Keishin Kata (敬心形)

Keishin Kata (敬心形) of Shobudo (正武道) karate

kei (敬) respect, reverence, or honor someone or something
shin (心) heart or mind
kata (形) form, shape, or pattern

Keishin, which means "respectful mind," is one of the foundational kata in our Mt. Si Shobudo dojo (正武道 マウント・サイ道場). 

Origin of the kata

There is no known Japanese kata named 敬心形 (Keishin-kata) in any major Okinawan or mainland karate lineage: Shōtōkan (松濤館), Shōrin-ryū, Kobayashi, Matsubayashi, Shōrinji-ryū, Gōjū-ryū, Uechi-ryū, Ryūei-ryū, Motobu Udun-di, Matsumura Orthodox, Tou’on-ryū, Chitō-ryū, Shitō-ryū, Koryū White Crane (白鶴拳), none of these includes Keishin (敬心形), Keishin-gata, Keishin-dai.

Given the kanji 敬心, it was probably created in the USA in the 1950s.

❀ ❀ ❀

Kata movements

1. Heisoku-dachi (閉足立ち): feet together
   Bow rei (礼) and say onegai shimasu (お願いします).
   Straighten and announce the kata name "Keishin"(敬心).
   Left open hand on top of the right hand, lift up outwards, bring inwards, and lower. heikō-dachi (平行立ち): ready position.

2. Migi gedan shuto (右手刀), right-hand low and open; this is a stance.
   Hidari hikite (引き手): left hand fist on the hip.  ❀ ❀ ❀

3. Step with the left leg backwards into heikō-dachi (平行立ち): shoulder feet apart. The body is turned 90° left. Eyes look right. 

4. Migi gedan soto shuto-uke (右下段外手刀受け), sweep right to left and bring all the way to the left shoulder.
   Heikō-dachi (平行立ち).

5. Migi jōdan yoko shuto (右上段横手刀) to the neck.
   Hidari hikite (引き手).
   heikō-dachi (平行立ち)
   ❀ ❀ ❀

6. From heikō-dachi (平行立ち), slide the right foot backward.
   Right hand grabs opponent's collar to the right,
   migi te de eri o tsukamu (右手で襟を掴む).

7. Rotate 90° right into zenkutsu-dachi (前屈立ち): facing forward.
   

   hidari gyaku-tsuki (左逆突き)

8. Hidari mae-geri (左前蹴り).
   Hidari zenkutsu-dachi (左前屈立ち).

9. Migi gyaku-tsuki (右逆突き)

   Hidari zenkutsu-dachi (左前屈立ち). ❀ ❀ ❀

10. Bring your right fist on top of your hidari hikite (左引き手).
    Migi Mae Geri (右前蹴り), and while the knee is still in the air...
    migi tettsui-uchi (右鉄槌打ち): right horizontal hammer-fist strike;

    You may grab the opponent with your right hand.

11. Hidari gedan oi-tsuki (左追い突き).
    Migi zenkutsu-dachi (右前屈立ち).
    Kiai (気合) !!!
    ❀ ❀ ❀

12. Look left, turn left 90°
    Hidari Shuto-dachi (手刀立ち): L-stance
    gedan hidari shuto-uke (下段左手刀受け) downward left shuto block, right shuto on top of the belt knot.

13. migi nukite (右貫手) spear-hand strike to the neck,
    hidari hikite (引き手). Hidari Shuto-dachi (手刀立ち).
    ❀ ❀ ❀

14. Look over the left shoulder, Turn 180 degrees to the right. Gedan migi shuto-uke (下段右手刀受け) downward right shuto block, Migi shuto-dachi (右手刀立ち)

15. Slide into migi zenkutsu-dachi (右前屈立ち)
    hidari jōdan shuto-tsuki (左上段手刀突き) high left spear thrust.

16. migi hikite (右引き手).
    ❀ ❀ ❀

17. Bring the right foot back together to heisoku-dachi (閉足立ち),
    The left hand remains extended in shuto,
    place the left hand on the right shoulder,
    Look left.
    Hidari gedan barai (左下段払い)

18. heisoku-dachi (閉足立ち): feet together
    migi hikite (右引き手).
    hidari hikite (左引き手).

