Esoteric Kata

Ju-Kyu (10^th grade)

Taikiyoku  – To Build the Body and the Spirit (1)

Ku-Kyu (9^th grade)

Dai Nihon Teno  – Great Japan Heavenly Kata (1)

Sanchin  – Three Battles (2)

Hachi-kyu (8^th grade)

Teni-Ni-No  – To Rise Above The Common (3)  For a video filmed in a snowstorm please use the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWYEMvQ6fI0

Sichi Kyu (7^th grade)

Fuku  – Vice (as in Vice-President) (4)

Gekisai  – To Destroy (4)  Video spanning 1960’s to 2012 (filmed in the last snowstorm of 2012) link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH4E_4_2U08

Kanto  – Fighting Spirit (5) For a video filmed in a New Jersey snowstorm & in the desert of the Superstion Mountains, Arizona, please use this LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iF9Qdgi9PM

Roku-Kyu (6^th grade)

Seienchin  – Calm in The Storm, Storm in the Calm, alternative: Walk Far To Quell & Conquer (2)  – Video link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHOugfG_UuM

Go-Kyu (5^th grade)

Wansu  – Flying Swallow, alternatives: Dumping Kata & Name of A Chinese Envoy (6)  Video spanning 1960’s to 2012 (filmed in the last snowstorm of 2012) link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzFyFa9cM5Q

Ananku  – Fight To The South, alternative: Peace from the South (7) – Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHc_hBXTUE

Yon-Kyu (4^th grade)

Chin-Ni-No  – To Rise Above The Earth (3)

San-Kyu (3rd grade)

Seisan  – 13 Hands (7)  – Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p5-TfBufW0

Ni-Kyu (2^nd grade)

Gojushiho  – 54 steps (of the Black Tiger in the White Crane System), alternative name:Useichi – The Phoenix (7)  video (filmed in the snow) Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNESQq88Ix8

Ik-Kyu (1^st grade)

Seipai  – 18 Hands (2) Video 1960-2012 with Seipai in the snow by Sensei John,  Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On20TzcG7xk

Sho-Dan (1^st Degree Black Belt)

Chinto  – Fight To The East, alternatives: Name of A Chinese Sailor, & Fight on a narrow bridge (7) — Video  link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOyVXeqthd0

Tensho  – Turning Hand (2)  For a video filmed in a snowstorm for your aesthetic enjoyment, use this Link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLXQRMWDkhY

Ni-Dan (2^nd Degree Black Belt)

Bo Kata No Sho  – First Bo Kata (5)

Chatan Yara No Sai  – Sai Kata of Yara from Chatan(8)

San-Dan (3^rd Degree Black Belt)

Suparunpei  – 108 Hands, alternative name Pechurin (2)  — Video link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g97IwNv4How

Hakutsuru  – White Crane (9)

Yon-Dan (4^th Degree Black Belt)

Nami-Kiribi  – Cutting-wave (10) – Video  link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg2XqFIdyTo

Note also that the Yon-Dan candidate must also create and name their own martial Kata symbolizing their personal understanding of Goshin-Do Karate-Do.

Bonus Video of Kunchaba (Kanshiwa Kata) featuring Shihan Frank Van Lenten, link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnWyUmw60s0

The following are Goshin-Do Karate-Do Kyokai kata (abandoned when the kyokai was disbanded in 1983) which I recreated using archival text, notes, photos and film also featured in the videos:

Sunsu Kata; Not only does this video feature footage of Hanshi Van Lenten performing his version of this hallmark kata of Isshin-Ryu Krate-Do, it also shows Shimaboku, Tatsuo Sensei’s recognition of Hanshi Van Lenten as a Ju-Dan, 1oth degree black belt. (See Endnote # 1) LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbtoNwY2ZZo

Jion Kata: A very rare version of the traditional kata recreated in a pleasing aesthetic environment. LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mubgavwBeOY

Jitte Kata: A very rare version of the traditional kata recreated in a pleasing aesthetic environment. LINK:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9KS9W1-cvI

ENDNOTES:

(3) These Kata were incorporated into the Goshin-Do system by Shihan Thomas DeFelice in or about 1975. They are unique to the students that studied Goshin-Do Karate-Do directly under the direct tutelage of Shihan DeFelice.

(4) These Kata are derived from the Goju-Ryu system in general and specifically from the Kata of Sensei Seikichi Toguchi. In the case of the Gekisai Kata, this Kata is derived from the Gekisai-San Kata of Sensei Toguchi.

(5) These Kata were developed by Shihan Frank Van Lenten directly. In the case of the Kanto Kata, the Kata was developed and demonstrated to Shihan Van Lenten’s instructors as an example of the Goshin-Do Karate style. In the case of Bo Kata No Sho, the Kata was developed as a means of introducing the Karate-Ka to the Art of Kobu-jitsu.

(6) The Kata Wansu is derived from the Isshin-Ryu system of Karate as a tribute to Sensei Tatsuo Shimabuko who taught the system to Shihan Van Lenten.

(7) These Kata are derived from the Shorin-Ryu system. Specifically, the Kata are derived from the Shobayashi-Ryu sect that began under Sensei Chotoku Kyan and continued under Sensei Zenryo Shimabuko under whom Shihan Van Lenten studied this system. The Shobayashi-Ryu sect continues under the direction of Zempo Shimabuko, the son of Zenryo Shimabuko.

(8) The exact origin of the Goshin-Do Karate-jitsu method of performing the Chatan Yara No Sai Kata is unknown.

(9) The Hakutsuru Kata is derived from the Kamemura Hakutsuru Kata of the Matsumura Seito line of Shorin-Ryu Karate. It was incorporated into the Mokuroku No Kata by Sensei John Szmitkowski.

(10) The Nami-Kiribi Kata was developed by Sensei John M. Szmitkowski, in 1997 in fulfillment of his requirements for the rank of Yon-Dan under Shihan Paul Recchia.

Sensei John Szmitkowski, Soke, Jiriki Kata-Do

Tags: Academy of Goshin-Do Karate, American Kata, Frank Van Lenten, Goshin-Do Karate-Do, Goshin-Kai, Goshin-Ryu, John Szmitkowski, Kata, Okinawan Kata, Shihan Thomas DeFelice