Naihanchi Kata Comparison

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Written By Noah Legel

Naihanchi, or Tekki, as it is known in Japanese karate styles, is one of the most widely-practiced kata in all of karate, only surpassed by Seisan and, perhaps, Gekisai. The prolific nature of this kata means that there are many different versions in existence, and although most can be traced back to a singular common lineage, there is still value in exploring the similarities and differences between them. It is easy to forget, when we are training in our own dojo with other people who all share a singular style, that not all styles of karate move the same way, or use the same techniques or tactics, and that does not make them incorrect. By looking at other styles with an open mind, it is possible to learn more about your own style, and possibly even learn something new that you can incorporate into your own training.

Before getting into the actual kata, some background information may be helpful in providing some context for the material. The name “Naihanchi” is one which brings up a great deal of speculation with regard to its meaning, as it has historically been written in katakana, the syllable-based alphabet of Japanese, as ナイハンチ. While kanji, the symbols inherited from China, carry deeper meanings, and single characters can mean entire phrases, katakana does not carry any such meaning. This means that we truthfully have no record of the original intended meaning of the name “Naihanchi.” It could be a native Okinawan word, lost to time, as the Okinawan language (Uchinaaguchi) was written in katakana, but it could also be a foreign word, as words from other languages are also generally written in katakana. There are many theories about what the meaning could have been, and whether the name is originally Chinese, or Japanese, or even Taiwanese. In the end, most people have simply chosen to attribute kanji to Naihanchi which translate in a way that they like, and which makes sense to them, despite having no real evidence to support those translations as being the original meaning of the name. These include “inner divided conflict,” “advancing with turned inward steps,” “bear tearing the ground,” “fighting on uneven ground,” “do snap,” “iron horse battle,” “pressure points of Han Chi,” and more, some of which are used to try to draw connections to Chinese forms with similar sounding names, such as Daipochin and Neixi, despite there being very little similarity between them and the Naihanchi kata we know, today, on the rare occasion that existing examples of them can even be found. In the end, these are all personal theories, without any hard evidence to support them, so all we truly know is roughly how the kata name has been pronounced for generations.

Itosu Anko (back row)

The actual history of Naihanchi is similarly muddled, but a little easier to understand by looking at the lineages that different versions belong to. In the modern day, there is a set of three Naihanchi kata; Naihanchi Shodan (First Level), Naihanchi Nidan (Second Level), and Naihanchi Sandan (Third Level). A single Western karate practitioner several decades ago proposed the theory that they may have once been one longer kata, and many simply accepted this theory, despite the fact that there is no evidence to support it, whatsoever, and thus gave rise to the creation of various amalgamation kata, the most popular of which being the “O’Naihanchi” (Big\Great Naihanchi) created by Robert Trias, the founder of the eclectic American styles of Shorei-Goju-Ryu and Shuri-Ryu. It is important that we understand that this theory has been debunked as fantasy. In reality, Naihanchi Shodan is the “original” Naihanchi kata, while Naihanchi Nidan and Sandan are newer creations. According to Chibana Chosin, those two kata were created by his teacher, Itosu Anko, the man who introduced karate to the Okinawan school system, developed the Pinan (Heian) kata, and modernized many of the koryu (lit. “old style”) kata of karate, including Naihanchi. Others, including karate historian Iwai Tsukuo, Hiroshi Kinjo, and Murakami Katsumi, also stated that Itosu created Naihanchi Nidan and Sandan, supporting Chibana’s claim. There are some, however, who believe that Naihanchi Nidan was actually a creation of the famous “Bushi” Matsumura Sokon, who was one of Itosu’s teachers. This largely stems from the fact that Naihanchi Nidan is typically included in the curriculum of Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu, leading some to believe that it was handed down from “Bushi” Matsumura through a person named “Nabi” Matsumura (believed to be his grandson, although “Nabi” is a female child’s name on Okinawa) to Hohan Soken, who founded Matsumura Seito. This could be true, but is called into question by the contradicting claim made by Chibana, and the fact that Hohan Soken lived on Okinawa from 1889 to sometime in the 1920s, meaning he would have had at least 25 years to learn karate before moving to Argentina, and that would have included training in Itosu Anko’s karate curriculum at school. Additionally, some have stated that Hohan Soken went to Chibana to learn some kata when he finally returned to Okinawa after World War 2. While it does not change the lineages of the kata, it is interesting to note that Miyagi Chojun, the founder of Goju-Ryu, also learned and taught Naihanchi, most likely through the Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai (Okinawan Karate Research Club) he founded with Hanashiro Chomo, Motobu Choyu, and Mabuni Kenwa, all of whom would have known Naihanchi. Though there is some mystery surrounding the reasoning, it was removed from the Goju-Ryu curriculum after World War 2.

