24 Reflections Origins of the Pinan Kata

Chris Thomas discusses the origins of the Pinan (Heian) kata.
kjk-karate.com/

[@Jameskeith1972]

Thank you so much Grandmaster Chris. This is something I have been researching for quite some time. Pinan are my favorite kata still. I am from the Matsumura Seito branch so this is such a difficult topic. You really put it into order, and explain it with such grace. Especially the part about Nidan being devised by Nabe. Thanks.

[@lancie7426]

You explain this so well. I forgot I was watching a video and felt like you were telling me this in-person. Thank you for this, Grandmaster. Osu!

[@SenseiMaharaj]

Very much informative!!! Thank you sir... Peace and harmony, Sensei Maharaj

[@CaptPostmod]

Your videos are great. Thanks! I've been training with Will Higginbotham this week. Your videos have given me a bit of a leg up so that I understand some of the things he's teaching a little more quickly having already heard you talk about them.

[@CTMartialArts]

CaptPostmod thanks. Will Higginbotham is great. You’re lucky to be able to train with him.

[@bilbobaggins4403]

Did you ever meet Peter Urban Richard Kim or Patrick McCarthy?

[@karate1990]

Can I ask where you've pulled that information? Only I've never heard much about Nabe Matsumura other than he was the teacher of Hohan Soken. What was the source that he was the creator of Pinan Nidan? Fascinating theory Chris!

[@CTMartialArts]

karate1990 This historical analysis includes several documentary sources (a bit here and a bit there) but the piece about Nabe Matsumura comes from Matsumura Orthodox tradition. It was shared with me (private correspondence ) by a student of Hohan Soken named G. A. Garcia. BYT, if you are familiar with the people who were students of Soken, they routinely deny each other's legitimacy, so there are those who accept Garcia and those who reject him. For me, the info he shared fit in with the larger history of the Pinan that I was seeing.

[@karate1990]

Chris Thomas Thanks for the reply. I have noticed that about various Hohan Sokens various students. With regards to Nabe Matsumura, is there anywhere to find extra information on him? There seems to be so little with some people disputing he existed at all! Seems a shame for someone with his legacy.

[@CTMartialArts]

karate1990 there is a brief mention of Nabe by Mark Bishop (okinawan karate: masters, methods and secret techniques)

[@chrisbowers1122]

I was wondering what your basis for thinking that Pinan 5 is from Bassai. Clearly the inside out chop, crescent kick, elbow sequence is taken from that Kata. The opening of Pinan 5 seems similar to Bassai, but I'm not sure, Bassai is much more complex (although he could have simplified it for the Kata). You can say there is a body throw in Bassai (at the end), and a Throw in Pinan 5 (the uppercut, turn, "hop" sequence) but these seem to be different throws. Also wondering if you think that he incorporated Jujitsu techniques or weapons techniques into the Pinan Kata given that Itosu was trained also in Jujitsu and Kenjutsu. Thanks for the account, very detailed and interesting and similar to other things I've read.

[@karatekid68]

anyway, Many say that Pinan are from Itosu, but Nabe Matsumura knew the 5 pinan, so I guess he learned the pinan from Bushi Matsumura..

[@peterprokopiuk4921]

No, "pinan" means "safe from harm" or "free from danger", at least in Chinese.

[@Jameskeith1972]

Now can you please say something that hasn’t already been said about ANANKU! 😝