International Kenshi Kai Karate Organization Training before Talking and Quality before Quantity

1. INTERNATIONAL KENSHI KAI KARATE KOBUDO ORGANIZATION
Yoshio Kuba Sensei
Seminars
South Africa 2010
Imtiaz Abdulla Sensei
9/30/2010
Contents
1. Yoshio Kuba Sensei
2. Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate History
3. Seiko Higa Sensei
4. Seikichi Toguchi Sensei
5. Applicable Basics
6. Kata Bunkai
7. Conclusion

2.
Yoshio Kuba Sensei
Sensei Yoshio Kuba (9th Dan) was brought to South Africa by Imtiaz Abdulla (7th Dan) to
exchange and dissiminate the vast knowledge that Sensei Kuba posseses through this
many years training with Seikichi Toguchi, one of the senior students of Miyagi Chojun
Sensei and Seiko Higa Sensei. Many don’t knopw but Seiko Higa Sensei was a direct
student of Kanryo Higaionna. Sensei Kuba was Toguchi Senseis most senior training
student and he agreed to visit South Africa after a success trip Imtiaz Sensei undertook
two year ago to Okinawa, Kuba Sensei is a very private and traditional teacher and his
acceptance to come to South Africa was something that was possible because of his
relationship with Imtiaz Sensei, jhe does not like publicity and does not seek acceptance
of recognition as he want to preserve traditional Okinawan Budo and really visits outside
Japan, He agreed to visit South Africa from the 21 to 27 September 2010. Sensei Imtiaz
also trained with Toguchi Sensei in the 1980’s, before joining Tetsuhiro Hokama Sensei,
and this was a home coming of sorts for him. Kuba Sensei is a qualified acupuncturist and
phamacist and is highly regarding on Okinawa and Japan for his vast knowledge of
Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate and especially the understanding of Kata and the application
(Bunkai) of traditional kata.
History of Kuba Sensei
Budo CAREER
Yoshio Kuba is a 9th Dan black belt and is the head of the Kenpokai in Okinawa, Japan. He
was a direct student of Seikichi Toguchi Sensei, who was a student of Chojun Miyagi
Sensei and Seiko Higa Sensei. Kuba Sensei epitomizes the understanding of Goju and his
understand of its concepts and application is legendary but off and on the dojo floor. He
run a full time acupuncturist practice in Okinawa and is head of the Acupuncture
Association in Japan. The following is his achievements:­
1. Started Judo at age of 9.
2. Learned Kempo at age 14.
3. Entered Karate path at age of 15.
4. Became an apprentice of Mr. Seikichi Toguchi of Goju Ryu at age 17.
5. Became a director of Goju Ryu Shoreikan at age 27.
6. Became a Master of Goju Ryu Shoreikan at age 34.
2

3.
POSTS Held or Holding
1. Chariman of Okinawa Perfecture Acupuncture Association.
2. Director of Okinawa City Karate‐Do Federation
3. Standing Director of Okinawa Perfecture Karate‐Do Union
4. Vice Chairman of Okinawa City Youth Sports Association
5. Chairman and General Master of Okinawa Karate‐Do Association
6. Director of Goju‐Ryu Karate Kenpo Kenbu Kan
7. President of Authentic Goju Ryu Karate‐Do & Kobudo Federation Kenbu Kai
the original Traditional Okinawa Martial Arts.
EDUCATION
1. Masters degree in Pharmacy
2. Qualified Acupunturist
Okinawan Goju‐Ryu Karate is unusual in the martial arts world because it employs both hard
and soft techniques with equal effectiveness. Yet the system is not limited to simple
punching or kicking; it incorporates locks, body evasion, holds, and throws which are
strongly influenced by several of the Chinese animal forms, Yoshio Kuba Sensei understands
and teaches these principles with great demonstrated skill. It was this aspect of Okinawan
Goju Ryu that Sensei Yoshio Kuba imparted during his 7 day visit to South Africa from the 21
to 27 September 2010. This was Sensei Kuba’s (9th Dan) first visit to South Africa and the
African continent and he was accompanied by Miwa Kanazawa Sensei (4th Dan) both from
the Okinawan Karate Kenpokai, an organization which teaches the unique fundamentals of
Seikichi Toguchi’s Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate together with Yoshio Kuba Sensei’s understand
and experience of healing the human body and its weaknesses. Kuba Sensei is a qualified
acupuncturist and pharmacist and he understand the human body well enough to make and
break it. His understanding of the application of kata is really of the highest calibre. It was
this that we were all looking forward to learning over the 7 days ahead of us.
History of Okinawan Goju Ryu
Goju‐Ryu can be traced to the Fukien Province of China. Though there are many theories as
to how the art came to Okinawa, the person credited with its introduction is Kanryo
Higashionna (1853‐1917).
3

