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92-480: Gō , which means hard, refers to closed hand techniques or straight linear attacks; jū , which means soft, refers to open hand techniques and circular movements. Gōjū-ryū incorporates both circular and linear movements into its curriculum, combining hard striking attacks such as kicks and close hand punches with softer open hand circular techniques for attacking, blocking, and controlling the opponent, including joint locks, grappling, takedowns, and throws. Major emphasis

184-593: A "kata with open hands". This is more advanced than Heishugata. Kaishukata serves as a "combat application reference" kata and is open to vast interpretation (Bunkai) of its movements' purpose (hence, "open hands"). In 1940, General Hajime Hayakawa (早川 元), the installed governor of Okinawa, assembled the Karate-Do Special Committee, composed by Ishihara Shochoku (chairman), Miyagi Chojun, Kamiya Jinsei, Shinzato Jinan, Miyasato Koji, Tokuda Anbun, Kinjo Kensei, Kyan Shinei, and Nagamine Shoshin. The goal

276-521: A child. He was first exposed to martial arts in 1867 when he began training in Luohan or "Arhat boxing" under Arakaki Seishō , a fluent Chinese speaker and translator for the court of the Ryukyu Kingdom . In 1870, Arakaki went to Beijing to translate for Ryukyuan officials. It was then that he recommended Higaonna to Kojo Taitei, under whom Higaonna began training. With the help of Taitei and

368-500: A company of persons to engage in a struggle using a systematic approach, rather by practicing in a repetitive manner the learner develops the ability to execute those techniques and movements in a natural, reflex-like manner. Systematic practice does not mean permanently rigid. The goal is to internalize the movements and techniques of a kata so they can be executed and adapted under different circumstances, without thought or hesitation. A novice's actions will look uneven and difficult, while

460-680: A family friend, Yoshimura Chomei (who was an Udun or Prince) Higaonna eventually managed to set up safe passage to China, lodging, and martial arts instruction. In 1873 he left for Fuzhou in Fujian , China , where he began studying Chinese martial arts under various teachers. In 1877 he began to study under Ryū Ryū Ko . Tokashiki Iken has identified him as Xie Zhongxiang, founder of Whooping Crane Kung Fu. Zhongxiang taught several Okinawan students who went on to become karate legends. However, since Ryu Ryu Ko had died by 1915 when Chojun Miyagi went to Fuzhou in search of him, and Xie Zhong Xiang died in 1926,

552-453: A general explanation of its history, philosophy, and application. This handwritten monograph is one of the few written works composed by Miyagi himself. Miyagi's house was destroyed during World War II . In 1950, several of his students began working to build a house and dojo for him in Naha, which they completed in 1951. In 1952, they came up with the idea of creating an organization to promote

644-569: A major figure in the Beheiren movement (Foundation of Citizens for Peace in Vietnam), believed that the return of Okinawa to Japan would lead to the removal of U.S. forces, ending Japan's involvement in Vietnam. In a speech delivered in 1967, Oda was critical of Prime Minister Eisaku Satō 's unilateral support of America's war in Vietnam, claiming "Realistically we are all guilty of complicity in

736-503: A master's appear simple and smooth. Kata is a loanword in English, from the 1950s in reference to the judo kata due to Jigoro Kano , and from the 1970s also of karate kata ; but the word has come to be used as a generic term for "forms" in martial arts in general, or even figuratively applied to other fields. In Japanese martial arts practice, kata is often seen as an essential partner to randori training with one complementing

828-456: A meeting in February 1954 voted almost unanimously Eiichi Miyzato as the official successor to Chojun Miyagi. However, for other sources, including Eiichi Miyazato's students and heirs, no official successor to Chojun Miyagi was ever designated. Until 1998, the only karate styles recognized as Koryu Bujutsu were newer styles founded in mainland Japan such as Wado Ryu and Itosu Ryu. Gōjū-ryū was

920-424: A number of techniques that are not permitted in competition or in randori , including punches, kicks, and the use of the katana and other weapons. The study of kata is usually begun typically at around the green belt level. The most commonly studied judo kata is Nage-no-kata , which consists of fifteen throwing techniques. The Katame-no-kata is composed of pinning techniques, chokes, and joint locks. Kime-no-kata

1012-615: A protest demonstration at sea against scheduled land reclamation work for the relocation of a U.S. military base within Japan's southernmost island prefecture. A protest gathered hundreds of people. Since the early 2000s, Okinawans have opposed the presence of American troops helipads in the Takae zone of the Yanbaru forest near Higashi and Kunigami . This opposition grew in July 2016 after

