Naihanchi

Naihanchi 1,2,3 is also known as Daipochin, Naifunchin, Naifunchi, Nihanshi, and Tekki.

In addition to names, it also has several versions of  translations, such as "Iron Horse", "Missing Enemy", "Sideways Fighting", "Inside Fighting", "Fighting Holding Your Ground", and "Surreptitious Steps".

These three short kata were the first to be taught in the Shuri-te. They have been practiced in Okinawa for hundreds of years and were practiced by exponents of both Shuri and Tomari-te. Most traditions say that Bushi Matsumura created the Naihanchi Kata, Sho and Ni, in order to develop fighting with your back against a wall or on a narrow rice-paddy dike. Itosu is said to have modified Sho and Ni and developed Naihanchi San. This was confirmed in the writings of Mabuni and Funakoshi.

Kenwa Mabuni, the founder of Shito-Ryu, learned all three from Ankoh Itosu. However, first, while traveling and studying, Mabuni learned a form of Naihanchi from a student of Matsumura's named Matayoshi. When Mabuni returned and showed the kata to Itosu, his teacher remarked that it was similar to the kata Matsumura had devised after training with a Chinese attaché named Channan. It was at this time that Itosu confirmed that he (Itosu) had modified them as well. Gichin Funakoshi stated in his 1922 book that the first two Naihanchi were originally practiced in a pigeon-toed stance, while the third was performed in a horse stance. Funakoshi later revised all three Naihanchi (by changing them all to horse stance and other modifications) and called them Tekki. Therefore these modified kata are not actually Shorei-Ryu or Zhoalin Liu as Funikoshi stated in his Karate-do Kyohan.

Naihanchi is remembered as the favorite of Itosu, who was nicknamed "Iron Horse" because of his performance of this kata. Choki Motobu also preferred the Naihanchi kata and is credited with combining the three into one; known as O’Naihanchi (although in his personal system he only taught Naihanchi sho and Ni, as seperate kata). Motobu sensei has been quote as several different ways saying that all one needs to understand karate is Naihanchi. Although these kata are relatively simple-looking form's, they have elaborate and deadly bunkai incorporated into them such as weeps, joint-locks, throws, and grappling techniques that are not readily apparent in the surface execution. It is obvious that kakushite (hidden hand weapons) permeates these kata in the form of many tuite (grappling) techniques and this may explain why some form of Naihanchi is practiced in virtually all styles, whether Okinawan, Korean, or Japanese, with the exceptions being Goju and Uechi ryu, however, I find great value in the kata and have taught some of my students the Nahanchi shodan kata.