What is Karate ?

The Essence of Karate Do



What is Karate

This is the question that is either never asked or asked all the time by those that have an ever inquiring mind. If you are satisfied in believing that Karate is just a load of sweaty individuals charging mindlessly up and down a hall screaming at the top of their voices or somewhere you can take your kids to have them babysat for an hour or so then that is your prerogative.
But there are many levels to the Martial Arts. Just as you have Infant, Junior, Senior, College and University Education, you have exactly the same in the Martial Arts. Some schools offer a very basic education and some have an extensive knowledge but it mostly depends on the person teaching and their willingness to learn and continue learning and the students wish to learn by asking questions. The most important being ‘What is it’? And ‘How does it work’?

Karate is many things to many people. The word Karate can mean open hand, empty hand or
air hand. Kara means void and comes from the Kanji for Ku which also means void or space but when the Kanji for Karate is made it means that the hand has the potential to hold something in its grip for instance a knife or sword or gun. So the hand and the space within the hand can create the potential for how it is used. It could even be a pen or a pair of chopsticks.
Karate Do (pronounced dough… like in making bread) is a therapeutic study of your self. It is a way to become more connected to your body and to enjoy life. It includes all the body’s basic functions such as breathing, moving, feeling and even self and sexual expression. Breathing is the most important function. If a person cannot breathe correctly he/she reduces the capacity for life. If they can’t move freely life is also restricted, and if they can’t feel, this further restricts their life. If self expression is hindered then the inhibition is complete and they don’t grow.
The study of Karate if taught properly and studied correctly teaches us all these qualities. It connects us to our six senses. And with practice and study it allows us to break free from all our restrictions.
All of this improves our mind and how we think and ultimately feeds and releases our spirit.
Karate do is the study of energy in all its forms. It is energy that is involved in all life, in the processes of moving, feeling and thinking.
The practice of Karate creates a charge and discharge of energy (inyo/yin yang.)
The human body, as all living organisms function best when there is a balance between the energy input and output or the In and the Yo.
That balance is relative to the condition of the person or the organism. The younger the more energy is needed than released to grow. If you are sick the more energy is needed than released to recover.
If the human body is functioning healthily that balance is more even.
The practice of Karate, as all movement, uses energy, from the circulation of the blood to the movement of the intestines, kicking, punching, Ki Ai (sound energy release) and also sexual connection.
The practice of Karate helps increase blood flow, as the blood flows through the body it carries metabolites and oxygen to the tissues which provide them with energy. And it removes waste products from breathing.
Blood is energetically charged through the process of breathing and movement. When blood reaches the extremities it is charged with energy creating warmth and excitement or as the Greeks might describe as EROS. So therefore it reaches the erogenous zones lips, nipples, and sexual organs. When enriched these areas become excited. Excitement brings the blood the blood carries the excitement. This applies to the body fluids lymph and interstitial fluids and intracellular fluids.

How does Karate begin? It begins by touch! In Karate the primary instruments of touch are the hands and arms. The hands contain more tactile sensory nerve endings than any other part of the body. Touching is not only the function of mechanics it is also a feeling or an expression. Touched by thought or being aware or connected by heart and mind. Babies put things in their mouths to taste. Children learn by touch. You cannot ever know anyone without touching them. We live in such a sterile society that there is now an abhorrent fear of touching anybody in case we are sued for sexual assault or worse. You cannot heal without touch! Even in healing forms like Reiki (ghost energy) you must touch the person in a way that they have never been touched. It must penetrate to the level of their spirit body to be effective.
Karate contains the physical, the mental and the spiritual. When you are taught at school it is rare that children’s minds are treated as well as their bodies. Information is passed on under threat of failure or punishment.
Information cannot become knowledge without experience. Experience is the phenomena associated with the body. Depending on the strength of the experience is how it affects the mind. Knowledge becomes understanding when it is charged with feeling.
The study of true Karate Do creates and directs this experience; it directs the intention inward to outward. So awareness is both of the inner self and the external environment.
Karate helps you to understand who and what you are and who you have always been in the past the present and the future. The knowledge of your mind and body in all three directions. This makes the mind a perceptive and reflexive organ.
The only way to know who you are is to know your own mind. To know your own mind is know what you want or what you feel or what you need. If you have no feeling there is nothing to mind
(pay attention to) so there is no-mind. When a person is influenced by others and not by his/her own mind he/she has no-mind of his own. If he/she has no-mind then it is better if it is his or her own mind.
If you cannot make up your mind then two thoughts oppose themselves if one is stronger then it prevails. To lose your mind and become insane is what you feel because of overwhelming thoughts attacking the six senses (sight, sound, hearing, feeling, touching and tasting) this is because there is no focus or Kime (Japanese) so chaos is created.
This is the basis of Kumite or fighting. Fighting can be chaotic and is always destructive but if studied correctly it can lead to a greater understanding of human nature. Kumite is an integral part of Karate.