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1104-632: A result, the media has drawn renewed interest in the Ryukyu independence movement . Documents declassified in 1997 proved that both tactical and strategic weapons have been maintained in Okinawa. In 1999 and 2002, the Japan Times and the Okinawa Times reported speculation that not all weapons were removed from Okinawa. On October 25, 2005, after a decade of negotiations, the governments of

1196-672: A separate nation until 1879, Okinawan language and culture differ in many ways from those of mainland Japan. There remain six Ryukyuan languages which, although related, are incomprehensible to speakers of Japanese . One of the Ryukyuan languages is spoken in Kagoshima Prefecture , rather than in Okinawa Prefecture. These languages are in decline as the younger generation of Okinawans uses Standard Japanese. Mainland Japanese and some Okinawans generally perceive

1288-409: A series of crimes involving American troops in Japan, including the rape of a young girl of 14 by a Marine on Okinawa. The U.S. military imposed a temporary 24-hour curfew on military personnel and their families to ease the anger of local residents. Some cited statistics that the crime rate of military personnel is consistently less than that of the general Okinawan population. However, some criticized

1380-566: A standardized karate syllabus for schools, independent of the sensei's style. Shoshin Nagamine (Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryū) and Miyagi Chojun developed fukyugata dai ichi , which is part of the current Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu syllabus and further developed fukyugata dai ni , which is part of the current Gōjū-ryū syllabus under the name gekisai dai ichi . Some Gōjū-ryū dojos still practice fukyugata dai ichi. Miyagi also created gekisai dai ni , but it

1472-407: A third of the barrels developed leaks have led Okinawans to ask for environmental investigations, but as of 2012 both Tokyo and Washington refused such action. Jon Mitchell has reported concern that the U.S. used American Marines as chemical-agent guinea pigs. On September 30, 2018, Denny Tamaki was elected as the next governor of Okinawa prefecture, after a campaign focused on sharply reducing

1564-616: A year and studied under several masters but the old school was gone due to the Boxer Rebellion . Shortly after their return, Higaonna died. In 1917 Chojun Miyagi once again went to Fuzhou for a short visit to explore local martial arts schools. After he returned, many of Higaonna's students continued to train with Miyagi and he introduced a kata called Tensho around 1918, which he had adapted from Rokkishu of Fujian White Crane . In 1929 delegates from around Japan were meeting in Kyoto for

1656-399: Is a frequently-used suffix meaning “way of doing,” with emphasis on the form and order of the process. Other meanings are “training method” and “formal exercise.” The goal of a painter's practising, for example, is to merge their consciousness with their brush; the potter's with their clay; the garden designer's with the materials of the garden. Once such mastery is achieved, the theory goes,

1748-739: Is a long kata consisting of self-defense techniques against both unarmed attacks, and attacks with swords and knives. While the Japanese term is most well known in the English language, forms are by no means exclusive to Japan. They have been recorded in China as early as the Tang dynasty , and are referred to in Mandarin as taolu . South and Southeast Asian martial arts incorporate both preset and freestyle forms. In silat these are referred to as jurus and tari respectively. Malay folklore credits

1840-475: Is also the foundation of body conditioning . The more the karateka practices this kata, the more his Heishugata will change. First variation of Sanchin -kata (sanchin kata dai-ichi) serves as Kihongata. Gekisai (kanji: 撃砕; katakana: ゲキサイ) means "attack and smash". These kata were created around 1940 by Chojun Miyagi and Nagamine Shoshin as beginners' kata, to introduce the basic forms of karate ( kihon ) to middle school students in Okinawa, to help bring about

1932-446: Is given to breathing correctly in all of the kata but particularly in the two core kata of the style, Sanchin and Tensho . Gōjū-ryū practices methods that include body strengthening and conditioning, its basic approach to fighting (distance, stickiness, power generation, etc.), and partner drills. The development of Gōjū-ryū goes back to Higaonna Kanryō , (1853–1916), a native of Naha, Okinawa . Higaonna began studying Shuri-te as

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2024-511: Is practiced by Gōjū-ryū and some offshoots only. Kata Kata is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形 ) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practiced in Japanese martial arts as a way to memorize and perfect the movements being executed. Korean martial arts with Japanese influence ( hapkido , Tang Soo Do ) use

2116-577: Is prevented only by a high sensitivity of both participants to important concepts being taught and trained for. These include timing and distance, with the kata practised at realistic speed. This adjustability of kata training is found in other Japanese arts with roles of attacker and defender often interchanging within the sequence. Many martial arts use kata for public demonstrations and in competitions, awarding points for such aspects of technique as style, balance, timing, and verisimilitude (appearance of being real). The most popular image associated with kata

