Hakutsuru Kata

[saishu]

Okay I have had a couple people write me messages asking about the Hakutsuru kata. I am just wondering if anyone can put in their two cents in about the mysticism surrounding this kata. I have had people tell me that there is no way that I could know this kata, however I have known it for about 5 years. Up until a few days ago I didn't think it was a big deal.

Could someone please shed some light on this whole issue for me. Because to me Hakutsuru is just another kata. So what if it was made by Bushi Matsumura. You can buy videos of Hohan Soken performing this kata for goodness sake.

If anyone is unfamiliar with this kata you can see it here - SaishuRyu Website. This video is of Saishu Ryu founder Scot Mertz performing Hakutsuru, but his version of this kata is the same one that i learned.

Tomo

[Zaine]

Well, its a kata, its no big deal. All i can say is that if Bushi made it that just one more thing he made. Its not like he wanted to keep it secret or something. But the big deal about it is that supposedly only Fusei Kise knows this kata.

[24fightingchickens]

Haku = White

Tsuru = Crane

白鶴　＝White Crane

[saishu]

Well, its a kata, its no big deal. All i can say is that if Bushi made it that just one more thing he made. Its not like he wanted to keep it secret or something. But the big deal about it is that supposedly only Fusei Kise knows this kata.

You know I have heard that as well. But I attended a Ken Penland seminar and all we did was the Hakutsuru Kata. I have heard that Kise was suppose to be the only one who knew it, but if that is the case why can you buy videos of Hohan Soken performing it? Or is there a possibility that the one Kise knows is like Hakutsuru Ni or something?

Oh well.

Tomo

[P.A.L]

according to some history( right or wrong) Matsumura only teaches hakutsuru kata to Nabe, Hohen Soken version of hakutsuru is Hakutsuru dai which probebly comes from Nabe, there are many Hakutsuru katas from different families , most famouse is GoKenki, i only know three kata with "Hakutsuru" as part of actual name,

Matsumura Hakutsuru sho

Matsumura hakutsuru dai

umi Inagu shihe Hakutsutu

these are some of other white crane katas we practice

Shorinji Sanchin Five Ancestral Fist

So Hakutsuru Fukein White Crane

Tan Hakutsuru Fukein White Crane

Ni Ju Ken Five Ancestral Fist

Shu Hakutsuru Ancestral Crane

Rokishu Fuken White Crane

Ryushoken Hohan Soken

Matsumura Hakutsuru Sho Matsumura Family

Matsumura Hakutsuru Chu Matsumura Family

Shorinji Chinto Five Ancestral Fist

Matsumura Hakutsuru Dai Matsumura Family

Mei Hakutsuru Shouting White Crane

Hitsuru ken

shutsuru Ken

Paihok

tsuru sanchin

these are all open hand hakutsuru katas , all the katas with the name Hakutsuru(that i am aware of) start with some move like opening of Kusanku dai. main thing about Hakutsuru is high stances , most of them are natural fighting stances, shiko dachi when power drops for a break or stealing balance , naihanchi when power goes up for eye strike, kicks are low and fast ,mostly in pairs using big toe,

Edited November 23, 2005 by P.A.L

[Zaine]

Well, its a kata, its no big deal. All i can say is that if Bushi made it that just one more thing he made. Its not like he wanted to keep it secret or something. But the big deal about it is that supposedly only Fusei Kise knows this kata.

You know I have heard that as well. But I attended a Ken Penland seminar and all we did was the Hakutsuru Kata. I have heard that Kise was suppose to be the only one who knew it, but if that is the case why can you buy videos of Hohan Soken performing it? Or is there a possibility that the one Kise knows is like Hakutsuru Ni or something?

Oh well.

Tomo

That would probally explain it, there are different ways to do a kata depending on who learned it, people probally just freaked out because they though you ment a certain Hakutsuru. Its no big deal though. But to learn it from this Ken Penland in a seminar is bad unless it was a black belt seminar. You see, in my system Crane katas such as Lotan bet and Lotan Alef a.k.a Chinto 1and 2 are learned after 2nd degree. That is bad if you teach so many people a White Crane form so early in there training, its just bad teaching.

[Skeptic 2004]

According to Chibana Chosin, many of the Hakutsuru kata in Okinawa were originally based on Hakutsuru no Mai, a traditional dance. I'm presuming that Bushi Matsumura was watching this dance one day and said, "I bet if you do this...and then do this...you can apply it to fighting!" and then proceeded to create the Matsumura Hakutsuru katas listed above.

This shouldn't surprise you if you've ever watched traditional Okinawan dance - it's just like traditional karate kata with fighting moves and the like, only more ornate.

Unfortunately, Chibana Chosin said that Hakutsuru in general were not really "fighting" kata. They were appropriate for developing posture, coordination, and breathing timing; but if you wanted to do all that and have a good "exercise" kata, there's an easier kata one could learn - Jutte.

Having been taught the Hakutsuru kata (the So, Tan, San Hi, and Matsumura Hakutsuru Sho), and training them, I can see Chibana's point. There are fighting applications to the kata, but they are far and few in between. Even watching John Sells's Hakutsuru videos (quite excellent videos by the way) where he demonstrates the meaning of the moves, I'm hard pressed to believe that those tools could readily be applied in a fighting situation.

[Zaine]

Very excellent point Skeptic. I have seen other times where that has happen i.e. flag dancers and bo forms, drummers and escrima fighters.

[Zaine]

Oh yeah, one more thing, it Hakusturu started with Nabe Matusumura

[samertz]

PAL is right. There are many many versions of Hakutsuru out there. The one that we (Saishu Ryu) practice is the one from Seito Shorin Ryu. It's not the full out Hakutsuru that Hanshi Kise knows.

If you get a chance to see the Saishu Ryu 2006 guide you will see that we are actually practicing a lot of different crane kata, especially in the Dan levels.

Tomo if you want to talk more about this please don't post this stuff in these types of forums, either e-mail me or talk to Eric Whitsell.

Scot