The origins of Naihanchi are unknown, although there are many theories. Many believe that it is of Chinese origin, but there are no extant versions of such a form in any Chinese martial arts, today, unlike kata such as Sanchin and Seisan, which still exist in various Chinese arts. This makes finding a Chinese origin all but impossible. Naihanchi could be a form from China that simply no longer exists there, but it could also be an Okinawan creation, which may or may not have been influenced by Chinese arts. Most karate practitioners believe that Southern Chinese martial arts, such as White Crane Boxing and Incense Shop Boxing, had the largest impact on the development of karate, which makes sense, given that the Ryukyu-Kan, where most Okinawans traveling to China would visit and study, was located in Fuzhou, in the Southern Chinese province of Fujian. There was even a martial arts dojo at the Ryukyu-Kan run by the Kojo family, whose art of Kojo-Ryu was certainly influenced by Southern Chinese martial arts. Naha-Te systems, such as Goju-Ryu, To’on-Ryu, and Uechi-Ryu also bear striking resemblances to Southern Chinese arts. Shuri-Te and Tomari-Te systems, however, where the Naihanchi kata is found, do not bear the same degree of similarity. Instead, many find greater similarities between Shuri-Te/Tomari-Te and some Northern Chinese styles. For example, there are a number of similarities between Naihanchi and forms found in Northern Shaolin Buddhist Boxing, the name of which in Chinese is Nan Shaolín Fu Jia Quan, or simply Nan Fu Jia Chuan, which sounds somewhat similar to “Naifuanchin;” one of many ways the name of this kata is pronounced in the various dialects of Japanese and Uchinaaguchi found in the Ryukyu Islands.

An artist’s depiction of either “Todi” Sakugawa Kanga or his father, Sakugawa Kangi

Regardless of its potential Chinese origins, the kata has been part of Okinawan martial arts since at least the 1800s, and potentially the 1700s. Given that we know “Bushi” Matsumura (1809-1899) taught Naihanchi, as did his contemporary, “Bushi” Tachimura (1814-1899), and they are both believed to have trained under “Todi” Sakugawa Kanga ( 1786-1867), who likely learned Todi (Chinese hand) from his father, Sakugawa Kangi (1733-1815) who, in turn, likely learned from a Pechin (upper class noble equivalent to a Japanese samurai) named Takahara. Naihanchi could have been “Todi” Sakugawa’s creation, or he could have learned it from his father, who could have learned it from Takahara (1683-1760), and so on, but what we do know is that at least two of “Todi” Sakugawa’s students learned it, so it is likely at least as old as they are. Some believe that a man named Ason, who supposedly visited Okinawa twice during the 1800s as a bodyguard for a Chinese envoy, taught Naihanchi while he was there. Yet another theory is that a man by the name of Uku Karyu, or Uku Giku, created the kata sometime during his lifetime from 1800-1850, or possibly learned it from Ason. These seem to have very little evidence supporting them, and so it is more likely that Naihanchi was taught by “Todi” Sakugawa, and we simply do not know whether he created it or inherited it. There is always hope that researchers will uncover lost documents that may shed more light on the subject, but as of right now, this is the best guess at the historical origin of Naihanchi.