2208-718: Is rather split. According to a telephone poll conducted by Lim John Chuan-tiong (林泉忠), an associate professor with the University of the Ryukyus , 40.6% of respondents identified as " 沖縄人 (Okinawan)", 21.3% identified as " 日本人 (Japanese)" and 36.5% identified as both. Okinawa prefecture age pyramid as of 1 October 2003 (per thousands of people) Okinawa Prefecture age pyramid, divided by sex, as of 1 October 2003 (per thousands of people) Per Japanese census data, Okinawa prefecture has had continuous positive population growth since 1960. Having been

2300-404: Is that of a karate practitioner performing a series of punches and kicks in the air. The kata are executed as a specified series of approximately 20 to 70 moves, generally with stepping and turning, while attempting to maintain perfect form. There are perhaps 100 kata across the various forms of karate, each with many minor variations. The number of moves in a kata may be referred to in the name of

2392-415: Is the essence and foundation of karate and it represents the accumulation of more than 1000 years of knowledge. Formed by numerous masters throughout the ages through dedicated training and research, the kata are like a map to guide us, and as such should never be changed or tampered with." Almost all of the kata have a corresponding bunkai oyo , a prearranged two-person fighting drill. These drills help

2484-589: Is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan . It has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020 ) and a geographic area of 2,281 km (880 sq mi ). Naha is the capital and largest city, with other major cities including Okinawa , Uruma , and Urasoe . Okinawa Prefecture encompasses two thirds of the Ryukyu Islands , including the Okinawa , Daitō and Sakishima groups, extending 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) southwest from

2576-434: Is to create and maintain the organizational culture through consistent role modeling, teaching, and coaching, which is in many ways analogous to how kata are taught in the martial arts. Toyota Kata is a 2009 management book by Mike Rother aiming to establish a routine for establishing a continuous improvement process . Okinawa Prefecture Okinawa Prefecture ( Japanese : 沖縄県 , Hepburn : Okinawa-ken )

2668-421: Is usually the first advanced Gōjū-ryū kata the students learn in most Gōjū-ryū dojos after gekisai dai ichi and gekisai dai ni are mastered. Kata Saifa is usually taught once students reach their purple belt. Sanchin (Kanji: 三戦; Katakana: サンチン) means "three battles". This kata is a sort of moving meditation , whose purpose is to unify the mind, body and spirit. The techniques are performed very slowly so that

2760-800: The Imperial Chinese tributary system under the Ming dynasty beginning in the 15th century, which established economic relations between the two nations. In 1609, the Shimazu clan , which controlled the region that is now Kagoshima Prefecture , invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom . The Ryukyu Kingdom was obliged to agree to form a suzerain - vassal relationship with the Satsuma and the Tokugawa shogunate , while maintaining its previous role within

2852-897: The Invasion of Ryukyu in 1609. Okinawa was officially founded in 1879 by the Empire of Japan after seven years as the Ryukyu Domain , the last domain of the Han system . Okinawa was occupied by the United States during the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II and was governed by the Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands from 1945 to 1950 and Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands from 1950 until

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2944-641: The Iriomote-Ishigaki , Kerama Shotō , and Yambaru National Parks; Okinawa Kaigan and Okinawa Senseki Quasi-National Parks; and Irabu , Kumejima , Tarama , and Tonaki Prefectural Natural Parks. The dugong is an endangered marine mammal related to the manatee . Iriomote is home to one of the world's rarest and most endangered cat species, the Iriomote cat . The region is also home to at least one endemic pit viper , Trimeresurus elegans . The islands of Okinawa are surrounded by some of

3036-537: The National Diet ( 国会 ) which had been established in 1890. On 1 April 1945, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps launched an invasion of Okinawa with 185,000 troops. They were faced with fanatical resistance from the Japanese defenders. A third of Okinawa's civilian population were killed during the ensuing fighting. The dead, of all nationalities, are commemorated at the Cornerstone of Peace . After

3128-698: The Paleolithic era were unearthed from a site in Naha, but the artifact was lost in transportation before it was examined. Japanese Jōmon influences are dominant on the Okinawa Islands , although clay vessels on the Sakishima Islands have a commonality with those in Taiwan. The first mention of the word Ryukyu was written in the Book of Sui . Okinawa was the Japanese word identifying

3220-601: The Satsunan Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture to Taiwan ( Hualien and Yilan Counties ). Okinawa Prefecture's largest island, Okinawa Island , is the home to a majority of Okinawa's population. Okinawa's indigenous ethnic group is the Ryukyuan people , who also live in the Amami Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture . Okinawa was ruled by the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1429 and unofficially annexed by Japan after