The study of Karate is a voyage of self discovery. It is not a short journey nor is it without trouble or pain or suffering. It is a journey into an unknown future but if studied diligently then the future can reveal itself.
The only way to understand the future is to study the forgotten past. A real Karate teacher is a guide for his students. He has studied long and hard to recognise the way things work and don’t work. His job is to offer support and encouragement to those, wishing to seek the way of Karate Do.
He has to be solid in his understanding of himself; he is an anchor for his students. He needs a good understanding of the mind, body and spirit. But he himself is never free of his own problems. He is constantly striving to discover ‘What Karate is’ and how to understand the nature of it.

What is to be gained from studying Karate Do? Well there is no end to study there is no end the journey and there is no final illumination. All there is is just a continual increase in self awareness and self expression and the ability to bring us close to our first nature. And the continual question of ‘What is Karate’ and if anyone really finds out can they let me know!

It was once said by a far more knowledgeable person than I that Karate is the knowledge of the unconscious thought. This means to know what someone is thinking before that thought has even come into actual conscious existence. You may think that this sounds a little paranoid but if you really think about it carefully we all do things unconsciously on a daily basis. Things that people do by habitual nature like smoking and things we have learnt to do for our benefit which become our first nature like driving a car or riding a bike. But this goes a lot deeper, what is really meant is that, the techniques of Karate will occur in the absence of conscious thought. Unconscious thought is the space between life and death and the birth and death and re-birth of each thought. It is a Martial Artists burden to meditate on what exists in this space. Form and technique come from this space. The space between unconscious and conscious thought is the unborn thought. This thought has not come into existence but the potential exists for it to do so. This is ultimate knowledge. If it is un-born it can be created, if it can be created it can be manipulated and moulded. We must study how to use this space when confronted by an enemy. This is what Karate is! Or is it ?



What is Kata?

The word Kata means ‘the shape that cuts the ground’. That shape is anything that moves along or near or has the ability to contact the earth and make its mark.
Kata also means form and everything in life has form or substance. Even an amoeba or a virus.
Kata is the grammer of Karate Do

It is the language that is spoken to aid conversation. And Kumite is the conversation.
From the Kata we take our Kihon (basics). The Kihon are the building blocks or the Alphabet within Karate. None are separate from each other as they are all intrinsically linked like the Holy Trinity.
There are those that state that Kata does not work, but Kata is form and everything has form. This would be like saying that the human body does not work ‘the human body is Kata personified’.

Movement is the essence of life of which growth and decline are two aspects. There is no standing still. This is Kata.
Kata is always a tentative plan and must be able to change on the spur of the moment. Our bodies are constantly changing as is the environment around us. The planet, the universe, is all in a constant state of flux, ever expanding and contracting. For Kata to work it must be constantly vibrating and changing, constantly adapting to its environment both internally and externally. Studying Kata is more effective when it is an active process. If you want to truly understand Kata then you must use Hente (to change hands).
When you practice Kata you are instantly connected to the universe via your own micro-cosmic orbit. Kata is like the physical expression of prayer or a moving meditation to its metaphysical nature and its connection to the known and unknown laws of the universe.

When Kata is performed you must create space within and without. You must be an empty vessel ready to be filled up.
It is believed that the universe exploded out of nothing around 15 billion years ago and that humans evolved by random selection of genetic mutations from primitive forms. Whether this is true is open to debate but either way when you perform Kata you are creating something from nothing in a very similar way.
If you practice Kata correctly you are connected to the source of human knowledge or what is known as the Akashic records. Every time you perform you are asking a question not only of yourself but of your ancestors.
At the end and beginning of every technique there is a question mark or and exclamation mark but never a full stop. Kata never stops moving if it does then you are dead.