Baseline

Digital painting of Chibana Chosin by Ev Joy Lokadottr

We will begin our exploration of the Naihanchi kata by establishing a baseline, which is not to say that this baseline is necessarily more “correct” than any other version of Naihanchi, only that it is perhaps the most common version. This will be the version taught by Chibana Chosin, since Chibana seems to have been the last Dai Senpai (senior student and assistant) of Itosu’s dojo, so we can surmise that he preserved the most up-to-date version of the Naihanchi kata that Itosu taught. Additionally, Chibana was widely regarded as the foremost expert on Itosu’s kata during his lifetime, and was sought out by many for his knowledge and expertise on the subject. As the vast majority of Naihanchi kata can be traced back to Itosu, this seems a reasonable place to start. Conveniently, there is both video and photographic record of the Naihanchi kata practiced by Chibana Chosin, and we also have video examples available from various lineages stemming from him for comparison.

In the video, above, you can watch Chibana Chosin, himself, perform Naihanchi Shodan, albeit quite slowly. This is because he was dying from cancer at the time it was recorded, and had so much difficulty moving that he had to have his wife dress him in his karategi for the video to be taken. Unfortunately, the video is also low quality, given its age, making it difficult to see the details, but we are lucky enough to have photographs of a younger, healthier Chibana performing this same kata, which can be used to add clarity. Immediately following the video clip, above, you will see the photos of Chibana, pieced together in order, so that you can see more clearly how this master performed the kata. We can clearly see the use of the "pigeon-toed” Naihanchi-dachi, which Motobu Choki tells us was developed by Itosu Anko, and which was likely inspired by Itosu’s training in body strengthening practices with his Naha-Te teacher, Nagahama. The order of techniques is also clear, and this is the order in which the techniques of Naihanchi appear in all but one version. One thing that can be seen in the video, which is not present in the photos, however, is the act of “re-gripping,” where the fists are partially opened in between movements. This is something which Patrick Nakata, a student of Chibana, wrote about Chibana emphasizing in his teaching. This leaves us with the following baseline format for Naihanchi kata:

  1. Yoi

  2. Look right

  3. Left foot steps over right into kosa-dachi (cross-legged stance)

  4. Right foot steps out to Naihanchi-dachi (Naihanchi stance)

  5. Right hand executes haito-uke (ridge hand receiver)

  6. Left hand executes enpi-uchi/hiji-ate (elbow strike/smash)

  7. Hands pull to a stacked position on the right side of the body

  8. Left hand executes gedan-barai (low level sweep)

  9. Right hand executes mawashi-zuki (turning thrust)

  10. Right foot steps over left into kosa-dachi

  11. Left foot steps out to Naihanchi-dachi

  12. Right hand executes chudan-soto-uke (mid-level outside receiver)

  13. Both hands execute chuge-uke (mid/low receiver), left hand chudan, right hand gedan

  14. Right hand executes grab and pulls beneath left elbow as left hand executes uraken-uchi (backfist strike)

  15. Look left

  16. Left foot executes nami-gaeshi (returning wave), setting back down into Naihanchi-dachi

  17. Left hand executes tate-ude-uchi (standing forearm strike) to the outside as right hand executes short mawashi-zuki

  18. Look right

  19. Right foot executes nami-gaeshi (returning wave), setting back down into Naihanchi-dachi

  20. Left hand executes tate-ude-uchi inward and across the body as right hand tucks beneath left elbow

  21. Right stacked-hands position

  22. Both hands execute morote-zuki (double thrust) to the left, left arm fully extended at shoulder level, right arm ending in mawashi-zuki position

