I have a question; why are most of the strikes in the kata done with the blunt side of the hoe? I'm talking about the opposite side of the metal part, not the other end of the wooden handle. wouldn't it be much more effective to use the blade, when the only difference is the twist of the hoe?
In this kata, the student is fighting multiple opponents. If the blade became stuck in one of the opponents (possible given the nature of the blade (probably dull) and the muscle and bone of the human body), you have just effectively disarmed yourself.
In addition, with all the instruction about slinging dirt, as an Okinawan, you might just be fighting your hot headed brother-in-law in the fields. Killing him would not be too good for family or community relations.
One would hope a budoka would have more self-control than to use the bladed side of *anything* against a family member, just as samurai would use the munouchi (back side of the blade) on someone he *didn't* want to kill!
All our kobudo kata are meant for multiple attackers, but farmers are used to pulling their hoes out of the stickiest, hardest earth, so human flesh would feel pretty soft to them!
Contrast this to iaido, where many of the kata meant for individual attackers.
I believe that the "self disarm" (not wanted) is one of the main facts to explain why the attacks are made with the back side of the blade. There is a kata of Sai that is made with 4 Sais, one in each hand and 2 on the belt because in the midle um make an attack where have to leave the Sai you are helding in the ground as if it was stuck in the opponent. (This movement happens twice, that's why you need the 2 Sais in the belt)
I don't believe a "self disarm" is accurate. Just because this isn't sharp doesn't indicate it isn't dangerous. Imagine going full speed with the back side of that into say... a coconut. I would imagine the head weighs 1-3 lbs... at the end of a 3-4 ft lever. This would be more than enough to crack said coconut when driven with intent. If it can crack a coconut it can destroy bone, including skull. This is a kata, based around the use of a weapon, do not mistake its purpose.
remember these are farm tools first. if they break the blade it would take precious time to replace. they need the tools to make their living. they weren't warriors they were farmers!
i may have an answer to that. i dont study a martial artbut as i understand it a kata is used to fight multiple opponents. and overhead strikes to the head might quickly dull the blade or leave it stuck in the skull of an opponent, leaving the martial artist at the mercy of his remaining adversaries
i have so much respect for this sensei. he's in great physical shape, meaning he practices what he teaches. about every 3 in 5 blackbelts tend to be pudgy n overweight. why is that??
because many schools (including mine), especially western ones (even if they have traditional teachers), often have masters which don't have the heart to fail students on rank tests because of physical shape or power of movements. Often, if you memorize the moves, you are guaranteed to pass, even if you are not very fit. However, many of these masters are still very good teachers, and have excellent students.
Yes, the bunkai would be nice, but it wasn't on the video tape. Once converted to digital on the computer, you can edit quite easily with the resident Movie Maker in Windows, but DVD are usually protected from copying. I got permission to post my edited clips on YouTube - if you get the same permission, let me know when the clips are up!
That's true, but even when Matayoshi was alive, Kinjo was considered better at kuwa. Shihan Nishiuchi spent a year going to both Matayoshi and Kinjo's dojo, but his style is suppose to be more like Kinjo Sensei's. The videos of Matayoshi himself performing kobudo are not as powerful as some of his own students' videos, so it is possible for a student to perform better than his sensei.
I have a question; why are most of the strikes in the kata done with the blunt side of the hoe? I'm talking about the opposite side of the metal part, not the other end of the wooden handle. wouldn't it be much more effective to use the blade, when the only difference is the twist of the hoe?
privetprivetprivet 2 years ago
Ya got me - I'll try to remember to ask Shihan one of these days.
hempev 2 years ago
Comment removed
Jonkree 2 years ago
Just a thought.
In this kata, the student is fighting multiple opponents. If the blade became stuck in one of the opponents (possible given the nature of the blade (probably dull) and the muscle and bone of the human body), you have just effectively disarmed yourself.