The study of Kata is all about self observation. Self observation can be divided into 4 categories

Intellectual function : thinking, logic, etc
Emotional : love, hate, fear
Movement : walking, complicated reflexes, etc
Instinct : digestion, heart beat, circulation, breathing, survival ( linked to the six senses)

The difficulty about self observation is that if it is approached from a purely psychological view point it is easily forgotten. So Kata serves as a tool to enable the person to take a good look at them selves without forgetting. Of cause studying Kata takes practice and you have to remember the forms but this is what aids self observation and helps you remember yourself.

When we study Kata we must always be present in the moment. To study and remember yourself you must try to hold the sensation of ‘I am here now’ that is what is meant by being present in the moment.
The study of Kata helps to control our emotions and heighten them if we wish it. It helps stop the manifestation of unpleasant emotions. They are useless and a waste of energy and create unpleasant illusions which destroy physical health. And most of these negative emotions are learnt in childhood.

This is why Karate is good for the health and is also good for children if taught correctly. Kata gives the foundation for growth it spreads its roots into the ground like a tree. Not just growing up but ever spreading out finding new paths to go down seeking new ways to move and improve.
Kata is about possibilities. Not just in terms of the fighting arts but the philosophies that surround it apply to all walks life , relationships, business, family matters, how you work etc.
When you study Kata to a great depth you will see that so many techniques are applicable in the way tradesmen work and also how the principles used can be applied in the boardroom or the bedroom.
The Kata studied within the Bubishi Kenkyukai contain all the Martial Arts from the ways of Tai Chi to Sword Work (Ken Jutsu) and the understanding of firearms (Ho Jutsu). The most important thing about studying Kata is not the forms but the principles that permeate them. The study of Kata is vast and can never be understood in one lifetime so we endeavour to gain as much knowledge as possible in this one. You must when studying burn yourself into the form; this means that you are inseparable from it. It is you and you are it.
A good Teacher will be able to see your mood (Funiki) by how you perform Kata and ascertain the next step in your development. He will know when to break your mould so that you grow.


How you perform your Kata reflects your state of mind unless you are a trained as a robot which is seen in competition. Competition Kata is too precise; it is a synthetic representation of life.
I stated earlier that Karate is all about self expression and Kata enables that self expression. If you are trained like a robot, all you are is a clone of the next person or worse your Teacher and in this case you cannot surpass him/her. You will only ever be as good or bad as him/her.
I have seen people bring out measuring tapes to measure exact widths of stance and length.
Life is not measured by how much or how little time you think you have, it is measured by experience and by achievement no matter how short or long. That doesn’t mean how many trophies you have in your cabinet. Kata and life are about content and understanding the content and the spaces in-between. So what is Kata? It is life and life is form. Or is it?




The Kata List of the Koshudo Karate KenkyuKai




Gekiha - To attack the enemy and break his mind, body and spirit.


Sanchin Sanpo - To walk with the 3 energies.
Unshou - ‘Cloud Hands’ A cloud defence against an enemy who is trying to cloak you.

Saifa - To smash and tear or The Art of the Lion

Sanseiryu – ’36 Hands’ or 36 desires. 1st realm of samsara. If studied deeply 32 can be eliminated through the understanding of the 4 noble truths, the truth of suffering, the truth of cause, the truth of extinction and the truth of the path. The last 4 are extinguished through meditation. All Kata is walking meditation.

Neiseishi - 24 Hands or the 24 shichens (hours of the clock in relation to the times that human organs are active in the body.


Sanchin - ‘Ten Chi Jin’ you must fight the 3 battles of heaven earth and mankind. To amalgamate the heaven spirit, earth spirit and the soul of man. To make one Ki one (taksan jigen)

Tensho - ‘Heavenly Hands’ Hands that touch the universe. A way for the body to have direct relationship with the universe.
Seiyunchin – ‘Calm in the Storm’ suck in and trap like the Hurricane. Two youth hawks fighting.

Shisochin - ‘Four Directional Battle’ Fighting four monks, four gates 5 is man (earth element) Gokyo.
Sepai - ’18 Hands’ or 18 steps to eliminate the 108 defilements.

Sesan - ’13 Hands’ or 13 steps to eliminate the 108 defilements.


