, it can also be that – by and large – what teachers actually use as … Continue reading →

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Posted on December 29, 2022 by Andreas Quast

This is a short Soeishi-inspired combo. In mainland Taira lineage, there are two kinds of Soeishi no Kon, namely a Sho and a Dai version. Maybe Taira used different techniques at different times, so students decided they had to create … Continue reading →

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