3312-619: The Sino-Japanese War , the Patron of Naha-te, Yoshimura Udun, and his pro-China faction lost power in Okinawan politics, they migrated to Fuzhou, Taiwan or Hawaii and the older schools of Naha-te were largely lost. Through this period until 1905 when karate was openly taught in Okinawan schools, Kanryo Higaonna kept Naha-te alive by giving students private lessons at his home. Gōjū-kai history considers Chinese Nanpa Shorin-ken to be

3404-550: The Southeast Botanical Gardens represent tropical plant species. The island is largely composed of coral , and rainwater filtering through that coral has given the island many caves, which played an important role in the Battle of Okinawa. Gyokusendo is an extensive limestone cave in the southern part of Okinawa's main island. The island experiences temperatures above 20 °C (68 °F) for most of

3496-564: The Three Non-Nuclear Principles reflected this popular opposition. Most of the weapons were alleged to be stored in ammunition bunkers at Kadena Air Base. Between 1954 and 1972, 19 different types of nuclear weapons were deployed in Okinawa, but with fewer than around 1,000 warheads at any one time. In fall 1960, U.S. commandos in Green Light Teams secret training missions carried small nuclear weapons on

3588-496: The neko ashi dachi stance, and to the wheel block ( mawashi uke ). Saifa (Kanji: 砕破; Katakana: サイファ) means "rip and tear" or "rip and destroy". Saifa has its origins in China, and was brought to Okinawa by Higashionna. It contains quick whipping motions, hammerfists, and back fist strikes; it particularly emphasizes moving off-line from an opponent's main force, while simultaneously closing distance and exploding through them. This

3680-468: The "Keystone of the Pacific". This slogan was imprinted on local U.S. military license plates. In 1969, chemicals leaked from the U.S. storage depot at Chibana in central Okinawa, under Operation Red Hat . Evacuations of residents took place over a wide area for two months. Even two years later, government investigators found that Okinawans and the environment near the leak were still suffering because of

3772-471: The 1868 Meiji Restoration , the Japanese government, through military incursions, officially annexed the kingdom and renamed it Ryukyu han . At the time, the Qing dynasty asserted a nominal suzerainty over the islands. Ryukyu han became Okinawa Prefecture of Japan in 1879, even though all other hans had become prefectures of Japan in 1872. In 1912, Okinawans first obtained the right to vote for representatives to

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3864-576: The All Japan Martial Arts Demonstration. Miyagi was unable to attend, and so he in turn asked his top student Jin'an Shinzato to go. While Shinzato was there, one of the other demonstrators asked him the name of the martial art he practiced. At this time, Miyagi had not yet named his style. Not wanting to be embarrassed, Shinzato improvised the name hanko-ryu ("half-hard style"). On his return to Okinawa Prefecture , he reported this incident to Chōjun Miyagi, who decided on

3956-527: The Chinese tributary system; Ryukyuan sovereignty was maintained since complete annexation would have created a conflict with China. The Satsuma clan earned considerable profits from trade with China during a period in which foreign trade was heavily restricted by the shogunate. Although Satsuma maintained strong influence over the islands, the Ryukyu Kingdom maintained a considerable degree of domestic political freedom for over two hundred years. Four years after

4048-627: The Cultural Ministry of Japan, recognized Gōjū-ryū Karate-do as an ancient form of traditional martial art ( koryū ) and as a bujutsu . This recognition as a koryū bujutsu shows a change in how Japanese society sees the relationships between Japan, Okinawa and China . After Miyagi's death (1953), for some sources, the family communicated that the founder of the style wanted Eiichi Miyazato to succeed him. The Gōjū-ryū committee, formed by major students of Miyagi (which included among others Nakaima, Madanbashi, Meitoku Yagi, Iha Koshin) at

4140-461: The Kashmiri khawankay . In historical European martial arts and their modern reconstructions, there are forms, plays, drills and flourishes. More recently kata has come to be used in English in a more general or figurative sense, referring to any basic form, routine, or pattern of behavior that is practised to various levels of mastery. In Japanese language kata (though written as 方)

4232-478: The Melvin Price Report, by 1955, the military had displaced 250,000 residents. Since 1960, the U.S. and Japan have maintained an agreement that allows the U.S. to secretly bring nuclear weapons into Japanese ports. The Japanese people tended to oppose the introduction of nuclear arms into Japanese territory and the Japanese government's assertion of Japan's non-nuclear policy and a statement of

