Bradford Bushido Ryu
Shotokan Karate Club
(Est 1985)

Nijushiho

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Nijushi means "24." Ho can mean "direction", "side", "part", "walk", and "step." Since there are exactly 24 steps within the kata, it is generally believed that Nijushiho was named for the number of steps in the kata. "Twenty-four Steps" is a good translation of Nijushiho. "Twenty-four Directions" is another acceptable interpretation. "Twenty-four Parts" is also thought provoking as is "Twenty-fourth Step."

The original Okinawan name for Nijushiho is Niseishi. Numbers hold different names in Okinawa from their Japanese Mainland counterparts, so the name doesn't translate any differently on Okinawa other than not having the word "step" at the end. There are apparently two Niseishi kata that have migrated from ancient times to the modern day, one which has nothing to do with Shotokan's Nijushiho. Nijushiho is commonly referred to as an Arakaki kata. The Shito-Ryu Niseishi is virtually identical to the Shotokan version. Mabuni, son of the founder of Shito-Ryu, has said that his dad learned the kata from Kanryo Higaonna. Higaonna picked up the kata from Seisho Arakaki.

The kata is different from the other Shito-Ryu kata attributed to Arakaki Seisho such as Sochin and Unsu in that it lacks the "Arakaki trademark" of the double outward blocks from cat stance, reverse hand thrusts while stepping forward three times. These techniques were apparently removed from the Shotokan version of Sochin when it was ported over by Funakoshi's son. However, the Ryuei Ryu version of Niseishi (similar to the shito) has them. That would mean that these three kata descend through Shito-Ryu to Shotokan together from the same source, Arakaki Seisho.

Directions

 

1.        Natural Stance – start in natural stance.

2.        Drag and Drop – Reach forward with the left hand open, palm down and the right fist out at the side of the left  and step back into a back stance with right foot and drag the front foot back about 6 inches. As you step back perform a pressing down block with the left and draw the right hand back to the waist. The left arm ends in the position as if you had performed a hook punch.

3.        Punch - Shift forward six inches by lifting the front foot and pushing off with the right leg. As you do this leave the left arm in place and punch with the right fist under the left arm.

4.        Elbow strike - Shift forward as before into an hourglass stance with the feet about one foot width apart. Begin the technique explosively and finish slowly with tension.

 The right hand comes from its punching position under the left and grabs forward over it. At the same time the left arm draws back with the hand still open to just above the right side waist. As you pull back with the right the left elbow pushes forward to just above shoulder height. The right fist pulls all the way back to the right waist.

5.        Turn - Turn by pivoting to the rear on your left foot. As you pivot open both arms wide with the hands open. Raise them upward and around you in a circle until they cross in front of you at the wrists then draw them back strongly to punching position.

6.        U Punch – Punch immediately using both fists with right fist over left. The right fist punches at chin height the left under handed at middle level.

7.        Knee raise and block - Raise the right knee into the chest. Simultaneously pull both forearms up in front of the face with the palm sides inward. The elbows and fists touching and the elbows at a 90 degree angle. Set the foot down in a front stance and slowly wedge block with both hands.

8.        Block and Elbow - Pivot to the left into a front stance raising the right arm in an open hand and then upper level rising block with the left arm. Immediately follow up the rising block with a rising elbow strike with the fist in a vertical position. The right fist finishes next to the right ear.

9.        Block, kick and punch - Pivot on the left foot and shift the right foot back a little so that you assume a horse riding stance. Look to the right as you pivot and sweep the right hand in a round movement from left to right in a vertical knife hand block. As soon as the block is complete raise the right knee to throw a right side thrust kick to armpit level. As you extend the foot from the chambered position (don't pause), pull the right fist to the right hip strongly. After kicking set the right foot back into the chamber and then down on the floor into horse riding stance again. As the foot lowers punch with the left arm.

10.     Repeat Again - Repeat the above three techniques again to the opposite side without shifting or altering the positioning.

11.     Round Block - Pull the left foot back to the right so that the heels touch. Move the right foot to the left 45 degree angle into a front stance. The right fist should be flipped over so that the palm heel is turned up and the back of the bent wrist is used as a hooking block moving downward. The left hand also in a palm heel, strikes slowly from overhead as you lean into this technique. The leg movements of this technique are done quickly but the technique ends slowly.

12.     Ridge Hand - Pivot in place using both feet to rotate to the left. Use the rotation of the body to swing a reverse side ridge hand strike to the upper level. At the same time swing the other hand back and around behind you in a horizontal palm heel strike to the rear.

13.     Step right foot up to the left so that you are standing with your feet together. Don't bend the knees visibly. Bring the left arm up in a swinging motion so that the back of the left hand smacks into the upraised palm of the right hand. Kiai.

14.     Grab and Break - Step left foot back into the unmovable stance and bring both open hands down and away from each other a little. The left moves as if scooping the underside of a leg as it front kicks. The right should move as if striking with the open palm to the knee.

Immediately follow up with a U punch with the left hand in the higher position at 45 degree angle downward

15.     Back Handed - Pivot 180 degrees to the rear so that the right leg is the rear leg in a back stance. As you pivot fold the arms for an back knife hand block with tension. Perform the block quickly and then decelerate as it progresses.

16.     Vertical Elbow - Step right foot forward into a side-facing horse riding stance. Strike upward with a vertical elbow strike so that the vertical fist of the right hand finishes next to the ear. Immediately move the right fist over the left shoulder and reach forward with the left arm to prepare for a right downward block. Think of this as a lower level punch with a block accompanying it. Shift the feet toward the right foot 6 inches as you make this punching action. Throw the block as you shift toward the left foot about 6 inches by lifting the left foot and then pushing off with the right. Shift in and out quickly and immediately throwing the punch and then the block.

17.     Another Back Hand - Pivot 180 degrees and make another back stance and block with the left knife hand as above.

18.     Elbow strike - As you step into a horse riding stance strike with the right elbow into the left palm so that the arms form a rectangle at middle level in front of the body. Immediately strike downward with the right fist (as in Bassai Dai) following the elbow strike.

19.     Another Back Hand -
Move the left foot in front of the right so that you take a 90 degree angle to the line you just travelled up and back. In a back stance make the same vertical knife hand block. Step in and back out with the vertical elbow strike, punch, and downward block as above.

20.     Turn 225° to the rear to the left and step forward with right foot into a three point stance while pulling both hands strongly back into drawn posture. Pivot on the left foot at first. As soon as the right foot is planted move the left foot as well, shifting it to the right about one foot and forward about one foot so that it becomes the front foot of the stance.

21.     U Punch - In place, punch with the right hand on the high side and the left on the middle level at the same time.

22.     Step forward with the right foot and back hand block with left and right hands turning them in a circle until the right hand is at the right waist and the left hand is in front of the left shoulder.

From the U punch hook the back of the right hand using the back side of the palm heel posture. The left hand does the same. Move both hands clockwise keeping the palm heels facing into the centre of the circle your hands are describing in front of you. Once the hands are vertical with the left on top in front of the face and the right on the bottom in front of the belt they are really facing to the sides now. Rotate your wrists so that they are back-end leading again as you continue around this circle one more time. This time the palm heel backside blocks never make it back to the vertical position. Instead, pull them to your sides as you draw the circle a second time. The right palm heel is drawn at the right waist, the left is drawn over-hand style at the left shoulder.

Slowly ease two palm heel strikes forward with the left hand high. Finish by drawing back the right leg into the natural stance.

 

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