Bo Kata

Bo

There are 5 basic classical kata for the bo in the Matayoshi syllabus. They are:

Shushi no kon is the base kata for the system. This kata is common to most Okinawan kobudo systems, in slightly different iterations. It is said to come from a Chinese expert named Shushi, who came to Okinawa in the early 1800’s and lived in Naha (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Play Video, or Kata by Oshiro (7.4 MB, FLV), or YouTube
Play Video, or Kata by Kodokan (27 MB, MPEG), or FLV (3.4 MB)
Play Video, or Kata at Kodokan 1988 (2.3 MB, FLV), or YouTube

Choun no kon is said to have been made about 250 years ago by a Tomari warrior named Choun, which means roughly “ending the morning mist”. It is also practiced in Yamane Ryu and some Taira linage schools (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Play Video, or Kata by Kodokan (21 MB, MPEG), or FLV (2.8 MB)
Play Video, or Kata by Nishiuchi (3 MB, FLV)
Play Video, or Kata Bunkai by Nishiuchi (22.8 MB, FLV)
Play Video, or Kyoshi Neil Stolsmark & Matayoshi Sensei (10.6 MB, FLV), or YouTube

Sakugawa no kon is also common on Okinawa in various versions, and is said to be named for its creator, “Tode” Sakugawa, a famous Okinawan martial artist. Matayoshi Shinko learned it from Chinen Yamane. Matayoshi Shinko also taught a second Sakugawa no kon, Ufugushiku no Sakugawa, which is very similar to the main version, and was created by Oshiro Chojo (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Play Video, or Kata by Kodokan (26.5 MB, MPEG), or FLV (3.8 MB)
Play Video, or Kata by Nishiuchi (3.8 MB, FLV)

Kata by Yoshio Taira (3.0 MB, WMV)

Chiken (or Tsuken) no kon is named for the island it comes from, Tsuken Jima and is said to be over 400 years old. It is also said to have been passed on by Tsuken Oyakata Seisoku, compiled on the island, and to contain reverse techniques and techniques countering a spear. Matayoshi Shinko learned it from Gushikawa Teragua (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Play Video, or Kata by Kodokan (18.6 MB, MPEG), or FLV (2.8 MB)
Play Video, or Kata at Kodokan 1988 (1.7 MB, FLV), or YouTube
Play Video, or Kata by Nishiuchi (2.7 MB, FLV)

Shishi no kon is the last kata formally taught in the system. It is also taught in some Taira lineage schools, and is sometimes called Sueyoshi no kon. It is named for its creator, though a stone reference in the name also refers to the technique of tossing small stones with the feet that is contained in the kata, and is said to be over 300 years old. It was supposedly created by Shishi Oyakata, a martial arts instructor to the Ryukyu king, and passed down only to members of the royal family and the eldest son of the Shishi family. Matayoshi Shinko learned it from Shishi Ryoko (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Play Video, or Kata by Kodokan (25.8 MB, MPEG), or FLV (3.8 MB)
Play Video, or Kyoshi Neil Stolsmark & Gakiya Sensei (6 MB, FLV), or YouTube
Play Video, or Kata by Kenyu Chinen (4.2 MB, FLV), or WMV (2.9 MB)

Other Bo Kata

There are also a number of other bo kata that have been trained or taught at one time or another in the Matayoshi dojo, though they were not considered a core part of the system. These include:

Ufutun no kon, a village form. Its name refers to a militia, and is said to have been made by a garrison commander at Urasoe castle. It may also have been influenced by local bo dances (Fred Lohse, 2008).
(Please Contribute Video)

Tokumine no kon, which was created by Tokumine sensei and passed on to Matayoshi Shinpo by Kyan Chotoku (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Play Video, or Bunkai by Carol Womack, Paul Coleman, Dick Gassen & Phil Angelella (2.3 MB, FLV), or YouTube
Play Video, or Kata by Jeff Perkins (3.1 MB, FLV)
Play Video, or Kata by Ogami Dojo (5 MB, FLV), or YouTube

