Karate: Technique & Spirit

200 Pages·9.464 MB·English

by  Nakamura Tadashi.

KARATE
TECHNIQUE AND SPIRIT
KARATE
TECHNIQUE AND SPIRIT
TADASHI NAKAMURA
Photographs by TOM GRILL
TUTTLE Publishing
Tokyo | Rutland, Vermont | Singapore
The Tuttle Story: “Books to Span the East and West”
Most people are surprised to learn that the world’s largest publisher of books on Asia had its humble beginnings in the tiny
American state of Vermont. The company’s founder, Charles E. Tuttle, belonged to a New England family steeped in publishing.
And his first love was naturally books—especially old and rare editions.
Immediately after WW II, serving in Tokyo under General Douglas MacArthur, Tuttle was tasked with reviving the Japanese
publishing industry. He later founded the Charles E. Tuttle Publishing Company, which thrives today as one of the world’s leading
independent publishers.
Though a westerner, Tuttle was hugely instrumental in bringing a knowledge of Japan and Asia to a world hungry for
information about the East. By the time of his death in 1993, Tuttle had published over 6,000 books on Asian culture, history and
art—a legacy honored by the Japanese emperor with the “Order of the Sacred Treasure,” the highest tribute Japan can bestow
upon a non-Japanese.
With a backlist of 1,500 titles, Tuttle Publishing is more active today than at any time in its past—inspired by Charles Tuttle’s
core mission to publish fine books to span the East and West and provide a greater understanding of each.
Disclaimer: Please note that the publisher and author(s) of this instructional book are NOT RESPONSIBLE in any manner whatsoever
for any injury that may result from practicing the techniques and/ or following the instructions given within. Martial Arts training can be
dangerous—both to you and to others—if not practiced safely. If you’re in doubt as to how to proceed or whether your practice is safe,
consult with a trained martial arts teacher before beginning. Since the physical activities described herein may be too strenuous in nature
for some readers, it is also essential that a physician be consulted prior to training.
Published in 2001 by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.,
by arrangement with Shufunomoto Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
www.tutlepublishing.com
Copyright© 2001 Tadashi Nakamura and Shufunomoto Co. Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from Tuttle
Publishing.
ISBN 978-0-8048-3282-3
ISBN 978-1-4629-1709-9 (ebook)
Sumi Paintings by Takahiko Mikami
Calligraphies by Takayoshi Kaneko
Calligraphies on pages 33, 42, 157, and 158 by Kunio Nakamura
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This book is respectfully dedicated to
My Parents
FOREWORD
When I think of Shihan Nakamura, I can’t help but recall my first impression: I saw him at Doshinji
Monastery in upstate New York and I noticed how gentle he was. It might sound a little strange to say
that a person like him, well-accomplished in the martial arts, has a gentle personality. But, despite the
extremely difficult and. demanding discipline one goes through, an accomplished martial arts
practitioner still shows distinct characteristics of tenderness. For me the pleasure was recognizing his
real strength and power behind such flexible qualities. It reminded me of nyunan shin, “gentle,
flexible mind.” This word, nyunan, is found in the Lotus Sutra, which reads “with straightforward
and yet gentle and flexible mind, wholeheartedly wish to see the Buddha at the risk of one’s own
life.” I have no hesitation in saying that Shihan Nakamura is the ideal type: he appears to be gentle
and yet there is dynamic strength inside.
He writes, “there is no ‘graduation day’ from the dojo, the place of enlightenment, and so there
isn’t the anxiety of racing against a deadline of any kind.” Here I see his wonderful insight and
understanding. It is not only the general principle of any well-refined way such as the ways of tea
ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy, as well as of the martial arts kendo, judo, aikido, kyudo
and karate, but also it is the basic principle of Zen that constant, unceasing practice is essential to the
realization of life in each moment. We have no day of graduation but the continuation of renewed life.
Let’s listen further to what he says. “Karate-do’s essence, however, is totally removed from the
notion of winners and losers, trophies and prizes—the students’ real opponent is the self.” I see a
certain parallel in expression to the Zen Master Dogen, founder of the Soto Zen school in Japan. He
writes, “To study the enlightened way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To
forget the self is to be enlightened by myriads of dharmas. And to be enlightened by myriads of
dharmas is to free one’s body and mind as well as that of others. There is traceless enlightenment;
allow this traceless enlightenment to continue forever.”
The word “karate” itself has a very interesting and yet profound implication. It means “empty
hand.” We tend to want to grab something, but hold onto it. In a way, it is nice to hold something, but
at the same time it obviously restricts the use of the hand. We know that being empty-handed we can
use the hand any way we want. But how and how much do we appreciate such freedom and the
potential of what the empty hand can do? Karate-do, as the way of empty-handedness, symbolizes the
way of freedom and total liberation, not only of oneself but also as the key to establishing a
harmonious life both internally and externally.
We are living in an environment where the culture has developed into an extremely mechanized,
divided and automated society. This tendency might develop further, but at the same time we hear
more and more warnings against such tendencies. I hope those who are interested in practicing karate-
do will find harmonious, well-balanced life through the continuous practice of the wisdom and
physical discipline of empty hand.
Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi, Roshi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to extend my deep appreciation to Eapen Chacko for the untiring effort he put into the
preparation, writing and editing of this text. Without his help, this book would not have been possible.
Also to David Cohen, Ken Glickman and William Best for their invaluable consultation and
assistance on this project.
With sincere appreciation to Tom Grill for without his many years of excellent photography and
extensive knowledge of design, this book would not have conveyed all that I wanted it to convey.
Finally, I would like to express deep gratitude to Kazuhiko Nagai, Shunichi Kamiya, Editor and
the staff of Shufunotomo who are responsible for the publishing of this book.
OSU!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
INTRODUCTION
KARATE WAY OF LIFE
FOUNDATIONS OF KARATE
Historical Background
Seido: History and Philosophy
1 Karate in Everyday Life
Application to Modern Living
Breathing Methods
Postures
BASICS OF KARATE-DO TRAINING
2 Karate-do Etiquette
Daily Schedule and Diet
3 WARMING UP, STRETCHING & CALISTHENIC EXERCISES
4 POSTURES AND STANCES
5 NATURAL WEAPONS
HAND AND ARM TECHNIQUES
6 Offensive Techniques
Defensive Techniques
LEG TECHNIQUES
7 Offensive Techniques
Defensive Techniques
8 TAMESHIWARI (BREAKING)
KATA (FORMAL EXERCISES)
Definition and Purpose of Kata
Names and Meanings of Kata
9 Taikyoku Kata #1
Seido Kata #1
Gekisai-Dai Kata
Tsuki No Kata
PRACTICE OF WEAPONS
The Traditional Weapon of Karate
Basic Bo Kamae
Sai Techniques
10 Bo Offensive Techniques
Bo Against Jo
Bo Against Sai
Bo Kata Chion
Sai Kata Ganki-Dai
KUMITE (FIGHTING)
11 Toh Kon (Fighting Spirit)
Definition and Purpose of Kumite
12 KARATE MEDITATION LECTURES