  23. Repeat steps 2-22 on the opposite side

  24. Yoi

This video shows Naihanchi Shodan as it is performed in the Shorinkan, Shidokan, and Kyudokan, which are the three primary lineages that have passed on Chibana’s karate. This is typically repeated at the end of the kata, as well. The video also shows the “Naihanchi Ju no Kata” that was created by Shimabukuro Katsuyuki, who trained directly with Chibana until his death, and went on to train with Higa Yuchoku, the senior student of Chibana who founded the Kyudokan, and who notably incorporated Goju-Ryu methods into his Shorin-Ryu. You will note that the demonstration by Higa Minoru’s family includes shime (testing) of the structure of their kata, which is a practice typically found in Naha-Te styles, but is occasionally used when practicing Naihanchi in other schools, as well, and they actually use the same yoi postures as Chibana. Nakazato Shugoro uses the more modern yoi of bringing the hands together in front of the chest, then pressing down, both at the beginning and end. Miyahira Katsuya does his yoi as something of a blend, bringing them together in front of the groin at the beginning, but bringing them together higher and pressing down at the end. These alterations are likely simply preference. The rest of their kata performance is largely identical, although Nakazato and Miyahira are using more natural stances that resemble shiko-dachi (sumo stance), rather than the Naihanchi-dachi developed by Itosu, which can be seen in the Kyudokan demonstration. This is likely due to physical limitations due to their age, as they both taught their students to use Itosu’s Naihanchi-dachi. It is also notable that Shimabukuro’s Naihanchi Ju no Kata is performed in shiko-dachi, and still follows the general format of Chibana’s Naihanchi Shodan, but incorporates the open hands and dynamic tension more commonly found in Naha-Te styles.

Students of Yabu Kentsu practicing Naihanchi (left) and Toyama Kanken demonstrating Naihanchi in his 1956 book, Okugi Hijutsu Karate-Do (right)

While we are using the Kobayashi branch of Shorin-Ryu for our baseline example of Naihanchi, it is valuable to also look at the three other branches of Shorin-Ryu: Shobayashi, Matsubayashi, and Matsumura Seito. In addition to these examples, the video, above, shows the Naihanchi Shodan taught in Hanashiro Chomo’s Shorin-Ryu, which is the exact same lineage as Chibana Chosin’s, but Hanashiro trained with Itosu before Chibana did, and therefore passed on an older version of Itosu’s karate. We can see that all of these examples follow the exact same pattern of movements as Chibana’s Naihanchi Shodan. The differences here lie in smaller details. The Shobayashi version, demonstrated by Shimabukuro Zenpo, tends to use a high kiba-dachi, with the toes pointing forward, as opposed to the more inward-turned foot position seen in Chibana’s Naihanchi, and the grab/backfist features a large, circular “wind up” motion around the head, as opposed to Chibana’s small circle in front of the face. It is also notable for the emphasis on power coming from hip rotation. This may not actually be the Naihanchi kata of Kyan Chotoku, however, as Shimabukuro also learned from Nakama Chozo, a student of Chibana, which may be why it does not start to the left, as other Tomari-Te-based versions do. The Matsubayashi version, demonstrated by Nagamine Takayoshi, also utilizes kiba-dachi instead of Naihanchi-dachi, but also includes nami-gaeshi (returning wave) motions with the foot on every step, and the grab/backfist sequence pulls the striking hand back over the shoulder before striking, without any circular motion. Unlike the Shobayashi version, the Matsubayashi version seems to move the arms without much input from the hips. The Matsumura Seito version, demonstrated by Hohan Soken, also does not utilize hip rotation for power generation, and appears to be performed using shiko-dachi, but is otherwise identical to Chibana’s Naihanchi, aside from what appears to be a lower hand position on the forearm movements which cross the body. It should be noted, however, that some practitioners of Matsumura Seito no longer perform the kata in shiko-dachi, and have incorporated hip rotation for power generation, both of which seem to be influences taken from material incorporated into the system from Chibana. The Hanashiro Chomo version, demonstrated by Joel Reeves, is also performed in a shiko-dachi (although it also appears to be done in a high kiba-dachi), and uses haishu-uke in place of Chibana’s haito-uke before the elbow strike, but is otherwise the same as Chibana’s Naihanchi. This version also seems to use a blend of hip rotation and twisting at the waist for its power generation, but the emphasis is on twisting at the waist. Given that older students of Itosu, such as Hanashiro Chomo, Yabu Kentsu, and Toyama Kanken, all utilized shiko-dachi for their Naihanchi kata, and Matsumura Seito does, as well, this suggests that the original stance for the kata was shiko-dachi. We know, after all, that the Naihanchi-dachi of Chibana’s Naihanchi is not the original stance, as Motobu Choki explicitly stated that it was only found in Itosu’s lineage, and that both he and “Bushi” Matsumura Sokon disliked the stance that Itosu created. The haishu-uke versus haito-uke is more difficult to discern, as it is inconsistent across the various lineages of Naihanchi, and may simply have been a technique selection based on the personal preference of the instructor.

