Tensho

Recently I have had a nice discussion with the Garry Leaver of Gojukenkyukai on his face book page regarding Sanchin; the two versions, the naming and the yoi. This discussion got my wheels turning and got me thinking about Tensho kata.

Why is it that there seem to be two distinctly different versions of the kata Tensho?  Unlike Sanchin, Miyagi Sensei never identified a Tensho Dai Ichi or Tensho Dai Ni, he only taught Tensho.

If you take a look at the various groups that teach the kata Tensho, you will find that there are two distinctly different versions that are taught over a wide and diverse grouping.  So let me break it down like this,  lets for the sake of clarification call the katas A and B (this in no way says one is more correct then the other) Kata A starts from Yoi and performs Morote chudan Uke, the left hand is chambered and the right hand begins hiki uke and runs through the Tensho hand movements, while Kata B starts out with three steps like Sanchin kata before going into the movements associated with Tensho. I know someone will say well kata B is the Sanchin-Tensho demonstration kata, but I do not think it is as simple as that.

If we look at the groups that practice the kata, I think we will discover a few surprises;

Kata A is used by the IOGKF, Gojukai, Kimo Wall’s Kodokan, Kyokushinkai, and Shito-ryu

Kata B is used by Jundokan, Jundokan International, Shoreikan, and Shodokan

Now what is interesting to me is that the IOGKF is from the Jundokan lineage and Kimo Wall’s Kodokan is from the Shodokan/Shoreikan lineage, so why do they teach different versions of the kata then their teachers?

Join me over on facebook and lets discuss the subject http://www.facebook.com/index.php?lh=c9330270fcc1e3d5b372fa5eb449a368&eu=YJ8JFMmpktsYV8gTzMqmjw#!/pages/Okinawan-Gojuryu-Yushikan-Jones-Dojo/169351469770436