As in the previous installments, I am looking at versions of the Choun no Kon of Yamanni-ryu. This time it is the version by Tamaki Tsuyoshi, a direct student of Kishaba Chogi (1st generation of Kishaba-ha Yamanni-ryu). Watch his Chōun no Kon (Ichi) below.
When compared to Choun no Kon Sho and Choun no Kon Dai previously described, there are a number of differences to note. First of all, the suffix Ni and Dai are just preferences; they mean the same kata. As already mentioned here, the beginning and ending of Tamaki’s performance is less formalized and less dramatic than the other version, and also Tamaki takes each step without shuffling. Then, Tamaki’s tsuki are short sliding thrusts while bursting in with both feet, while the other version does a regular long tsuki. In the upward / downward swing combo, Tamaki shortly assumes Musubi-dachi, placing emphasis on the downward swing (furi-sage), which is unseen in the other version.
The most striking differences however is the following.
in Lane 1, Choun no Kon Sho does the combination Shōmen-uchi / Gedan-uke / Gedan-nuki only once. Tamaki’s Choun no Kon Ichi, which should be the same, does it twice.
Then, Choun no Kon Dai does that same combination only once, while Tamaki’s Choun no Kon Ni does it only once.
In short, both kata are different in this regard, but between the two different versions of Yamanni-ryu, it is twisted on top of it. This is also of interest when I will be looking at other Kishaba lineage versions in the future. With such hints you can not only identify who might have learned from whom personally, but if in doubt you may also retrace who studied a kata from which person’s or association’s video. Such morphological details become more and more important in questions of authenticity.
I also gave it a rough try. Watch it here.
Description of the Kata
I. Stand in Musubi-dachi facing to the front. Hold the bō with the right hand and under your right armpit.
II. Rotate the bō counterclockwise, take hold of it with your left hand as well, and use the left hand to place it at your right shoulder/ armpit. Place the left open hand at the outside of your right thigh, and your right hand holding the bō vertically at the right side of the body, with your right arm hanging down naturally.
III. Bow to the front. While bowing, the bō moves with the upper body.
IV. Yōi 1. Raise the right hand with the bō vertically up to a position between your right pelvis and right lower rib. At the same time, synchronously, raise your left open hand up in a large clockwise circular motion from the outer side of your right thigh up and over to the left side of your head to again reach the position with the left forearm horizontally in front of your forehead, and grab the bō at the right side of your head.
VII. Yōi 2. Step back with your right foot little, in a short rear-bent stance (kōkutsu), assuming a left forward stance. Hold the left tip of the bō to the front, slightly ascending a few degrees, and the rear of the bō placed at your right upper arm close to the elbow.
Front Lane 1
1. Burst forward with the right foot, with a Shōmen-uchi, into a right Shiko-dachi, and immediately pull back the front tip to assume kamae.
2. Burst forward with the left foot, into a left short rear-bent stance (kōkutsu), with Gedan-uke, and immediately follow-through with a Gedan-nuki.
3. Burst forward with the right foot, with a Shōmen-uchi, into a right Shiko-dachi, and immediately pull back the front tip to assume kamae.
Side Lane 1
4. With the right foot as the pivot, rotate 90° to your left, and place your left foot backward in absolute direction right, in a short right forward-bent stance (zenkutsu) toward absolute direction left. Perform the following combination: Right front strike twice in a row (shōmen-uchi 2x), pull left foot back into Musubi-dachi with upward swing (furi-age-uchi), downward swing (furi-sage-uchi), burst forward with your left foot into short Shizen-dachi with a right front strike (shōmen-uchi), burst in forward with both your feet into Shiko-dachi with a mid-level thrust, and finally assume kamae.
Side Lane 2
5. With your right foot as the pivot, rotate 180° counterclockwise, and place your left foot backward, in absolute direction left, in a short right forward-bent stance (zenkutsu) toward absolute direction right. Perform the same combination as in number 4: Right front strike twice in a row (shōmen-uchi 2x), pull left foot back into Musubi-dachi with upward swing (furi-age-uchi), downward swing (furi-sage-uchi), burst forward with your left foot into short Shizen-dachi with a right front strike (shōmen-uchi), burst in forward with both your feet into Shiko-dachi with a mid-level thrust, and finally assume kamae.
Front Lane 2
6. With your left foot as the pivot, rotate 90° counterclockwise, and place your right foot forward, in absolute direction front, in a short right forward-bent stance (zenkutsu). Perform the same combination as in numbers 4 and 6: Right front strike twice in a row (shōmen-uchi 2x), pull left foot back into Musubi-dachi with upward swing (furi-age-uchi), downward swing (furi-sage-uchi), burst forward with your left foot into short Shizen-dachi with a right front strike (shōmen-uchi), burst in forward with both your feet into Shiko-dachi with a mid-level thrust, and finally assume kamae.
Rear Lane 1
7. With your right foot as the pivot, rotate 180° counterclockwise, and place your left foot backward, in absolute direction front, in a short right forward-bent stance (zenkutsu). Perform the same combination as in numbers 4, 5, and 6: Right front strike twice in a row (shōmen-uchi 2x), pull left foot back into Musubi-dachi with upward swing (furi-age-uchi), downward swing (furi-sage-uchi), burst forward with your left foot into short Shizen-dachi with a right front strike (shōmen-uchi), burst in forward with both your feet into Shiko-dachi with a mid-level thrust, and finally assume kamae.
8. Burst forward with the left foot, into a left short rear-bent stance (kōkutsu), with Gedan-uke.
9. Burst a full right step forward, with a Shōmen-uchi, into a right forward-bent stance (zenkutsu).
10. Burst a full left step forward, with a Shōmen-uchi, into a left forward-bent stance (zenkutsu).
11. Burst a full right step forward, with a right age-uchi, in a short right forward-bent stance (zenkutsu) or natural stance (kōkutsu), follow through with a right Shōmen-uchi, and immediately assume kamae in Shiko-dachi.
Front Lane 3
12. With your right foot as the pivot, rotate 180° counterclockwise, and place your left foot backward, in absolute direction rear, in a right forward natural stance (hanmi shizen-dachi). Perform a right front strike twice in a row (shōmen-uchi 2x), burst in forward with both your feet into Shiko-dachi with a mid-level thrust, and finally assume kamae.
Finish
I. In a flow of movement, take your left hand to your left ear and your right hand in front of your right chest, then pull back your right foot to your left foot, in Musubi-dachi, and assume the initial posture of the kata (as described at the end of number VI. Yōi 1), with the bō held vertically at a position between your right pelvis and right lower rib.
II. In a large clockwise circular motion from the left side of your head over and down, place your left open hand at the outside of your right thigh, and lower your right hand holding the bō vertically at the right side of the body, so that both your arms hanging down naturally.
III. Rotate the bō counterclockwise, bring it under your armpit and hold it with your right hand.
IV. Bow to the front.
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