4. As a young man, Higashionna was a sailor on the Shinko‐Sen, a ship which regularly traded
with China. On one of these visits, he saved a drowning child who turned out to be the son
of a noted pugilist named Liu. In appreciation, the grateful boxer began instructing the
young Okinawan in the art of Chinese boxing. Higashionna remained and studied in China
for approximately 15 years and then returned to teach on his native island. It was during this
period in Okinawa that Higashionna modified the techniques learned in China to suit his
people and thus created Naha‐te, derived from combining the name of the Okinawan city of
Naha with Te, the native barehanded fighting technique. Among Higashionna's top students
were Chojun Miyagi and Juhatsu Kyoda.
Miyagi, being independently wealthy, was able to devote his life to the study of the martial
arts and he further developed and refined the principles set forth by his teacher. He created
the simplified forms, Gekisai number one and two, as well as the openhand kata Tensho.
Although a renowned technician, Miyagi's major accomplishment was his formulation of a
more cohesive system which would allow penetration into deeper and more advanced
techniques of Naha‐te.
Additionally, Miyagi was responsible for creating the name Goju‐Ryu. At the first martial arts
convention held in Kyoto, Japan in 1930, Miyagi sent student Jinan Shinzato as his
representative. Since there did many martial artists attending who represented schools with
impressive sounding names, Shinzato, not want to feel humbled, had to invent the name
Hanko‐Ryu (half‐hard style) on the spot for his art. Later, when Shinzato related this to his
teacher, Miyagi decided to use the name Goju‐Ryu (hard‐soft style), which was taken from a
poem in the ancient martial arts text Bubishi.
Miyagi's curriculum consisted of four major components; this is still being taught in the
Kenpokai today:
 Tee chikata mani This referred to the study of solo forms, the traditional kata which
combined various karate techniques into a moving sequence. These forms included
koryu, or classical kata such as Sanchin, Saifa, and Sesan, which originated in China.
Miyagi also developed the Hookiyu (standardized) and kihon (basic) kata to allow a
more progressive approach to the koryu forms.
 Kumite There was no freestyle kumite (sparring) in Miyagi's program, just
prearranged combat practice enabling two persons to perform a kata together in
order to experience the physical meaning of the form, and to see how the
techniques could be used against actual attackers. This form is accurately called
bunkai kumite. Both kihon and koryo kata have specific bunkai kumite. However
today kumite has evolved to include various forms including Jiyu Kumite both full
and non contact, both these are practiced in the Kenpokai;
 Te tochimani This study consisted of short, two‐man prearranged fighting exercises,
each with its own special ending technique. It was used as a beginning
approximation for real fighting situations. In today's practice, this form is also called
Kiso kumite and Yakuso kumite.
 Ikukumi This last component involved real combat practice, but was set up in such a
way that the students were not injured. The junior was allowed to attack with any
technique to any part of the senior's body without restraining kicks or punches. The
4