Kurunfa - ‘17 Hands’ or Suck in and suddenly shatter. To break the mountain or dragon art.

Suparinpei – ‘108 Hands’ Monks wisdom. 108 defilements in ordinary things. It takes 108 steps to reach the shrine. The answer is not at the shrine or inscribed neither in the steps nor on any sign or guidebook. It is the steps themselves ‘the journey’ the message is here for the whole word to see carved into the landscape.


Hakutsuru or Tsuru - ‘The Crane’




‘All Kata is Crane Kata’



This represents the 15 Kata of the Koshudo Karate Kenkyukai


Neiseishi and Unshou are ancestors Kata from Seisho Aragaki.




What is Kumite?

It is said that nothing exists in the Ku (Void), but everything springs from it. It is like looking in the mirror; nothing can come from it but everything can be reflected in it.
Kumite is the study of how take hands across the void. The word Kumite is a Japanese understanding of the Chinese variation ‘Tsu Shou’ or ‘Chiao Shou’. Both these terms can be found in the White Lotus Sutra.

Kumi can mean exchanging or to make mutual or to meet. Te means hand. These understandings originate from the Sanskrit word ‘Samgrahapani’ which means meeting, joining or congruent hands.
So we can take from this that the real understanding of Kumite is to be friendly or the study of how to be friendly through the void.
It is unfortunate that the word has been misunderstood or bastardised by the sport and that the deeper understanding has not been passed on.
The goal of Kumite is to be real in both practice and understanding. It is not just for bludgeoning your enemy but to seek some sort of congruence or conversation

‘KATA IS GRAMMER AND KUMITE IS CONVERSATION’

The result of this is enlightenment whatever the outcome. When you converse with someone you are learning about them, how they think and feel, and when you physically fight with someone you are doing exactly the same thing. Watching how they move left to right, up and down which hand or leg they favour. How they use their eyes with their movement. How their body tilts and turns. All this and more is conversation.
Conversation is Kumite and Kumite is conversation. Real Kumite is not intended to be pleasant nor is it meant to be spiteful. It is what is necessary for the given situation but always containing compassion and the concept of ‘kill killed’. It is a strange thought that compassion and killing can go hand in hand but the fact is they do!
In order to kill cancer you have to attack it aggressively with chemotherapy and or radium therapy which then kills off the white cells and damages the red blood cell count but also kills the cancer cells. It is a vicious and nasty process which can either cure or kill. So sometimes killing is curing and curing is killing.
It is said that when you first face your enemy you must first kill their mind or what they are thinking then you must kill their spirit or what they are feeling then you must kill their body if they persist to physically attack you. Sometimes it is enough to kill their spirit, but if they are strong then you must kill their body first. You must attack them without warning or thought you must react to them in the instant. This will throw their mind into disarray, as it was their unconscious thought that you first perceived. Now not only is their body damaged but so is their mind all that is now left is their spirit. The spirit is killed by persisting with the attack until there is no life left in their body. They are either physically or emotionally dead. This is ‘kill killed.’
Ichikawa Sensei stated that the essence of Martial Arts is not only about killing people, it is about understanding ‘Bu’ or true Martial Power. It is this power that enables us to be friendly. This is the purpose of Kumite. This is what the purpose of studying Karate is or any other Martial Art that encompasses the principal of Budo. The Do leads us to do good things and enables us to lead a good and peaceful life. It is said that in order for peace we must prepare for war, this is Budo.
If we are sincere with our efforts and laziness doesn’t infect us and we seek the truth of our ancestors philosophies we can grow to understand our own nature and be able to learn from the wisdom of the past. This wisdom not only teaches us how to fight but when to fight and when not to fight.
The Bubishi No Ken School’s understanding of Kumite is based in part on the understanding of Kenshibudo Iaido or the school of two swords made famous by Musashi Miyamoto but also other schools of Ken Jutsu offer many ways to think on the study of Kumite.

In the book of five rings it states that there are 3 ‘Sens’ or ‘forestalls’ and these can be classified as follows

1st Sen is Kakari No Sen or Sen no Sen. (forestall before forestall) the attack is to be made faster from your side than the enemy’s.

2nd Machi no Sen or Go no Sen. (forestall after the attack) The Attack is to be made faster from your side than the enemy’s who has already started attacking before you.