The cover of Funakoshi Gichin’s first book, Rentan Karate Jutsu, published in 1929

The second most common version of Naihanchi Shodan is likely Shotokan’s Tekki Shodan, which comes from Asato Anko, who was the primary teacher of Funakoshi Gichin, the founder of Shotokan. While Asato Anko and Itosu Anko were not related, we know from Funakoshi’s writings that the two were friend, and Asato brought Funakoshi to train with Itosu on several occasions. The version that Funakoshi originally taught, based on his 1929 book, Rentan Karate Jutsu, follows the same general format as Chibana’s version, except that it was performed in a narrow shiko-dachi, rather than Naihanchi-dachi, he performs chuge-uke (middle/low receiver) twice before the grab/backfist, which isn’t actually shown, he lifts his knee high as he steps, and he uses haishu-uke (back hand receiver) where Chibana uses haito-uke (ridge hand receiver) before the elbow strikes. In his 1935 book, Karate-Do Kyohan, the shiko-dachi has been widened (a detail which contradicts the parallel foot position shown in the accompanying footwork diagrams), the chuge-uke is only done once, as is normal for Itosu’s lineage, and the grab/backfist sequence has been made larger, but the kata is otherwise the same. There is footage of Funakoshi demonstrating Naihanchi Shodan, which some have dated to the 1920s, but which resemble much more closely the version of Tekki pictured in Karate-Do Kyohan, rather than the older version pictured in Retan Karate Jutsu, which suggests that it was filmed later than claimed. When compared with modern Shotokan, such as the example of Kanazawa Hirokazu (a student of Funakoshi and one of his senior students, Nakayama Masatoshi) performing the kata sometime in the 1980s, we can see that the stance has been significantly altered, replacing the shiko-dachi with a wide, low kiba-dachi (horse riding stance), and replacing Funakoshi’s knee-lifts during his steps with high kicks. From what we know of the development of Shotokan by Funakoshi’s students, these changes were almost certainly made to increase the athleticism and physical difficulty of the kata. That said, the inclusion of front kicks into the kata can potentially be extrapolated from older methods. Motobu Choki wrote that the nami-gaeshi could be applied as mae-geri (front kicks), and as we will see, some versions of Naihanchi incorporate more nami-gaeshi movements than the baseline version.

Nakamura Shigeru (right) demonstrating kakie/kakidi. Photo courtesy of the Okinawan Kenpo Karate Association