4324-485: The Okinawa Prefecture: (name in brackets) These are the towns and villages in each district : (name in brackets) ( Kunigami ) Yunoon ( Yaeyama ) The indigenous Ryukyuan people make up the majority of Okinawa Prefecture's population and are also the main ethnic group of the Amami Islands to the north. Large Okinawan diaspora communities persist in places such as South America and Hawaii . With

4416-526: The Okinawan population wanted the complete closure of the U.S. bases, 42% wanted reduction, and 11% wanted to maintain status quo. Okinawan feelings about the U.S. military are complex, and some of the resentment towards the U.S. bases is directed towards the government in Tokyo , perceived as being insensitive to Okinawan needs and using Okinawa to house bases not desired elsewhere in Japan. In early 2008, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice apologized after

4508-454: The Ryukyuan languages as "dialects". Standard Japanese is almost always used in formal situations. In informal situations, de facto everyday language among Okinawans under age 60 is Okinawa-accented mainland Japanese (" Okinawan Japanese "), which is often mistaken by non-Okinawans as the Okinawan language proper. The actual traditional Okinawan language is still used in traditional cultural activities, such as folk music and folk dance . There

4600-666: The U.S. and Japan officially agreed to move Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from its location in the densely populated city of Ginowan to the more northerly and remote Camp Schwab in Nago by building a heliport with a shorter runway, partly on Camp Schwab land and partly running into the sea. The move is partly an attempt to relieve tensions between the people of Okinawa and the Marine Corps. Despite Okinawa prefecture constituting only 0.6% of Japan's land surface, in 2006 75% of all USFJ bases were located on Okinawa, occupying 18% of

4692-528: The U.S. forces relocation plan but in April 2010 indicated their interest in resolving the issue by proposing a modified plan. A study done in 2010 found that the prolonged exposure to aircraft noise around the Kadena Air Base and other military bases cause health issues such as a disrupted sleep pattern, high blood pressure, weakening of the immune system in children, and a loss of hearing. In 2011, it

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4784-465: The U.S. military bases, earlier viewed as paternal post war protection, were increasingly seen as aggressive. The Vietnam War highlighted the differences between United States and Okinawa but showed a commonality between the islands and mainland Japan. As controversy grew regarding the alleged placement of nuclear weapons on Okinawa, fears intensified over the escalation of the Vietnam War. Okinawa

4876-641: The U.S. military presence on the island. In 2006, some 8,000 U.S. Marines were removed from the island and relocated to Guam . The move to Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz is expected to be completed in 2023. Japan paid for a majority of the cost to construct the new base. The U.S. still maintains Air Force, Marine, Navy, and Army military installations on the islands. These bases include Kadena Air Base , Camp Foster , Marine Corps Air Station Futenma , Camp Hansen , Camp Schwab , Torii Station , Camp Kinser , and Camp Gonsalves . The area of 14 U.S. bases are 233 square kilometres (90 sq mi), occupying 18% of

4968-608: The Vietnam War". The Beheiren became a more visible anti-war movement on Okinawa as the American involvement in Vietnam intensified. The movement employed tactics ranging from demonstrations to handing leaflets to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines directly, warning of the implications for a third World War. The U.S. military bases on Okinawa became a focal point for anti-Vietnam War sentiment. By 1969, over 50,000 American military personnel were stationed on Okinawa. United States Department of Defense began referring to Okinawa as

5060-677: The book The Pragmatic Programmer . The concept was implemented by Laurent Bossavit and Emmanuel Gaillot who talked about it at XP2005 in Sheffield (UK). Following this conference, Robert C. Martin described the concept and initial usages in his article "The Programming Dojo". One of the things that characterize an organization's culture is its kata – its routines of thinking and practice. Edgar Schein suggests an organization's culture helps it cope with its environment, and one meaning of kata is, "a way to keep two things in sync or harmony with one another." A task for leaders and managers

5152-464: The construction of six new helipads. The islands comprising the prefecture are the southern two thirds of the archipelago of the Ryūkyū Islands ( 琉球諸島 , Ryūkyū-shotō ) . Okinawa's inhabited islands are typically divided into three geographical archipelagos. From northeast to southwest: Approximately 36% percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as natural parks , namely

5244-449: The depot. On May 15, 1972, the U.S. government handed over the islands to Japanese administration. The 1995 kidnaping, beating, and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen triggered large protests in Okinawa. Reports by the local media of accidents and crimes committed by U.S. servicemen have reduced the local population's support for the U.S. military bases. A strong emotional response has emerged from certain incidents. As

