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 was 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, Nukite, Hiji-ate, Gyaku-tsuki, Uraken, Ura-tsuki and Oi-stuki.
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.