There are a number of styles outside of Shorin-Ryu and Shotokan which feature Naihanchi kata, but the vast majority of them follow the exact same format. Motobu-Ryu Kenpo and Kotatsu Iha’s Tomari-Te both start the kata by stepping to the left, instead of to the right, which is a distinction Motobu wrote about, stating that it was the way the kata originally started, and both use a high kiba-dachi, as well as using haishu-uke instead of haito-uke. As both Motobu Choki and Kotatsu Iha trained with renowned Tomari-Te master, Matsumora Kosaku, these are likely his preferences for the kata. It should be noted that, despite Motobu stating that the nami-gaeshi could be applied as mae-geri, and also that the elbow strikes were meant to be punches, neither of these things is explicitly shown in his version of the kata. Interestingly, Motobu Choki’s version of the kata is missing some details which are present in the version which supposedly comes from Motobu Chomo, such as the inclusion of nami-gaeshi after the kosa-dachi steps, and shifting into short zenkutsu-dachi (front leaning stances) on some of the movements. The same nami-gaeshi as part of the stepping can be seen in a 1951 demonstration by the students of Yabiku Motoko (a student of Yabu Kentsu) in Brazil. Oyata Seiyu’s Ryukyu Kenpo is linked to Tomari-Te, and while it does use haishu-uke instead of haito-uke, it does not start to the left, and features a much wider stance which appears to be somewhere between a kiba-dachi and shiko-dachi. The Naihanchi found in Odo Seikichi’s Okinawa Kenpo is essentially identical, which is no surprise, given that both men trained with Nakamura Shigeru (1891-1969), who would have trained in Itosu’s karate at school, but who also trained with a Tomari-Te master named Kuniyoshi Shinkichi. It stands to reason that the overall format of the kata was taken from Itosu’s karate, while the stance and mechanics were likely taken from Kuniyoshi’s Tomari-Te. The Naihanchi kata of Isshin-Ryu one of the more unique versions that still follows the overall format of Itosu’s version. Shimabuku Tatsuo, who founded Isshin-Ryu, blended methods he learned from Kyan Chotoku (the originator of the Shobayashi branch of Shorin-Ryu), and Motobu Choki, with the Goju-Ryu he learned from Chojun Miyagi. While the format is generally the same, and it uses the Naihanchi-dachi of Itosu, this version starts to the left, as Motobu Choki and Kotatsu Iha’s versions do, we see a nukite (spear hand) in place of the mawashi-zuki (turning thrust) after the elbow strikes, additional nami-gaeshi movements like those seen in the Motobu Chomo and Yabiku Motoko versions, and an altered chuge-uke/grab/backfist sequence which starts with an open hand and includes a rising elbow strike, as well as the general use of tateken (standing/vertical fist) positions. Some of these differences are innovations by Shimabuku, of course, and are generally not present in other versions. The Kojo-Ryu version of Naihanchi returns to a familiar look and feel, and is essentially identical to the Matsumura Seito version, with the only real difference being that the cross-body forearm motion is brought low, rather than maintained at the same height as the outward forearm motion. This version was most likely actually taken from Chibana’s Shorin-Ryu, and altered to fit the Kojo-Ryu methodology, but the use of shiko-dachi certainly aligns with older versions, and the lower cross-body forearm motion is another possible old method. Another outlier version is the Naihanchi Sho kata of Shuri-Ryu, which claims Motobu Choki in its lineage—a claim which the Motobu family denies—but which is likely based on Shotokan’s Tekki, thanks to Robert Trias’ friendship with Konishi Yasuhiro, a student of Funakoshi and the founder of Shindo Jinen-Ryu. It, too, has been altered to fit the methodology of the style it was brought into, and while it is performed in a wide kiba-dachi, it has a number of unique alterations, including the addition of a mudra (series of symbolic hand gestures) at the beginning and end, subtle punches beneath the haito-uke, replacing the chuge-uke with a second chudan-soto-uke (mid-level outside recevier) and a low punch, which changes the side of the body the rest of the grab/backfist and series of forearm movements are performed on, the addition of a second grab/backfist and a second stacked hands position, the change of angle of the morote-zuki from the side to a 45 degree angle, and the addition of a hammerfist prior to the second and third haishu-uke, which itself is an addition. These changes were made to suit Robert Trias’ understanding of how kata could be applied, seemingly based on the standard Shotokan applications for Tekki Shodan.