5336-536: The derived term hyeong (hanja: 形) and also the term pumsae (hanja: 品勢 hangeul: 품새). Kata are also used in many traditional Japanese arts such as theatre forms like kabuki and schools of tea ceremony ( chadō ), but are most commonly known in the martial arts. Kata are used by most Japanese and Okinawan martial arts , such as iaido , judo , kendo , kenpo , and karate . Kata originally were teaching and training methods by which successful combat techniques were preserved and passed on. Practicing kata allowed

5428-510: The doing of a thing perfectly is as easy as thinking it. Kata is a term used by some programmers in the Software Craftsmanship movement. Computer programmers who call themselves "Software Craftsmen" will write 'Kata' - small snippets of code that they write in one sitting, sometimes repeatedly, often daily, in order to build muscle memory and practise their craft. In 1999, the term was used by Dave Thomas , co-author of

5520-404: The east coast of Okinawa Island. Between 1965 and 1972, Okinawa was a key staging point for United States in its military operations directed towards North Vietnam. Along with Guam, it presented a geographically strategic launch pad for covert bombing missions over Cambodia and Laos. Anti- Vietnam War sentiment became linked politically to the movement for reversion of Okinawa to Japan. In 1965,

5612-705: The end of World War II, the United States set up the United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands administration, which ruled Okinawa for 27 years. During this "trusteeship rule", the United States established numerous military bases on the Ryukyu islands. The Ryukyu independence movement was an Okinawan movement that clamored against U.S. rule. During the Korean War , B-29 Superfortresses flew bombing missions over Korea from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa. The military buildup on

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5704-624: The first style recognized by the NKK(Nippon Kobudo Kyokai), and Gōjū-ryū's official representative with the NKK was Morio Higaonna, and the organization he founded, the IOGKF was Gōjū-ryū's representative organization in the NKK. Miyagi believed that "the ultimate aim of karate-do was to build character, conquer human misery, and find spiritual freedom". He stated that it was important to balance training for self-defense with "training

5796-429: The fluctuations of life". When blocking, "the body is soft and inhaling"; when striking, the body is "hard and exhaling". Gōjū-ryū has 12 core kata in its standard curriculum. In some schools, practitioners are required to know all of these kata before reaching sandan (3rd degree black belt) or, more commonly, for godan (5th degree black belt). Morio Higaonna writes that "Karate begins and ends with kata . Kata

5888-580: The growth of Gōjū-ryū. This organization was called Gōjū-ryū Shinkokai ("Association to Promote Gōjū-ryū"). The founding members were Seko Higa, Keiyo Matanbashi, Jinsei Kamiya, and Genkai Nakaima. In 1940 Chojun Miyagi created the kata Geki-Sai-dai-Ichi and Geki-Sai-dai-ni. Geki-sai-dai-Ichi was also incorporated into the Okinawan Karate tradition as Fukyugata-Dai-Ni. Fukyugata-Dai-Ni is practiced by other schools such as Kobayashi Shorin-Ryu and Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu. There are two years that define

5980-455: The introduction of American military bases, there are an increasing number of half-American children in Okinawa, including prefecture governor Denny Tamaki . The prefecture also has a sizable minority of Yamato people from mainland Japan; exact population numbers are difficult to establish, as the Japanese government does not officially recognise Ryukyuans as a distinct ethnic group from Yamatos. The overall ethnic identity of Okinawa residents

6072-613: The introduction of forms to the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma . In Korean martial arts such as taekwondo and Tang Soo Do , the word hyung or hyeong is usually employed, though in some cases other words are used. The International Taekwon-Do Federation uses the word tul , while the World Taekwondo Federation uses the word poomsae or simply the English translations " pattern " or "form." Taekwondo patterns have multiple variations including Palgwe and

6164-463: The island during the Cold War increased a division between local inhabitants and the American military. Under the 1952 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan , United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have maintained a large military presence. During the mid-1950s, the U.S. seized land from Okinawans to build new bases or expand currently existing ones. According to

6256-529: The islands, first seen in the biography of Jianzhen , written in 779. Agricultural societies begun in the 8th century slowly developed until the 12th century. Since the islands are located at the eastern perimeter of the East China Sea relatively close to Japan, China and Southeast Asia , the Ryukyu Kingdom became a prosperous trading nation. Also during this period, many Gusukus , similar to castles, were constructed. The Ryukyu Kingdom entered into

6348-410: The kata, e.g., Gojū Shiho , which means "54 steps." The practitioner is generally counselled to visualize the enemy attacks, and his responses, as actually occurring, and karateka are often told to "read" a kata, to explain the imagined events. Kata can contain techniques beyond the superficially obvious ones. The study of the meaning of the movements is referred to as the bunkai , meaning analysis, of