3rd Tai Tai no Sen. (forestall of body) Both I and the enemy attack each other at but I attack just little faster than him.

To forestall is to battle by anticipation. The purpose of these techniques is to read the enemy’s mind to anticipate his next move unless the first move he made was fatal.
To know your enemy’s mind and to win is by the wisdom of your own tactics and by his mistakes.

Kakari no Sen

When I think that I should start attacking I should be still and then suddenly and rapidly attack the enemy.
The upper part of the body should be in rapid movement and the lower part stable.
To strengthen our own mind we must step a little faster to gain access to the side of the enemy.
In order to defeat the enemy who has a strong mind from the start it is necessary to control our own mind to induce the enemy in the process from the beginning the middle and after the actual physical attack. The question is ‘when did the fight actually start?


Machi No Sen

In case the enemy attacks you pretend to be careless and disguise yourself weak and the when you get close move a long distance away within yourself and then fly upon him. This surprise will make them slacken. The speed and the disguise work hand in hand there must be only appear to be a small delay to gain victory.
When the opponent attacks you must receive him twice as strong. You must wait for the attack and anticipate the change in rhythm in his attack.


Tai Tai no Sen

When the enemy attacks rapidly. I begin by reacting silently and when I notice that he feels comfortable after being able to approach so easily, I attack very strongly.
In case he starts to attack silently, it is most important that I keep my body light and attack him a little faster when I approach him. I must disturb his rhythm and defeat him according to the reaction of his complexion.

Jinmuryu, the late Seikaku Adachi – a summary of his tactics


A man should judge the level of ones techniques of Kenjutsu or swordsmanship by ones movement. Therefore those who usually touch their heads when going under low obstacles fall on their buttocks in a fight, or those that touch sliding doors on standing stumble against the things left and those that miss their footing in the muddy ground, seems that they do not do their best in training the techniques of Ken Jutsu.
Ken Jutsu requires you to have a good look at how you move so that you can know the level of other people.

The Late Ittoshu Itoh account of the 10 bad habits to avoid in Ken Jutsu

1. Endurance (do not allow yourself to be forced upon)
2. Mind control ( control your own mind)
3. Avarice ( do not be greedy-take only what you need)
4. Anger ( control your anger)
5. Fear ( control your fear)
6. Strange ( control your character- do not act strange)
7. Doubt ( do not doubt yourself – or others, especially in your enemy’s ability to bear arms)
8. Despise (do not look down on others)
9. Hesitation ( do not wait-it will be to late)
10. Self- conceit (do not be vain- or hold to much pride)

The expert of Hokushin Ittoryu .The late Shuusaku Chiba described in his mystery of Kenjutsu or Swordmanship.

There are 3 important points:-


The Eyes
The Mind
The Foot

Unless you use these points continuously it is impossible to defeat the enemy. The eyes direct the mind to see the enemy broadly as a whole. The mind then directs the spirit or Ki which stabs at the enemy who tries to attack you. Power comes from the spirit or Ki and is the realisation of what you achieve.
The accord of these 3 points are what enable you to gain victory. These principles must thought on carefully.





The Late Munenori Yagyu of Shinkage ryu states


By any means the principle which makes part of the prudent way of how you induce your enemy the start the first attack is by applying the double faced techniques as basic ones and by attacking in the first stage of fighting in various ways.
Before having a match with the enemy, you should be prepared beforehand and you must pay attention to his first attack. The unskilful trick is important.
Unless you realize that he has already attacked you before the actual fight you cannot defend yourself using you’re your usual techniques that you have always trained with.


The Late Bokuden Tsukahara described in a Japanese poem his own experience in the Martial Arts.


To make the best choice of techniques is prone hesitation. To study the psychology of using the techniques is also prone hesitation. Do not procrastinate, act!


The following are Japanese poems of the mysteries on Iaido.

