Seiki Itokazu and Konan Ryu

Dana Sheets · Post by **Dana Sheets** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:14 pm

Hi Walt,

That does help, thanks. And please - just call me Dana.

Did you happen to learn the history of how the longer forms were put together during your time training in the system?

Gokenki was purported to be a white crane practitioner - so I guess I'd expect some of that influence on any new forms created...but it seems slight. There are only two postures that really caught my eye in the new forms and they more remind me of bo kata than anything else.

Thanks again,
Dana

iwah · Post by **iwah** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:35 am

I don't know that much about the Uechi-ryu derivative of Itozaku Sensei now passed down by Kinjo Sensei as Konan-ryu. I trained the other Konan-ryu, shorin-ryu lineage. We did do a version of Kinjo sensei's chizikun kata though. ALmost identical to his. I have no idea about the 2 longer kata. I don't see any Gokenki techniques in there though. It looks as if techniques in other kata put in different order and all in one place so that by training these kata, one gets the unique techniques of several Uechi kata in one. Important to remember as you stated, kata is a string of postures or techniques. These new kata would teach students to combine existing techinques in new ways thus greatly increasing their repertoire with techniques they already knew.

Walt

Dana Sheets · Post by **Dana Sheets** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:07 pm

Thanks Walt.

Did the lineage you trained in still do the Uechi style arm rubbing and pounding exercises or were those replaced by the Shorin-ryu two person forms?

I'm also going to write Mary Bolz and see if she'll drop by and share her understanding of any added kata that she trains in her system.

cheers,
Dana

Dana Sheets · Post by **Dana Sheets** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:09 pm

From her website:
http://okinawa-budou.org/PGNR/

The Ko Nan Ryuu Koubukai Honbu Doujou has one more kata, named Koubuken, created by Kinjou Takashi Kaichou, for a total of nine kata. This organization is part of this lineage, since Nishiuchi Shihan and Bolz Shihan both are students of Kinjou Kaichou, who learned from Itokazu Seiki Sensei of Uechi Ryuu.

Glenn · Post by **Glenn** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:47 pm

"Kobuken", yes Dana, that is the name of the kata Kinjo created for the Uechi-derived Konan/Kobu Ryu. I knew I'd recognize the name when I saw it. I think I'd recognize the kata too, it had a few signature techniques not found in other Uechi kata.

John Giacoletti · Post by **John Giacoletti** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 5:15 am

Very interesting historical thread.

Some months ago on this forum I inquired about Mary Boltz. I purchased a DVD she produced consisting of 23 sets of Yakusoku Kumite which were at the time of production of the video that preceded the DVD a portion of the requirements for 4th kyu to Sandan in Pang Gai Noon Ryu.

Guichi Shinyu Sensei was for a time a Kobudo student of Itokazu Sensei. His series of Pangainoon Karate tapes and DVDs attribute in Vol. IV learning the oar kata from Itokazu Sensei.

The Pangainoon lineage seems to have several sensei who became proficient Kobudo masters. Shihan Boltz and Shihan Nishiuchi seem to be partners in their California dojo. Nichiuchi has an impressive kobudo series produced by Panther productions and sold by Century Martial Arts.

My friend George Schriefer first sought out kobudo training through Snyder Sensei, a Pangainoon Karate instructor in Nebraska.

Gokenkai · Post by **Gokenkai** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:52 am

The website for the Okinawa Koburyu Kobukai is
http://www.kouburyu.net/seishinkan_content.html

This is Takashi Kinjo Sensei official USA representative.

Hope this helps, I am also interested in the two kata posted and what their names are. I do know that they are not Kobuken.

In Budo,
Mike Jones

GIESECK · Post by **GIESECK** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:26 am

Hey Dana! Been awhile. I hope all is well. According to what I have here I believe there are at least 4 dojo in the US recognized by the Konan-Ryu organization here in Okinawa. One in Nebraska, Minnesota, Michigan, and Kansas. I have an address and sensei name for each if you would like I will PM them to you. If my wife was here, she is in Tokyo, I could give you some more info, but my limited japanese reading ability would leave to much to the imagination! I used to live next to Kinjo sensei's dojo in Naha and spoke to him on occasion, but have only seen him once in the last 7 years since I moved out of Naha. He uses the original Uechi-Ryu kata, but most of them spend more time on Kobudo which is what he is more known for here. I dont know if they added any additional kata. He is always in a black gi which is distinctive of kobudo here.

Seiki Itokazu and Konan Ryu

Konan-ryu

Mary Boltz, etc.

Koburyu Kobukai