6440-463: The kata. One explanation of the use of kata is as a reference guide for a set of moves. Not to be used following that "set" pattern but to keep the movements "filed". After learning these kata, this set of learned skills can then be used in a sparring scenario (particularly without points). The main objective here is to try out different combinations of techniques in a safe environment to ultimately find out how to defeat your opponent. Recently, with

6532-576: The main island. According to a 2007 Okinawa Times poll, 85% of Okinawans opposed the presence of the U.S. military, because of noise pollution from military drills, the risk of aircraft accidents, environmental degradation , and crowding from the number of personnel there, although 73% of Japanese citizens appreciated the mutual security treaty with the U.S. and the presence of the USFJ. In another poll conducted by The Asahi Shimbun in May 2010, 43% of

6624-482: The main island. Okinawa hosts about two-thirds of the 50,000 American forces in Japan although the islands account for less than one percent of total lands in Japan. Suburbs have grown towards and now surround two historic major bases, Futenma and Kadena. A sizeable portion of the land used by the U.S. military is Camp Gonsalves in the north of the island. On December 21, 2016, 10,000 acres of Camp Gonsalves were returned to Japan. On June 25, 2018, Okinawa residents held

6716-492: The mind, or cultivating the precept karate-do ni sente nashi ('there is no first strike in karate')"; he also emphasized the importance of "cultivating intellect before strength". Miyagi chose the name Gōjū-ryū, with " gō " ( 剛 ) meaning "hard" and " jū " ( 柔 ) meaning "soft", to emphasize that his style integrated both "hard" and "soft" styles. Gōjū applies not just to karate, but to life in general; only hardness or only softness will not enable one "to deal effectively with

6808-562: The more popular Taeguk forms used by the WTF. Forms are included in certain taekwondo competitions and are a key element of gradings. In Sanskrit , forms are known either as yudhan (combat form) or pentra (tactical deployment). Other Asian martial arts refer to forms by various terms specific to their respective languages, such as the Burmese word aka , the Vietnamese quyen and

6900-428: The most abundant coral reefs found in the world. The world's largest colony of rare blue coral is found off Ishigaki Island . The sea turtles return yearly to the southern islands of Okinawa to lay their eggs. The summer months carry warnings to swimmers regarding venomous jellyfish and other dangerous sea creatures. Okinawa is a major producer of sugar cane , pineapple , papaya , and other tropical fruit, and

6992-622: The name Gōjū-ryū ("hard soft style") as a name for his style. Chojun Miyagi took the name from a line of the poem Hakku Kenpo , which roughly means: "The eight laws of the fist," and describes the eight precepts of the martial arts. This poem was part of the Bubishi and reads, Ho wa Gōjū wa Donto su "the way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness," or "everything in the universe inhales soft and exhales hard." In March 1934, Miyagi wrote Karate-do Gaisetsu ("Outline of Karate-do (Chinese Hand Way)"), to introduce karate-do and to provide

7084-408: The other. However, the actual type and frequency of kata versus randori training varies from art to art. In iaido , solo kata using the Japanese sword ( katana ) comprises almost all of the training. Whereas in judo , kata training is de-emphasized and usually only prepared for dan grading. In kenjutsu , paired kata at the beginners level can appear to be stilted. At higher levels serious injury

7176-560: The prefecture was returned to Japan in 1972. Okinawa comprises just 0.6 percent of Japan's total land mass, but about 26,000 (75%) of United States Forces Japan personnel are assigned to the prefecture; the continued U.S. military presence in Okinawa is controversial. The oldest evidence of human existence on the Ryukyu Islands is from the Stone Age and was discovered in Naha and Yaeyama . Some human bone fragments thought to be from

7268-446: The spread of extreme martial arts, or XMA, a style of kata called CMX kata has formed. These kata are performed in tournaments and include gymnastics related elements, such as backflips, cartwheels, and splits. These kata can also be performed with weapons such as the bō staff. Judo has several kata, mostly created in the late 19th century by Kano Jigoro , the founder of judo. The judo kata involve two participants. Judo kata preserve

7360-496: The standardization of karate, and to teach a basic set of techniques for self-defense. Gekisai kata were strongly influenced by the Shuri-te techniques that Miyagi learned from Anko Itosu . Students first learn gekisai dai ichi and then gekisai dai ni . The main difference between dai ichi and dai ni is that dai ni introduces open handed techniques and new stances. It is in gekesai dai ni that students are introduced to

