obscure version of Wansu?

[Skeptic 2004]

Hello all.

Thursday night I learned the Itosu version of Wansu (and might I add that it is quite neat both form and bunkai wise). I'm not really sure how wide spread this version is as I understand that the classical (Matsumura) version of Wansu is the most popular (and having learned both, I can say it is much easier to perform the classical version correctly). Anyone else ever hear of or know Itsou-Wansu? How widespread is it?

[Jussi Häkkinen]

Shotokan version might be Itosu no Wansu, since Funakoshi Gichin lists it as one of the "original kata" of Shotokan. However, it may as well be Matsumura version.

How different is Itosu no Wansu from Matsumura no Wansu?

I'm personally familiar with Maeda no Wansu, which is most commonly found in Kyan-lineage Shorin-ryu (Sukunaihayashi).

[Skeptic 2004]

Judging from the lack of responses, I guess it is pretty obscure....

Jussi: I haven't actually seen the Shotokan version, so I really can't comment on it. If Funakoshi learned Wansu from Itosu, it probably was Itosu's version since to my understanding Itosu didn't teach the classical version (actually, from what my instructor says, it sounds like Itsou didn't regularly teach Wansu at all). However, Itosu Wansu is pretty significantly different from the classical Wansu (or at least the two versions I've learned are radically different from each other).

I understand there are quite a few versions of Wansu. From what I understand, Itosu learned the classical version and then made his own version. Instructors who knew Wansu may have also modified Wansu to fit their student's taste, resulting in many variations. Perhaps Maeda or Kyan did the same?