similarities

[northerndragon]

Greetings,

What might one discern between Shorin Ryu and Shotokan?

I've read elsewhere that Shorin Ryu is somewhat related to Shito Ryu and Shotokan, preferably between these two lineages in terms of outward appearances of technique and YET wholly distinct and unique. In and of itself, I might add out of respect for this Art.

[bushido_man96]

I believe that Shotokan is descended from Shorin Ryu. At one point, Shorin Ryu was known as the old Shori-Te, was it not?

[ShoriKid]

Shotokan, depending on who you ask, decended from either the Naha or Shori branches of Okinawan karate. Without getting into some of the alterations that it underwent once reaching Japan and residing there for a while, it depends very much on which branch of Shorin-Ryu your talking about as to how related they are. While there will be some similarities in kata, the stance work that I'm familiar with from Matsubayashi-Ryu branch is higher and lighter, more mobile and less rooted in most application. A higher chamber for the strikes in kata and a variation in height due to stance changes while moving. There are other differences, but at this hour, I'm not focused enough to type well, let alone put the details into writen English. The word "English" just took four tries to type correctly! I'll elaborate more if you'd like and share the folloing. http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/index.html

[bushido_man96]

Thanks for the link. There are some nice pics there, and I like the dates and faces to the names.

[Sasori_Te]

Yes Shotokan is descended from Shuri Ti. Funakoshi Sensei's instructor was Itosu Ankoh Sensei and he was a Shuri Te stylist. Funakoshi and Itosu together (mostly Funakoshi) changed the art to be taught to school students in Okinawa and Japan. Then Funakoshi named his style Shotokan.

Shuri is simply the name of the village in Okinawa where this style of Ti was practiced. On Okinawa most Karate was called simply Ti or Tode. The variations were due to the influences on noted instructors in specific villages and were later named after those villages. Shuri, Naha, Tomari ..... Later instructors started using their own names to differentiate their personal styles within those systems .... Shotokan ( Shoto was a pen name for Funakoshi ), Uechi Ryu ( named after Uechi, Kanbun ) ... Anyway, you get the idea.

[GOM]

Itosu was assisted in his work by Hanashiro and Yabu.. both former students of Bushi Matsumura. The history of karate as written down is often contadictory but Itosu and Higashionna (Higaonna Jap.- BTW Miyagi's teacher) both submitted proposals for an indigeneous MA program to be included in the Okinawan Schools Phys. Ed. curriculum. Itosu's program was selected and originally it was known as Toudi (Tote Jap.) but later, the name Karate was coined firstly by Hanashiro Chomo in a book on Kumite and some 20 years later promoted (the name that is) by Funakoshi (Itosu's student) and accepted in Japan and Okinawa (ref.the 1936 Okinawa Master's meeting).

Itosu determined 14 kata for the new MA program and made a number of changes. With PE in mind, the exercise routines were better balanced to train both sides of the body but still with a definite right side bias to suit the majority of potential students. These kata included Pinan/Heian, Naifanchi, Passai. Kushanku, Chinto, and Gojushiho. Itosu removed dangerous techniques by making some strikes into blocks, changed targets from the head to the body and raised kicks from lower to mid levels. This was the karate initially introduced into Japan. Some of these kata were later modified again by Funakoshi (Funakoshi Kempo), Nakayama (JKA Shotokan), Mabubi (Shitoryu) and Ohtsuka (Wadoryu). All added and subtracted kata but the majority followed the new karate formulae and changed targets, etc.

Miyagi taught at after school karate programs but it was some 14 years later before his program was accepted into the Okinawan School system. Goju is the new kid on the block and based on a slightly different technology to Matsumura's te which evolved into karate.

[Sasori_Te]

GOM

Good post. Could you please tell me where you got the details? I'm a MA history buff and story collector and would love to find out more. Thanks.

[GOM]

^^ The many resources given to me from my father have helped my acquire a fair amount of knowledge.

[Sasori_Te]

many resourcea?? Can you give me a few examples? I'm always looking to expand my collection.

[bushido_man96]

I have placed a couple of books on order on the history of Karate: Karate Chronicles, and The History of Shotokan, both by Harry Cook. I look forward to receiving them. Perhaps they are some you could look into.