19. ❀ ❀ ❀

20. Look over your right shoulder to the back. Right hand across the body to the left ear,
    step forward with the left foot into
    usoku-dachi (右足立ち), a lean-away stance.
    Belt-height right shuto-uke (右手刀受け): You are leaning away from the attacker, twisted at the waist, facing backwards.

21. Turn forward into neko-ashi-dachi (猫足立ち): a short cat stance Bring your right open hand back to your ear.

22. Tsuru-ashi-dachi (鶴足立ち): right knee up crane stance
    nijū-uke (二重受け): double block
    - migi gedan-barai (右下段払い) right-hand low block,
    - hidari age-uke (左上げ受け) left rising block
    ❀ ❀ ❀

23.  Neko-ashi-dachi (猫足立ち): cat stance,
    open both hands,
    rotate both hands counterclockwise,
    completing a yoko-nage (横投げ): side throw over your right leg, Also, the “6 o’clock / 12 o’clock throw”.

24. Left hand retracts to shuto over the belt.

25. Hidari shuto-tsuki (左手刀突き).
    migi mamori-te (右守り手): the right hand guards the heart.
    Hidari zenkutsu-dachi (左前屈立ち).

26. Migi shuto-tsuki (右手刀突き).
    hidari mamori-te (左守り手): the left hand guards the heart.
    Migi zenkutsu-dachi (右前屈立ち).
    ❀ ❀ ❀

27. Look left, over your shoulder. Turn right 180 degrees,
    migi neko-ashi-dachi (右猫足立ち): right cat stance, close both fists, protecting (hugging) the torso

28. Hidari tsuru-ashi-dachi (左鶴足立ち): right knee up crane stance

29. nijū-uke (二重受け): double block - hidari gedan-barai (左下段払い) left low block, and migi age-uke (右上げ受け) right rising block ❀ ❀ ❀

30. Cross hands into heikō-dachi (平行立ち): a ready position,

31. Bring the right foot in to Heisoku-dachi (閉足立ち): feet together.

32. Bow, rei (礼).

Video

Vocabulary

age-uke (上げ受け): rising block

barai (払い): sweep / sweeping block

chūdan (中段): middle level

dachi (立ち): stance

de (で): with, using

eri (襟): collar

gedan (下段): low level

gedan-barai (下段払い): low sweeping block

gyaku-tsuki (逆突き): reverse punch

heikō-dachi (平行立ち): parallel stance

heisoku-dachi (閉足立ち): feet-together stance

hidari (左): left

hikite (引き手): pulling hand

jōdan (上段): high level

kiai (気合): spirited shout

mae-geri (前蹴り): front kick

migi (右): right

neko (猫): cat

neko-ashi-dachi (猫足立ち): cat stance

nukite (貫手): spear-hand strike

o (を): object marker

oi-tsuki (追い突き): lunge punch

shuto (手刀): knife or spear hand

shuto-dachi (手刀立ち): shuto stance / L-stance

shuto-tsuki (手刀突き): knife-hand strike

shuto-uke (手刀受け): knife-hand block

soto (外): outside

te (手): hand

tettsui-uchi (鉄槌打ち): hammer-fist strike

tsukamu (掴む): to grab

tsuru-ashi-dachi (鶴足立ち): crane stance

uchi (内): inside

usoku-dachi (右足立ち): lean-away stance

yoko-nage (横投げ): side throw

zenkutsu-dachi (前屈立ち): front stance

Sanchin (三戦) means “Three Battles” Kata

 Sanchin (三戦) means “Three Battles” in Japanese and is one of the oldest and most fundamental kata in Okinawan karate, especially in Naha-te lineages such as Gōjū-ryū, Uechi-ryū, and their Chinese antecedents from Fuzhou.

The “three battles” are traditionally interpreted as the unity or harmonization of mind (shin), body (tai), and spirit (ki). Other interpretations include control of breathing, posture, and tension or the alignment of heaven, earth, and man.