7452-435: The statistics as unreliable, since violence against women is under-reported. Between 1972 and 2009, U.S. servicemen committed 5,634 criminal offenses, including 25 murders, 385 burglaries, 25 arsons, 127 rapes, 306 assaults and 2,827 thefts. Yet, per Marine Corps Installations Pacific data, U.S. service members are convicted of far fewer crimes than local Okinawans. In 2009, a new Japanese government came to power and froze

7544-477: The strain of kung fu that influenced this style. Higaonna Morio (no relation with Kanryo's family) noted that in 1905, Higaonna Kanryō taught martial arts in two different ways, according to the type of student: At home, he taught Naha-te as a martial art whose ultimate goal was to be able to kill the opponent; however, at Naha Commercial High School, he taught karate as a form of physical, intellectual and moral education. Higaonna Kanryo's most prominent student

7636-567: The student masters precise movements, breathing, stance/posture, internal strength, and stability of both mind and body. Sanchin is the foundation for all other kata , and is generally considered to be the most important kata to master. When new students came to Miyagi, he would often train them for three to five years before introducing them to sanchin . He would make them train very hard, and many of them quit before learning sanchin . Those that remained would focus almost exclusively on sanchin for two to three years. Miyagi's sanchin training

7728-405: The student to understand the applications of the kata , establish proper rhythm/flow, to practice constant attack/defense, and to safely practice dangerous moves on a partner. Kihongata (基本型) means a " kata of basics." In Gōjū-ryū, Sanchin kata is the foundation to all other Gōjū kata because it teaches basic movements, basic techniques, power generation and breathing techniques from qigong .. It

7820-521: The two may not be the same person. Higaonna returned to Okinawa in 1882 and continued in the family business of selling firewood, while teaching a new school of martial arts, distinguished by its integration of gō-no (hard) and jū-no (soft) kenpō into one system. Higaonna's style was known as a type of Naha-te. Naha-te included other earlier teachers such as Arakaki Seisho and the Kojo family style. However, after Japan annexed Okinawa and defeated China in

7912-574: The way Gōjū-ryū has been considered by the Japanese establishment: the first, 1933, is the year Gōjū-ryū was officially recognized as a budō in Japan by the DNBK Dai Nippon Butoku Kai , in other words, it was recognized as a modern martial art, or gendai budō by the Japanese Government. The second year, 1998, is the year the semi-governmental Nippon Kobudo Kyokai (Japan Traditional Martial Arts Association), under

8004-477: The year. The climate of the islands ranges from humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ) in the north, such as Okinawa Island , to tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af ) in the south such as Iriomote Island . Snowfall is unheard of at sea level. However, on January 24, 2016, sleet was reported in Nago for the first time on record. Eleven cities are located within

8096-447: Was Chōjun Miyagi (1888–1953), the son of a wealthy shop owner in Naha, who began training under Higaonna at the age of 14. Miyagi had begun his martial arts training under Ryuko Arakaki at age 11, and it was through Ryuko Arakaki that he was introduced to Higaonna. Miyagi trained under Higaonna for 15 years until Higaonna's death in 1916. In 1915 Miyagi and a friend, Gokenki, went to Fuzhou in search of Higaonna's teacher. They stayed for

8188-431: Was perceived by some inside Japan as a potential target for China, should the communist government feel threatened by United States. American military secrecy blocked any local reporting on what was actually occurring at bases such as Kadena Air Base. As information leaked out, and images of air strikes were published, the local population began to fear the potential for retaliation. Political leaders such as Makoto Oda ,

8280-441: Was reported that the U.S. military—contrary to repeated denials by The Pentagon —had kept tens of thousands of barrels of Agent Orange on the island. The Japanese and American governments have angered some U.S. veterans, who believe they were poisoned by Agent Orange while serving on the island, by characterizing their statements regarding Agent Orange as "dubious", and ignoring their requests for compensation. Reports that more than

8372-459: Was to create a series of Okinawan kata to teach physical education and very basic Okinawan 'independent style' martial arts to school children. Their goal was not to create a standardized karate as the Japanese had been doing with kendo and judo for the sake of popularization. These kata are not traditional Gōjū-ryū kata; instead, they are "promotional kata", simple enough to be taught as part of physical education programs at schools and part of

8464-432: Was very harsh, and students would often leave practice with bruises from him checking their stance. Tensho ( 転掌 ) means "revolving hands". Like sanchin , tensho is a form of moving meditation; tensho combines hard dynamic tension with soft flowing hand movements, and concentrates strength in the tanden . Tensho can be considered the ju (soft) counterpart of the sanchin' s go (hard) style. Kaishukata means

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