All caches in this series
are named after Katas that are practised and studied in Goju Ryu
karate. Although there are only 12 basic Katas in this style of
karate, Kata have been developed and added throughout the years.
Some dojos include these additional Katas, as well as other foreign
Katas in their training. The Kata in this series represent those
studied at the various dojos my family has been involved with for
over two decades.
All caches are on the Bruce Trail, and other
than a few exceptions, should be easy
finds.
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"Karate begins and ends with Kata. Kata is the
essence and foundation of karate and it represents the accumulation
of more than a 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"
Morio
Hiagaonna
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Kata literally means
"form" in Japanese, and is a series of choreographed patterns or
movements practised by most Japanese and Okinawan martial arts. In
Goju-Ryu Karate, the kata is an essential form of training, helping
a student to visualize an enemy attack and their response. Kata
practise promotes the development of proper breathing, technique
and focus, to help develop power and strength, while maintaining a
relaxed, calm mind, and is often described as "moving
meditation"
The Okinawan weapons
are an integral part of Okinawan Budo. In 1470 all weapons in
Okinawa were banned and confiscated. This political move directly
led to the development of two different fighting systems: Te,
practiced by the nobility, is a form of empty hand combat; and
Kobudo, developed by farmers and fishermen is a form of armed
combat using simple tools as weapons. In both systems, training was
conducted in strict secrecy. In some circles if one does not know
weapons, one is not considered well rounded in the Martial
Arts.
Although there are
eight different weapons in Okinawan Kobudo, the most commonly used
and generally viewed as the core of the art are the bo, jo, tongfa,
and the sai. Each weapon has its own set of kata and techniques
used in combat.
Today's existing kata
go back two to three hundred years or so; we can safely say that
they are the footsteps of use in combat.
Approximately 700 years
ago the Ryukyu Islands were split up into North, South, and Middle
Mountains - Clans, as we call them, and in a hundred years or so of
warfare, the Ryukyus became united as one and, the Okinawan Kobudo
or Kobujitsu were firmly established proving its worth on the
battlefield. Unfortunately the history of fighting arts of the
Orient depends on an oral rather than a written history. Therefore,
interpretations and different opinions exist among the historians
as to the accuracy of the divergent viewpoints regarding founders
and their times.
Be that as it may, we
can at least go back (with some degree of accuracy) to Aburaya
Yamaki and Matsu Higa as the first to establish a system of katas
and techniques. We definitely know that Matsu Higa was the Sensei
of Takahara Peichin who taught Karate Sakugawa (1733-1815) who most
historians readily agree was the fountainhead of modern Okinawan
Karate.
The tonfa
while an ancient weapon, has been the popular weapon of choice for
many law enforcement agencies both in Asia and in North America for
many years due to it's versatility. With no sharp edges the tonfa
can do double duty for striking and blocking without the fear of
cutting and is effective against both long and short range weapons.
The main body of the tonfa can be either square or round but the
handle must be round in order to facilitate ease of spinning and
proper rotation in order to develop proper
techniques.
1. gedan tsukagashira - the forward end of the tonfa above the
grip
2. tsuka - the handle grip
3. tsukagashira
- the round top of the
grip
4. tasui
- the underside of the
tonfa
5. yoko nage
- the upper side of the
tonfa
6. sokumen
- the side of the
tonfa
7. ushiro
tsukagashira - the butt end of
the tonfa
8. monouchi
- the main body of the
tonfa
In the hands of an expert the many ways in which the tonfa can
be utilized seem almost endless.