Sansai
Sansai (三才, Sansai) is a kata trained in Genseiryu and must be performed for the 1st dan examination (both adults and children).
Sansai (三才, Sansai) is a kata developed by Seiken Shukumine in 1952, or 1953. The meaning of the name is "Three Geniuses", which refers to the former basic katas: Ten-i, Chi-i and Jin-i. Sansai is trained by the style Genseiryu, Ryounkai and Seidokai with the official version of Sansai being that of the Genseiryu Karate-do International Federation. Seiken Shukumine, the founder of Genseiryu, discarded the three basic katas (Ten-i, Chi-i and Jin-i) in favor of Sansai in order to mature the style. Despite of this, many of Genseiryu's derivatives are still training the basic kata Ten-i, Chi-i and Jin-i.
Genseiryu Karate-do Kyohan 2[edit]
- Translated to English and included here with explicit permission from Kunihiko Tosa.
- This text and image is protected under copyright.
Normally, Ten (sky), Chi (ground) and Hito (person)* are named in one word: "Sansai". Master Seiken Shukumine who founded the Genseiryu style researched and created performances of basic techniques and basic katas. The basic techniques are named Shiho-Tsuki, Shiho-Tsuki-keri, Shiho-Nuki and Happo-Nuki. Basic katas were named Ten-i no Kata, Chi-i no Kata and Jin-i no Kata*. Integrated, they gave birth to the kata Sansai.
Technically Sansai is a representative of the Genseiryu style. This kata is characterized by making use of all directions and techniques created by spinning the body. A practitioner is simultaneously required to seek a balance of mind and body to the utmost limit.
As for the expression of techniques, there are many movements such as turning from Mae-geri to Ebi-geri, Nidan Shuto-uchi while spinning the body, Shajo-geri after jumping, Nuki-te, Hiji-ate, Gyaku-dori, Uraken, Ura-tsuki and Ai-duki.
Sansai makes the best practical use of all the techniques in karate.
(*) In Japanese the character used for this kata can be pronounced in different ways i.e. Jin and Hito.
External links[edit]
- Sansai, WKF official Kata (from 1 January 2018) - Link to YouTube. Sansai being performed by Tsuyoshi Hagimoto from the HQ (Honbu Dojo) of the Genseiryu Karate-do International Federation in Japan. The video clip was originally published in 2006 on the official DVD Kata Zenshu made by the Genseiryu Karate-do International Federation.