1. Iai is not to be cut by a man and not to cut a man, but one must win plainly by receiving the attack from the enemy.
2. Iai is to put up a sword by calming ones mind but drawing a sword is to mean winning immediately.
3. Iai is not only limited to the sword of the enemy to be stopped but also to stop his whole movement as soon as possible.
4. The essence of Iai exists always inside the sheath of the sword, you should win without drawing.
5. Taking the right position to draw the sword psychologically, you will win by just leaving your body a certain distance from your enemy.
6. Gaining access to the enemy quickly, you should draw a sword with a concentrated mind, when you reach the dangerous distance.
7. Keep the distance of 90cm from your enemy. A close contact is useful to see his attack and anticipate by attacking before him.
8. When you ask your teacher, you should pay careful attention to him with politeness, because he will teach you very important things that you diligently study.
9. If you think that you can master Iai without practice then you level will always remain low.


These philosophies on Iai are contained within the study of Kumite within Karate Do. The understanding of weapon to no weapon is the same, the way the body is used will be a little different but the principal remains the same, whether it is your hand, a sword, a knife or a set of chopsticks. You are the weapon, what you hold is merely the tool.





What is Kihon ?

Kihon means ‘Basics’ or ‘Fundamentals’. Every career that one enters first has a process of basic training whether you are in the Military or a Fashion designer. Your basics are the foundation of your career or your art.
They cannot exist outside of the chosen field but must be contained within it. It is pointless to have a basic foundation that has no relation to the end product.
This is what is seen in so many styles of Karate and it is why it has such a poor view within the Chinese fighting arts.
The Kihon must come directly from the Kata and the Kumite must relate to Kata. All 3 are interconnected and woven into the fabric of each other.
As a School we do not waste too much time walking up and down a hall punching and kicking the air, although this does have merit if you understand what exists in the air.
Ku no Kanjin are the nine essential basics. These are for exercising the internal organs, the liver heart, intestines, stomach etc.
They include punching, kicking and receiving. In the Bubishi No Ken there is no blocking if you block anything you stop. If try to stop something that is stronger and you absorb it then you will take that force inside you and you will be damaged internally or externally. If you try to block anything there is a pressure build up. A blocked drain backs itself up and then what is inside festers. If a dam is blocked the water builds up until it burst its banks.
It is better to receive and then subdue or redirect the energy. Force on force is only useful when that which attacks you is weak.
The real basics though are not the actual techniques. The basics are the principals that underpin the techniques.
I will not divulge everything that this contains as that would be physically impossible but what I can do is give a hint.
The Bubishi no ken studies the ways of the 9 animals

The Nine Animals are:-

1. The Octopus - Tako
2. The Jellyfish - Kurage
3. The Dog - Inu
4. The Tiger - Tora
5. The Bear - Kuma
6. The Manta Ray - Komanta
7. The Dragon - Ryu
8. The Snake - Hebi
9. The Crane - Tsuru

The Octopus

Is a creature of great strength even though its body is very soft? The only hard part is its beak. It is an extremely intelligent creature with excellent eyesight and is also a master of disguise.
It can mimic the movement of other sea creatures and its tentacle suckers are not only very sensitive through the use of touch but they also have the ability to taste. (Stick)





The Jellyfish
Is a translucent creature that has the ability to refract light giving its skin a rainbow like effect. A jellyfish detects other creatures by touch. It has a sophisticated neural net located in its epidermis. They can only move up or down but have motion through the use of their water pouch which creates pulsations allowing vertical movement. (Vibrate)
The Dog

There are many breeds of dog but they all have one thing in common and that is, that they are by nature pack animals. If they are a household pet then they are in a pack where the human is the boss but in the wild they are lead by an alpha male who has to fight to maintain his position from those younger. There eyesight lays in the red green spectrum much the same as human colour blindness and have a very keen sense of smell. Like all animals they have a heightened sense of awareness and can sense things before they happen. They like to get behind each other and smell as this is their way of introducing each other. (Circling)

The Tiger

The tiger is a territorial and solitary animal. They hunt mainly at night and attack their prey by moving in and overpowering them from any angle. They use their great strength to tackle it to the ground then latch its claws and teeth into its neck and kill by strangulation especially with larger prey. With a smaller animal it is able to snap its neck and collapse its carotid artery or jugular vein. In some cases they have been known to kill with a single swipe of their paw. (Footwork)

The Bear

The Bear is a caniform or doglike carnivore. They have a very good sense of smell and are adept swimmers and climbers. They have non retractable claws and short stocky powerful legs and a large body. They subdue their prey by over powering them with their weight then pounding them into submission.

