cubbi.com: 糸東流空手道 (shito-ryu karate-do) languages: [english] [русский]
I started learning Shito-ryu in the Shitokai (糸東会) branch back in Russia, where I was taught by senseis Kachan and Dubinin, students of Tetsuo Sato. Then after coming to USA, I joined Seishinkai (聖心会) and was the assistant instructor at Karate Center of New York, working with sensei Osvin Salguero. After his tragic death in december 2006 our school was picked up by his friend Sensei Julio Ramirez, and now I belong to Shuko-kai (tani-ha) Shito-ryu. I hold the rank of shodan in both Seishinkai (motobu-ha) Shito-ryu Karate-do and Miyake Shuko-kai (tani-ha) Shito-ryu Karate-do.
Shito-ryu karate-do (糸東流空手道) is my favorite style of martial arts because it combines the best other karate styles have to offer. On one hand, Shito-ryu has the physical strength and long powerful stances of Shuri-te (首里手) derived styles, such as Shotokan (松涛館), on the other hand Shito-ryu has circular and eight-directional movements, breathing power, hard and soft characteristics of Naha (那霸) and Tomari-te (泊手) styles, such as Goju-ryu (剛柔流). Shito-ryu is extremely fast, but still can be artistic and powerful. In addition, Shito-ryu formalizes and emphasizes the five rules of defense, known as Uke no go gensoku (受けの五原則), Uke no go genri (受けの五原理) or Uke no go ho (受けの五法). Here they are:
  • 落花 (rakka, "falling petals"). The art of blocking with such force and precision as to completely destroy the opponent's attacking motion. Examples of rakka are the most well-known blocks, such as gedan-barrai (下段払い) or soto-uke (外受け).
  • 流水 (ryusui, "running water"). The art of flowing around the attacker's motion, and through it, soft blocking. Examples are nagashi-uke (流し受け) and osae-uke (押さえ受け).
  • 屈伸 (kuushin, "elasticity"). This is the art of boucing back, storing energy as you are recoiling from the opponent's attack, changing or lowering your stance only to immediately unwind and counterattack. Classic examples are stance transitions zenkutsu (前屈立ち) to koukutsu (後屈立ち) and moto-dachi (基立ち) to nekoashi-dachi (猫足立ち).
  • 転位 (teni, "transposition"). Ten-i teaches you to utilize all eight directions of movement, most importantly moving your body out of the line of attack.
  • 反撃 (hangeki, "counterattack"). A hangeki defense is an attack which at the same time deflects the opponent's attack before it could reach you. Examples of this are various tsuki-uke's (突き受け), including yama-tsuki (山突き).

糸東流の型

Every branch of Shito-ryu practiced a slightly different set of katas, and the sets keep changing over time. The names of the less mainstream katas, as well as their origins are often disputed by different branches as well.

Name of kataPronounciationOriginWKF糸東会聖心会
十二の型 / 太極 (初段〜三段)Juni no kata / Taikyoku (shodan - sandan)船越义珍 (Funakoshi)**
天の型(表、裏)Ten no kata (omote, ura)船越义珍 (Funakoshi)*
平安(初段〜五段)Pinan / Heyan (shodan - godan)糸洲派 (Itosu)**
內步進(初段〜三段)Naifuanchin / Tekki (shodan - sandan)糸洲派 (Itosu)***
公相君/観空(大、小、四方)Kosokun / Kanku (-dai, -sho, shiho-)糸洲派 (Itosu)***
拔塞(大、小)Bassai (-dai, -sho)糸洲派 (Itosu)***
鷺牌/明鏡(初段〜三段)Rohai / Meikyo (shodan - sandan)糸洲派 (Itosu)***
鎮東Chinto / Gankaku糸洲派 (Itosu)***
鎮定/珍手Chintei / Chinte糸洲派 (Itosu)***
五十四步Gojushiho / Use Shi糸洲派 (Itosu)***
実手/十手Jitte糸洲派 (Itosu)***
慈恩/慈音Jion糸洲派 (Itosu)***
慈允/慈院Jiin糸洲派 (Itosu)***
燕飛Empi糸洲派 (Itosu)*
青柳Aoyagi (female only)摩文仁賢和 (Mabuni)***
明星Miyojo摩文仁賢和 (Mabuni)**
心波/侵破Shinpa摩文仁賢和 (Mabuni)*
十六Juroku / Seiru摩文仁賢和 (Mabuni)***
松風 / 王冠Matsukaze / Wankan摩文仁賢和 (Mabuni)***
新生(一、二)Shinsei (ichi, ni)摩文仁賢和 (Mabuni)**
碎破Saifa東恩納派(Higashionna)***
征遠鎮Seienchin / Saipa東恩納派(Higashionna)***
四向戰Shisochin東恩納派(Higashionna)***
十三手/征參Seisan / Seishan / Hangetsu東恩納派(Higashionna)***
十八手Seipai東恩納派(Higashionna)***
三十六手/雲掌Sanseru東恩納派(Higashionna)***
壹百零八手/一○八手Suparimpei東恩納派(Higashionna)***
久留頓破/十七Kururunfa東恩納派(Higashionna)***
三戰Sanchin東恩納派(Higashionna)***
転掌Tensho宮城長順 (Miyagi)***
撃碎大(一、二)Gekisai Dai (Ichi, ni)宮城長順 (Miyagi)*
雲手Unshu新垣派 (Aragaki)***
壮鎮/壯鎮Sochin / Hakko新垣派 (Aragaki)***
二十四步Niseishi / Nijushiho 新垣派 (Aragaki)***
即泊の腕秀Tomari no Wansu新垣派 (Aragaki)**
即泊の拔塞Tomari no Bassai新垣派 (Aragaki)***
松茂良鷺牌Matsumura Rohai松村派 (Matsumura)*
松茂良征參/松茂良十三Matsumura Seisan松村派 (Matsumura)*
松茂良拔塞Matsumura Bassai松村派 (Matsumura)***
二十八步Nipaipo呉賢貴(鶴法)Gokenki***
白鳥Hakucho / Haffa 呉賢貴(鶴法)Gokenki***
百步蓮/八歩連Papuren呉賢貴(鶴法)Gokenki***
腕秀Wanshu松茂良 (Matsumoru)**
石嶺の拔塞Ishimine Bassai石嶺 (Ishimine)*
親泊の拔塞Oyadomari Bassai親泊 (Oyadomari)*
北谷屋良の公相君Chatanyara Kusanku北谷屋良 (Chatan Yara)***
佐久川の公相君Sakugawa Kusanku佐久川親雲上寛賀 (Sakugawa)*
亞男宮AnnankoMatsumoru, Matsubayashi or Kyan**
喜屋武の鎮東Kyan no Chinto喜屋武朝徳は (Kyan Chotoku)*
跳舞龍Pachu劉衛流 (Ryuei-ryu / Nakaima)**
黒虎Heiku劉衛流 (Ryuei-ryu / Nakaima)**
渦虎Paiku劉衛流 (Ryuei-ryu / Nakaima)**
情的Annan劉衛流 (Ryuei-ryu/ Nakaima)**
南手Nanshu昭霊流 (Shorei-ryu)*
完周Kanshu上地 (Uechi Kanei)*
完子和 Kanshiwa上地 (Uechi Kanei)*
完戰Konchin上地 (Uechi Kanei)*