In addition, with all the instruction about slinging dirt, as an Okinawan, you might just be fighting your hot headed brother-in-law in the fields. Killing him would not be too good for family or community relations.
rdemeyere 2 years ago
One would hope a budoka would have more self-control than to use the bladed side of *anything* against a family member, just as samurai would use the munouchi (back side of the blade) on someone he *didn't* want to kill!
All our kobudo kata are meant for multiple attackers, but farmers are used to pulling their hoes out of the stickiest, hardest earth, so human flesh would feel pretty soft to them!
Contrast this to iaido, where many of the kata meant for individual attackers.
hempev 2 years ago
I believe that the "self disarm" (not wanted) is one of the main facts to explain why the attacks are made with the back side of the blade. There is a kata of Sai that is made with 4 Sais, one in each hand and 2 on the belt because in the midle um make an attack where have to leave the Sai you are helding in the ground as if it was stuck in the opponent. (This movement happens twice, that's why you need the 2 Sais in the belt)
edanarpe 2 years ago
We have ni cho zai and san cho zai, but no yon cho zai - sounds like something created recently by a gaijin!
hempev 2 years ago
I don't know.. I've seen a 4th Dan (or 5th, not sure) doing it, with 4 Sais.. I don't know were it came from...
edanarpe 2 years ago
@edanarpe
I don't believe a "self disarm" is accurate. Just because this isn't sharp doesn't indicate it isn't dangerous. Imagine going full speed with the back side of that into say... a coconut. I would imagine the head weighs 1-3 lbs... at the end of a 3-4 ft lever. This would be more than enough to crack said coconut when driven with intent. If it can crack a coconut it can destroy bone, including skull. This is a kata, based around the use of a weapon, do not mistake its purpose.
muaythai2005 7 months ago
remember these are farm tools first. if they break the blade it would take precious time to replace. they need the tools to make their living. they weren't warriors they were farmers!
jeremybur 2 years ago
i may have an answer to that. i dont study a martial artbut as i understand it a kata is used to fight multiple opponents. and overhead strikes to the head might quickly dull the blade or leave it stuck in the skull of an opponent, leaving the martial artist at the mercy of his remaining adversaries
demonfox910 2 years ago
i am a Shorin-Ryu student, this video is very informative, i may go pick up this weapon as an extra weapon for to know.
basskill2000 2 years ago
i have so much respect for this sensei. he's in great physical shape, meaning he practices what he teaches. about every 3 in 5 blackbelts tend to be pudgy n overweight. why is that??
sonofsarek01 3 years ago
because many schools (including mine), especially western ones (even if they have traditional teachers), often have masters which don't have the heart to fail students on rank tests because of physical shape or power of movements. Often, if you memorize the moves, you are guaranteed to pass, even if you are not very fit. However, many of these masters are still very good teachers, and have excellent students.
privetprivetprivet 2 years ago
You gotta love the Okinawans, they seem to have perfected the art of 'beating up your enemies with whatever you have lying around at the time.'
I mean, they have techniques for boat paddles and stuff like that! And of course the gardening hoe, like this one. That's just awesome.
Shavarnarak 3 years ago
Yes, the bunkai would be nice, but it wasn't on the video tape. Once converted to digital on the computer, you can edit quite easily with the resident Movie Maker in Windows, but DVD are usually protected from copying. I got permission to post my edited clips on YouTube - if you get the same permission, let me know when the clips are up!
hempev 3 years ago
That's true, but even when Matayoshi was alive, Kinjo was considered better at kuwa. Shihan Nishiuchi spent a year going to both Matayoshi and Kinjo's dojo, but his style is suppose to be more like Kinjo Sensei's. The videos of Matayoshi himself performing kobudo are not as powerful as some of his own students' videos, so it is possible for a student to perform better than his sensei.
hempev 3 years ago
What is the name of this kata?
atltim01 3 years ago
I have only done the hojoundo in class. I only know it as Kuwa no Kata, but there be a more descriptive name than that.
hempev 3 years ago