Yonegawa no kon, a left handed kon kata also included in the Taira lineage schools, from Yabiku Moden (Fred Lohse, 2008).
(Please Contribute Video)


Kubo no kon which may have been created by Matayoshi Shinchin (Fred Lohse, 2008).
Play Video, or Kata Kobo No Kon Kata (2.7 MB, FLV) - Thanks Yiequan

Yara no kon, which may be related to Chatanyara no kon from the Taira lineage (Fred Lohse, 2008).
Play Video, or Kata Chatan Yara No Kon (3.0 MB, FLV) - Thanks Yiequan

Papuhaku sho and dai, training kata for the bo created by Kimo sensei, together with 2 person bunkai kumite (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Kata Papohaku Dai by Kimo Wall (4.7 MB, WMV)
Kata Papohaku Sho by Kimo Wall (4.9 MB, WMV)

Woo tsun no kon

Play Video, or Kata by Shihan Nishiuchi (3.6 MB, FLV)

The Matayoshi system also includes the kyushaku, or nearly 3 meter, bo, which is usually practiced using Sakugawa no kon (Fred Lohse, 2008).

Kihon Waza

Bo Hojo Undo 1-3, Images by Kenyu Chinen (1.4 MB, RAR) - Thanks Tom

Bo Dai Ichi
1. Jodan Uchi by Matayoshi (890 K, FLV)
2. Jodan Naname Uchi by Matayoshi (1 MB, FLV)
3. Chudan Yoko Uchi (1 MB, FLV)
4. Gedan Yoko Uchi by Matayoshi (770 K, FLV)
5. Chudan Kae Uchi, Jodan Tsuki by Matayoshi (713 K, FLV)

Play Video, or Kihon Ichi by Kodokan (28.5 MB, MPEG), or FLV (3.7 MB)

Bo Dai Ni
1. Gedan Harai Uke, Jodan Naname Uchi
2. Gedan Hane Uke, Gedan Nukibo
3. Sune Kake
4. Gedan Osae Uke
5. Gyaku Uchi, Gyaku Jodan Tsuki by Matayoshi (540 K, FLV)

Play Video, or Kihon Ni by Nishiuchi (8.6 MB, FLV)

Bo Dai San
1. Gedan Yoko Uke, Jodan Naname Uchi
2. Jodan Naname Uchi, Jodan Nukibo
3. Chudan Nagashi Uchi, Gedan Uke, Jodan Naname Uchi
4. Gedan Yoko Uke, Gedan Osae Uke, Jodan Naname Uchi
5. Gorenda

Play Video, or Kihon San by Nishiuchi (11.7 MB, FLV)

Kihon Kumi Waza

Kumi Bo by Kodokan (5.2 MB, FLV)

Kumi Waza

Shushi no kon bunkai kumite (Please Contribute Video)
Bo tai bo kumite
Sakugawa no kon bunkai kumite (Optional)
Choun no kon bunkai kumite (Optional)
Kata no oyo bunkai (Optional)

Other Resources

Play Video, or Bo tai Sai by Achterberg (2.2 MB, FLV), or YouTube
Play Video, or Bo tai Sai Kumite Drill by Perkins (3.1 MB, FLV), or YouTube
Play Video, or Bo tai Kama by 1990 Kobudo Festival (1.6 MB, FLV)

Contributors

Peter Blee, 2008
Colin Punyer (Kofukan Dojo), 2007
Frederick Lohse (Kodokan, Boston, kodokanboston.org), 2006
The Okinawa Budo Kai Livonia, Michigan (Tokushin Kobudo), 2008
Tsunami Productions (www.dragon-tsunami.org), 1995
Kimo Wall (www.kimowall.netfirms.com), 2008
Ogami Dojo, Netherlands (www.ogamidojo.nl)
Panther Productions (www.panthervideos.com)
Doug Achterberg (www.1shoken.com), 2008