5. senior man could block or dodge, but was not allowed to initiate any counterattack.
Finally, when he saw an opening, the senior jumped in and pushed the junior back
with the palm of his hand. The senior student accordingly had to master a
tremendous number of techniques in order to use them instantaneously. Since
scoring points was of no interest, the senior's counterattack had to be final and
decisive. It generally took a minimum of ten years to reach this level.
In 1933, the Dai Nippon Butoukai (Greater Japan Martial Virtues Association) was formed
and Miyagi was named the Okinawan representative. He presented his article, "An Outline
of Karate‐Do," at one of the organizations meetings and was subsequently awarded the title
"Karate Master" by the emperor. Miyagi thus became the first master so designated in the
karate world.
SEIKO HIGA SENSEI'S BACKGROUND
Seiko Higa Sensei modernized and improved on the original Traditional Okinawa Martial
Arts. He worked hard on all the kata. With his excellent educational background, Higa Sensei
decided to form the World Federation with Okinawa Kobudo Goju Ryu Karate‐do. After
much hard work, in 1933 “The World Federation Okinawa Kobudo Goju Ryu Karate‐do”
(Sho‐Do‐Kan) was established.
After the formation of Sho‐Do‐Kan, Higa Sensei came to an agreement with the Okinawa
Federal Government, to train in the Okinawa Police Academic School, Ryukyu University and
all the high schools. It was then a compulsory subject for all the students in Police Academic
School, Ryukyu University and high schools. The objective of this is to maintain the culture
of Okinawa Martial Arts. From 1933 to 1952, Higa Sensei successfully established thirty‐two
Dojos in Japan. He also established Okinawa’s Karate‐Do Federation.
Higa Sensei’s family is the only one in Okinawa to train in this traditional Martial Art. The
past four generations of Higa Sensei’s family trained very hard. Higa Sensei's organization
developed into the biggest organization in the World to offer hard training in the traditional
Okinawa Kobudo Goju‐Ryu Karate‐Do.
Higa Sensei passed away in 1966 at the age of 68 years. World Traditional Federation
5

6. appointed Cyoboku Takamine Sensei to be the successor of Higa Sensei. Takamine Sensei
served as the president from 1966 to 1992. He retired at the age of 97 years.
Seikich Higa Sensei – son of Seikou Higa took over the responsibility from Takamine Sensei.
At the age of 74 years, Seikich Higa Sensei, was elected as the president of Traditional Goju
Ryu Karate‐Do Kobudo Federation. Seikichi Higa Sensei passed away a few years ago.
Seikichi Toguchi Sensei
Miyagi had a number of talented, dedicated students such as Seiko Higa, Seikichi Toguchi,
and Meitoku Yagi, who have all developed esteemed reputations in their own right. In the
years before Miyagi's death, Toguchi remained with his instructor and other senior students
and was given further insight into Miyagi's principles and theories.
Shortly after Miyagi's death in 1953, Toguchi decided to carry on the principles of his
teacher and formed the Shorei‐Kan (school to respect courtesy and manners) Okinawan
Goju‐Ryu Karate‐Do. He opened the first Shorei‐Kan dojo (school) in Naha city in 1955, and
since it was very close to a U.S. Army base, many American GIs came to study. Because of
the introduction of Westerners into the Okinawan dojo, Toguchi realized the need for more
development of the existing system. The forms of Gekiha, Kakuha and, bunkai were thus
created.
Toguchi further developed Goju‐Ryu by creating a number of advanced supplementary
training methods. A typical Toguchi class in the late 50s (and still today) consisted of the
following:
1. Preparatory exercises to warm up the body for karate movements.
2. Supplementary exercises to practice the basic techniques in kata.
3. Kata, bunkai, and Kiso kumite practice.
4. Application of kata techniques.
Toguchi also created Hakutsuru no mai, a kata adapted from the original Chinese white
crane form which is performed to music. The kata and subsequent bunkai tell the story of a
white crane fighting a snake. This beautiful form is rarely seen in the United States and is
known only to a small number of Goju‐Ryu practitioners.
6