Higa Seitoku demonstrating a Shuri-Te version of the kata, Sanchin

The final versions we will be covering both stem from the teachings of Kishimoto Soko (1866-1945), a student of “Bushi” Tachimura, completely bypassing Itsou Anko. Kishimoto was known for emphasizing the ju (soft) aspects of martial arts, which is evident in these versions of Naihanchi, although it is difficult to say whether the softness is something Kishimoto added, or something that was already present which he preserved because of its importance to him. The Tachimura no Naihanchi kata of KishimotoDi, which is both particularly unique and older than most of the other versions in existence, today, was handed down to Higa Seitoku (1921-2006), founder of the Bugeikan and president of the Zen Okinawa Karate Kobudo Rengo Kai (All Okinawa Karate Kobudo Association), by Kishimoto Soko. Higa Seitoku was renowned for his efforts to preserve a number of rare martial arts, making him an excellent source for older material such as this. The yoi posture of this kata, and all KishimotoDi kata, is the dhyana mudra of Buddhism, which was likely a change made by Higa, who was a devout Buddhist, but the placement of the hands is still very similar to the hand position seen at the beginning of Chibana’s Naihanchi. In the video of Ulf Karlsson, above, we see that the kata then begins by moving to the left, as seen in Tomari-Te-based versions, and uses shiko-dachi, which we have established was likely the original stance used for Naihanchi kata. We then see an immediate divergence from the standard format of Naihanchi, as this version executes the gedan-barai/mawashi-zuki sequence twice, once on each side, instead of beginning with the haito/haishu-uke and elbow strike. The gedan-barai is also notably open-handed, rather than closed-fisted, and there is no stacked hands position prior to these movements. After that, it goes into the usual second sequence of the kata, although in place of the usual backfist is a strike with oniken-zuki (demon fist thrust), also known as keikoken-zuki (phoenix eye fist thrust) and ipponken-zuki (single point fist thrust). The outward forearm motion is typical, but the second drops low, as seen in the Kojo-Ryu version and, to a degree, the Matsumura Seito version, and there is again no stacked hands position present before the morote-zuki. The morote-zuki, itself, is also notably different from the other versions because the extended arm is held so that the fist is at face level, while other versions hold it at shoulder level or below. It is at this point we see the first haito-uke/elbow sequence, performed to the right, which is the direction most versions first execute it. Without a stacked hands position in between, this is then followed by gedan-barai/mawashi-zuki, and the kata repeats, minus the double gedan-barai/mawashi-zuki sequence from the beginning of the kata. Due to this different format, we see the morote-zuki performed three times, rather than twice, while the haito-uke/elbow strike sequence is still only done twice, making this kata longer than all other versions of Naihanchi, which supports the theory that Naihanchi was a longer kata in the past, even if it does not support it in the way many people expected. While subtle in this video, this version of the kata also moves significantly differently from most other versions in that it uses no hip rotation for power generation, instead twisting at the waist for rotational power, and sinking and rising in shiko-dachi for vertical power, all of which directly support the applications of the kata, which have been passed down through the Bugeikan without interruption since Higa Seitoku learned them from Kishimoto Soko.

Shukumine Seiken, founder of Gensei-Ryu and Taido

The Gensei-Ryu version of Naihanchi, which they sometimes refer to as Koshiki no Naihanchi (Old-Style Naihanchi), despite having a shared origin with Tachimura no Naihanchi, appears to have more in common with Shotokan’s Tekki Shodan, with some unique additions. These were almost certainly innovations by Shukumine Seiken (1925-2001), who founded not only Gensei-Ryu but also the art of Taido in his lifetime, and who clearly held a preference for altering classical material. The yoi of his version of Naihanchi happens in two stages, one immediately after the bow which is similar to Chibana’s yoi, and another after stepping out to a wide stance which could be either kiba-dachi or shiko-dachi, which features a breath control exercise before bringing the hands together in a posture similar to the yoi of Motobu Choki. While the kata then begins moving to the left, as Tachimura no Naihanchi does, it incorporates the nami-gaeshi following kosa-dachi, and starts with the haishu-uke/elbow sequence, as we see in Motobu Chomo and Yabiku Motoko’s versions, rather than the gedan-barai/mawashi-zuki we see in Tachimura no Naihanchi, effectively returning to the baseline format we have established. The stacked hands posture does appear to be skipped, however, and the mawashi-zuki is performed slowly and with an open hand, similar to Shimabukuro’s Naihanchi Ju no Kata, although it closes after the movement is complete. The chudan-uke/chuge-uke/grab/backfist sequence is something like a blend between the KishimotoDi version and the baseline version, and the cross-body forearm movement is kept level with the outward forearm movement, as we see in more modern versions of the kata. At this point, we see a significant alteration to the format, as an open-handed jodan-uke (high level receiver) is performed, then circled outward before being brought back toward the hip, passing through a stacked hands position, and then both hands are used to execute the haiwan-uke (back-arm receiver) from the opening of Pinan Shodan, instead of the usual morote-zuki. This posture is then held as another step across and step out sequence is performed before getting to the second haishu-uke/elbow strike. The kata is then repeated on the other side, without the additional stepping, since there is no third haishu-uke/elbow strike sequence after the second haiwan-uke. These alterations make the kata longer than all but the KishimotoDi version, and despite the shared lineage of these kata, they seem to have very little in common. Given that Shukumine also altered the Passai and Kusanku kata he learned from Kishimoto Soko, likely to fit into the mold of Japanese karate more conveniently, this can likely be seen as an outlier rather than an historical version of Naihanchi.

