Time and distance with Ten No Kata

Hironishi Sensei points out that an important characteristic of the Ten No Kata concerns the element of maai.  Literally translated, maai means (special) distance, but in this usage also evokes a sense of timing, or chance.  Thus, it indicates both the space and the time it takes for an opponent’s fist to reach one’s body.  In the practice of both kata and basics, there is a tendency to forget maai and to become absorbed solely in the repetition of movements.  One of the subjects Master Funakoshi touches on this book is his own masters.  Azato, Itosu and Matsumura.  This makes it an especially valuable document, and not surprisingly, in his recollection of these three men, he indirectly refers to the importance of maai.  He (Hironishi) mentions the practice of kawashi (Interaction).  He mentions that unlike Kumite kata you do not catch the attack and sweep it away, nor do you step back or to the side.  Instead you step in, towards the attacker, while turning (kawasu) your body to avoid the attack.  In a fight interaction is implicit (interact) with the opponent).  The kawashi of, ten no kata practice, however, does not mean clash or conflict.  He also mentions that in basics what we know as hikite would be interaction of the body movements as one hand punches and the other retracts naturally.  He stresses that karate practice reinforce the idea that before engaging in combat, you must first experience kawashi with your own self, in his own words, “Karate is a martial art of self examination”.  I have been using and teaching ten no kata as a Kumite kata for years with my students with very favorable results and tend to agree with the points made by Hironishi Sensei here yet.  I find that the presentations made by Nakayama, Nishiyama, Sugiyama, Cruz, Ohtsuka and others are also valid as they are interpretations on the same these where the variant is in their life experience in the martial are of karate do and all are with great merit.

Brief History on Japanese Karate Do:  In the 1920’s, Funakosi Gichin (1868-1957) was chosen by the Okinawan Martial Arts Society to introduce Okinawa Karate to Japan mainly because he was well educated.  He transformed the jutsu (technique) to Do (modern martial art with spiritual background).  He taught the physical along with the philosophy of this art stressing character development.  After WW2 the JKA was formed and Masatoshi Nakayama was selected as chief instructor although he was not Funagoshi sensei’ most senior student.  Because of Nakayamas selection many senior students left the JKA.  They are the Shotokai.  Nakayama was originally a Kendo Ka and Ohtsuka sensei before him was a master of jujitsu so Shotokan was influenced by judo (Jigoro Kano) Jujitsu (Ohtsuka), and kendo (Nakayama) judo in the dan/kyu ranking system jujitsu in the tai Sabaki and kendo in the tactics (deai-mikiri).  So this helps to develop Japanese Karate in general and Shotokan Karate in particular.  DEAI (to utilize the opening at the moment the opponent commits to attack) can be seen as go no sen.  MIKIRI (attacking an opponent at end of his technique after stepping out of reach) can be seen as go no sen. Even though DEAI can also be seen as SEN.   In a way this shows the difference from block counter of Okinawan karate from the shift counter  with the space and time (maai) assuming a very important aspect as if fencing without the sword as I believe Azato Sensei mentioned.  Interestingly enough even though there are various books covering the subject of Kumite and explaining in detail maai (Sugiyama-kitoh karate, Kumite gata or Nakayama’s best karate series).  I tend to reach the conclusion that all the drill needed would be ten no kata, ura or  modification of said form.  I concur with the forward presenting the karate do Nyumon by Funagoshi Sensei written by Montonobu Hironishi sensei (head instructor for Shotokai).