Structure and Purpose

Sanchin is practiced slowly and deliberately, emphasizing:

• Rooted stance (Sanchin-dachi) — short, strong, and stable.
• Dynamic tension throughout the body while maintaining controlled ibuki breathing (deep diaphragmatic exhalation).
• Linear, symmetrical embusen (line of movement), often stepping forward and backward along a single line.
• Chokusen (direct) techniques — basic thrusts and blocks, executed under tension.

The kata is less about external form and more about internal control. It cultivates breath-power coordination, muscle conditioning, focus under pressure, and mental discipline. In some dojos, instructors perform shime testing—pressing, striking, or checking the student’s posture and tension during performance.

Historical Notes

Sanchin is believed to have Chinese roots in the Southern Shaolin White Crane and Tiger traditions, transmitted to Okinawa through masters like Kanryō Higaonna, who trained in Fujian province. In Gōjū-ryū, the kata was further systematized by Chōjun Miyagi, while in Uechi-ryū it retains more Chinese-style open-hand and stepping patterns.

Philosophical Meaning

Beyond conditioning, Sanchin embodies zanshin (awareness) and kokyū (breath as energy). The practitioner learns to keep composure even under tension, symbolizing the harmony between strength and calmness—an internalized martial meditation.

Hakuchō (白鳥, “White Heron”) Shobudo (正武道) Karate

Hakuchō 白鳥, “White Heron” kata 型 of Shobudo

The first kata that Kevin-Sensei told me I need to learn is Hakuchō (白鳥, “White Heron”). The soft, flowing Hakuchō 白鳥 is a good start for me, given my prior Shotokan training.

I am not familiar with the Chinese kata, as White Heron is considered a more esoteric teaching in Shotokan, which I practiced when I was young. My body and moves are tense, as if every move were a "kiai" 気合 moment. In Shotokan, we were hardened in every position by being punched and kicked.

The Hakuchō 白鳥 kata 型 is named after the “white bird,” or, in modern Japanese, literally the swan, though historically associated with the heron or crane. The imagery reflects the same grace, balance, and vigilance found in White Crane (白鶴, Hakutsuru) traditions from Fujian, China. 

Haku (白) means “white.” It is one of several "crane" forms found in various Okinawan karate styles, where its techniques mimic the defensive and offensive movements of a white crane. 

The Hakuchō 白鳥 kata is a valuable form for understanding the historical connection between Chinese White Crane Kung Fu and Okinawan karate.

Here is a presentation by Elida Wagner Stewart, Hanshi-Sensei (8th Dan), of our sister school in Oregon:

 

Basic lines in Japanese calligraphy (shodō 書道)

In the third lesson of my shodō 書道, I have practiced only drawing lines. 

It is more difficult than it appears. In Europe, we are used to writing with a hand on paper, even with an ink fountain pen; there is support. 

In Japanese calligraphy, shodō 書道, you sit with your back straight and hold the ink brush (fude 筆) vertically. The strokes use various brush pressures, but they are very prescribed in direction.

書道 shodo: The art of Japanese calligraphy, meaning "the way of writing".
墨 sumi: The black ink used in calligraphy. 

筆 fude: This is the modern and common kanji for "brush" used in words like fudepen (brush pen).
聿 itsu: This is a more classical kanji that means explicitly "writing brush" and is often used in compound words related to writing.

永

The eight principles of 永 (Eiji Happō)

1. 側 (
   

   $soku$
   ) - A dot
2. 勒 (
   

   $roku$
   ) - A horizontal stroke
3. 努 (
   

   $do$
   ) - A vertical stroke
4. 趯 (
   

   $teki$
   ) - A hook
5. 策 (
   

   $saku$
   ) - A horizontal stroke with a right upward ending
6. 掠 (
   

   $ryaku$
   ) - A diagonal stroke to the left
7. 啄 (
   

   $taku$
   ) - A short diagonal stroke to the left
8. 磔 (
   

   $taku$
   ) - A diagonal stroke to the right

The kanji "eternity," 永 (ei), actually contains all the 8 techniques.

I will practice this kanji for many days, just like kata, before I move on with the next lesson.