7. Applicable Basics
We have given the above background for all to understand the lineage and content that was
taught by Kuba Sensei at the seminars which are noted for their strictness and discipline. His
system utilizes free sparring, and various other fighting practices on several forms, the most
important and difficult being Ikukumi.
Proponents of the Kuba taught system believes their approach has several advantages when
compared to styles, simply because of certain detailed studies which include: extraction and
application of kata techniques, logical progression of techniques, variety of advanced
techniques, safety of training methodology, understanding of the weaknesses of the human
body, and repairing the damages cause by the application of techniques to weak areas.
KATA Bunkai
The meanings of forms were extracted and analyzed via a series of progressive kata and
their respective bunkai kumite. The bunkai are arranged so that the student actually
executes the specific self‐defense application of each kata with his partner, analyzing the
physical aspects both from striking and blocking to using these blocks to exploit the
weaknesses of the human body including the use of Gyaku Te in the application of Torite.
The student progressed through a series of kata and bunkai, each successive form building
on the one before. This progression of techniques was originally designed by Miyagi and was
further developed by Toguchi and refined to greater detail by Kuba. In this way, the student
learns new techniques but still practices, maintains, and sharpens earlier skills, with the
basics as the key to developing to a higher level.
At the black belt level, students practice the koryu bunkai kumite, which are the bunkai to
kata such as Seiyunchin or Seipai.
According to Kuba Sensei, a student first learns the mechanics, and then after a time the
kata becomes part of the practitioner. Only at this point can application of the motions
become apparent and, more importantly, a part of the martial artist. At this level, the kata
has a meaning and is no longer a mere routine. In every kata the concept of Torite is
emphasized and taught, within Torite there are various concepts of fighting and body
dynamics.
7

8. A good analogy of Torite might be learning to catch a ball: initially it requires a great deal of
concentration. But with continued practice, catching becomes a natural reaction. With
further refinement, if you were to throw a ball of fire, you would not only be able to react as
if to catch it, but also to ascertain its nature and move out of the way. Achieving this state of
subconscious action requires a great many years of practice, since karate is not as simple as
catching a ball.
Conclusion
A variety of techniques was practiced using the Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate Kenpokai system
during Kuba Sensei visit during the 10 seminars. By placing a significant emphasis on kata,
bunkai, Jiyu kumite and Kiso kumite, the participants practiced all techniques alone and in
forms with partners. This study included unusual or dangerous techniques which cannot be
practiced during a freestyle sparring match. Normally, freestyle sparring requires the use of
techniques which are comparatively simple and applied only to limited target areas.
Therefore a karate student who engages exclusively in freestyle sparring will, for the most
part, practice straight punches, a variety of high (above groin) kicks, and little else. While
this approach might be good for tournament competition, targets and techniques more
conducive to self‐defense situations are not explored. On the other hand, the seminar
concentrated on practices which included throws, elbow techniques, locks, finger strikes,
and more, with full power and without restraint. Since these techniques are executed with a
partner offensive, defensive, and counteroffensive moves were explored.
Safety has always been an important part of the Kenpokai training method. Emphasis on
initial approach of prearranged sequences meant less chance of injury, a common
occurrence in many dojos. Injuries occurring in martial arts classes can usually be avoided if
adequate measures to protect practitioners are taken. Training in martial arts should be
beneficial, healthy, and fun.
Through many years of diligent practice of kata, bunkai, Jiyu kumite and Kiso kumite, and a
variety of advanced training exercises, the practitioners absorbed a wide variety of
techniques. These disciplined seminars developed the student's spirit, enlightenment and
self‐knowledge, the goal of all the martial arts. We can look too many of the Okinawan
karate‐ka such as Yoshio Kuba Sensei and see the real essence of karate‐do Goju‐Ryu –
humility, happiness, health and sincerity – all of which were exemplified by the great Chojun
Miyagi.
Kuba Sensei disseminated the above described training with great finesse and clear
explanation/execution (ask those that were on the receiving end), all ended up with the
same word OUCH and the session were packed with depth and understand of the basics,
the application (bunkai) and the physical, mental and spiritual understanding of why and
how each technique can and should be executed for the maximum benefit and
effectiveness. The approach was to allow all students junior and senior to use techniques to
develop the body and mind and also to develop the application of every movement for
maximum effectiveness. As Kuba Sensei said “why are you performing the technique?”
With many not being able to answer this critical question and scratching their heads for the
hidden answers. He obliged to demonstration with great effectiveness and every technique
8

9. was felt by all participants. He also took the time to correct all participants on the proper
execution of each technique.
We really would like to thank all that joined us in this very enjoyable and thought provoking
seminars and look forward to sharing the same with you when Kuba Sensei visits again next
year.
Domo Arigato Gozaimashita
Imtiaz Abdulla Sensei
Chief Instructor
International Kenshi Kai Karate Kobudo Organization
9