Takeaways

After this thorough review, we can make some educated guesses regarding the history and development of Naihanchi, which can help us understand where our karate comes from, and help better inform our bunkai (disassembly and analysis) of the kata to make it applicable (oyo) for self-defense, law enforcement, and security/bodyguard work, as Okinawan martial arts were originally intended. From an historical perspective:

  • The original meaning of the name “Naihanchi” is unknown

  • There are no existing Chinese forms that can be proven to be the origin of Naihanchi

  • Naihanchi Nidan and Sandan are relatively modern creations, likely from Itosu Anko

  • Some form of Naihanchi was probably taught as far back as “Todi” Sakugawa Kanga

  • Naihanchi is found in both Shuri-Te and Tomari-Te traditions

  • Tachimura no Naihanchi appears to be the oldest version of Naihanchi still being practiced

With regard to the kata, itself, we find a number of consistencies, but also several versions which differ fairly significantly from the baseline. The examples we have reviewed suggest:

  • Itosu Anko created the Naihanchi-dachi featuring feet turned to point inward, likely influenced by Naha-Te body strengthening training

  • Naihanchi was likely originally performed in shiko-dachi, but kiba-dachi is also prevalent in Tomari-Te versions

  • The emphasis on hip rotation for power generation in Naihanchi seems to be a more modern inclusion

  • Naihanchi most likely originally started by stepping to the left, but as a symmetrical kata, this matters little

  • Both Shuri-Te and Tomari-Te versions almost all follow the baseline format, suggesting a common ancestor

  • Kicking while stepping has likely always been part of Naihanchi, but was implied in older versions, rather than explicitly shown

  • Haito-uke and haishu-uke appear in versions of varying ages, suggesting selection was personal preference

Konishi Yasuhiro demonstrating Naihanchi Shodan applications with Motobu Choki

Understanding that shiko-dachi was likely the original stance for Naihanchi kata, knowing that Motobu Choki said that twisting from the stance in Naihanchi makes the meaning of the movements clear, and having seen several examples older Naihanchi kata where power is not generated by rotating the hips, we can assume that hip rotation for power generation is likely a new addition to the kata. In order to rotate the hips from shiko-dachi, your knees will wobble out of alignment, making it difficult to actually do so effectively, but it is an excellent platform for twisting at the waist. Itosu’s Naihanchi-dachi, in contrast, allows for both pushing and pulling the hips with the legs without moving the knees out of alignment with the feet, making power generation through hip rotation much more feasible. Given that Itosu was known for his powerful striking, it is possible that he intended for the stance to be used to emphasize rotational power generation through hip twisting, but it is also possible that this idea came into Naihanchi from another source, such as Miyagi Chojun and his Okinawa Karate Kenkyukai. It should also be noted that shiko-dachi allows you to sink and rise in your stance, as in the KishimotoDi version and, to a lesser extent, the Hanashiro Chomo Shorin-Ryu version, meaning you can incorporate gravity and driving up with the legs into your power generation. This is not possible in Itosu’s Naihanchi-dachi, as the knees would collapse and the structure of the stance would be lost. It stands to reason that the hip rotation is a new addition to the power generation methods of Naihanchi—possibly incorporated by Itosu, given his reputation as a power puncher—and that sinking and rising in the stance was historically used as a method of generating power prior to the invention of Naihanchi-dachi. The use of kicks, either in the form of nami-gaeshi or mae-geri, during the stepping processes of the kata have likely always been implied applications of the steps, but some instructors have chosen to explicitly show them during the kata, as well. The use of haito-uke versus haishu-uke seems to be fairly evenly distributed, and is likely a matter of personal preference, but it should be noted that the use of haito-uke, but the nature of its movement, happens to contain haishu-uke as a possible application, while the explicit haishu-uke does not contain haito-uke, making haito-uke the more “complete” technique selection.

Recommended Resources

Given the broad scope of this article, it pulls from a wide variety of sources, and it would be very difficult to cite them all. Below is a list of some of the most important resources you can refer to in learning more about karate history, as well as about some of the people and styles mentioned in this article.

Noah Legel
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