The Manta Ray

Mantas on their dorsal side have black skin and on the ventral side they have white. They have a diamond shaped body and their pectoral fins are used like graceful wings or a flapping overcoat. They are known as Devil Rays for the two horns that protrude from the front of their body. (Wrap)

The Dragon

A Dragon is a legendary creature that is known in every culture worldwide. The Japanese Dragon is a Water deities that that associated with rainfall and rivers they are large and wingless and have the ability to take human form. (Deceive)

The Snake

Snakes have several ways of motion: terrestrial lateral undulation, side winding and rectilinear locomotion and a concertina movement. They use a push and pull movement or a winding twisting action to move. Their bodies move in a wave like action as they anchor themselves onto and over obstacles.
Some species have a whip like action such as the Cobra when it raises its body to strike. (Whip)

The Crane

They are a large long legged and long necked bird. They are symbolic in many cultures and in Asia are considered to be symbols of longevity. The Crane is synonymous with the tale of the Bubishi.

Ju Hachi No Himitsu or the Eighteen Secrets



Suisho Looking Glass Like a fly’s eye.


Koka Coin Vibration.


Gomu Rubber Band Pushing and Pulling.


Koma Mawashi Spinning Top Throwing and strengthening the centre.


Hashi Chopsticks Finger dexterity / Weapons.


Take Bamboo Weapon / Inyo / Passive/Active hands.


Sai Dagger Adds weight / Dexterity.


Bokken Wooden Sword Watashu training / Maai / techniques in the air
and by touch.

Te Makiwara Hand Pad Hitting and crushing.


Kendama Toy Controlling and Receiving.


Wa (Furo Hupa) Hula Hoop Understanding Tako.


Kizuchi Hammers Weight and wrist extensions.


Tama Ball Controlling (big and small)


Jishaku Magnets Pushing/Pulling and turning.


Ei Picture Secret of the Imagination.


Sanpo Walking Meditation / Natures Way.


Ki Trees Rooting and uprooting.


Penogi Towel Whippy / picking up for sweeps.




The Eighteen Secrets and the Nine Animals allow us to be able to create a physical and mental picture of the Basics of Karate Do. They help us to understand the fundamental teaching principals that are contained within the Kihon, the Kata and the Kumite.
The Eighteen Secrets are tools that allow us to study our Basics and gain the correct emphasis from our training.

Mastership of an Art.

Mastership is only learnt by apprenticeship.Staying and learning a family way.Taking the good with the bad.
To become a light in the darkness you must suffer being burnt.
This is the only way to become a true Master (Yonemoto Sensei)

The Study of a Karate Teacher

The study of Karate is a continous voyage of self discovery. It is never short and it is never without trouble,pain,sorrow or adversity.It is a journey into an unknown future. The only way we can undertsand this future is to understand our past.
A Karate teacher is a guide for his students.He would have studied long and hard to understand how things work and dont work.His role is to offer support and encouragement and sometimes harsh truth to those that seek the Way of Karate Do.
He has to be resolute in his understanding of himself and he should be able to show a mirror to his students of their true self.
He needs a good understanding of the Body,Mind and Spirit,but he himself is never ever free from imperfection or his own personal problems and demons.
He is constantly seeking to find perfection in imperfection in his discovery to understand the true nature of what Karate is.
So what can we hope for in studying Karate Do,what can be gained from this never ending path.
Well thats it ,there is no end to study, there is no end to the Journey,there is no final illumination.
All there is, is a continual cycle of self awareness in the study of Karate or the study of anything with depth and substance that brings us closer to what is our first nature.

Kata begins by Touch

When studying kata the primary physical instruments of touch are the hands,arms and legs.The hands have the most tactile sensory nerve endings than any other part of the body.To touch is not just a mere mechanical function it is also an expression or a feeling.
We can be touched by a thought,a connection between minds.
Chidren and animals are the best to watch to understand what touch is,they learn by touch.
Babies can be seen putting things in their mouths to feel the shape and the taste.
Dogs can be seen sniffing,nuzzling and licking each other to understand whether they like each other or not.
You can never really know anyone without some kind of contact whether it is Physical,Mental or spiritual.

Want to study Goju Karate Do

Anyone wishing to study Goju Karate do from a Bubishi tradition are welcome to contact me on my mobile 07738-535174 or email me at stevecarter9@hotmail.com.