NAME:
Bushido-kai Kata Comparison Series
Analysis and Applications
Empi/Wanshu
Matsukaze/Wankan
Seminar support materials
from Shihan Tony Annesi, Takeshin Sogo Budo
Teiji KAZE (France) performs Shotokan Empi.
BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS
c/o 300 Eliot St. #369
Ashland, Mass. [01721]
usA
(508) 881-4007
Empi / Wanshu
Additional Information compiled by Shihan Tony Annesi & Toby Reed
History & Name
• Potentially one of the oldest kata in karate (however, estimated dates vary between 17th Century and very early 19th century).
• The common belief is that Wanshu kata developed in Tomari especially by Masters SENAEDA
and MATSUMORA and, later, a Shuri-te version developed from Masters Sokon MATSUMURA
and Ankoh ITOSU; but there is enough conflicting evidence to suggest that both Tomari and Shuri
had a verison of the kata at the same time or that Shuri did not have it at all. Another lineage
states that Chotoku KYAN learned Wanshu from MAEDA and passed it on to NAGAMINE. This
also suggests a Tomari-te lineage.
• The ideographs for EMPI (also pronounced as Enpi) means a “Flying Swallow” to remind us of
the common features of many “bird” kata: up and down, in and out motion. Its original name was
WANSHU (some pronounce it Hanshu) but the ideographs for this pronunciation are completely
undecided and therefore the word has no definite meaning beyond that of a name. Ryusho
SAKAGAMI in his Karate-do Kata Taikan uses the ideographs which mean “Arm Excellence” but
this is probably fitting a meaning to the sound rather than being historically accurate.
• Shoshin NAGAMINE uses a specific set of characters for WANSHU but those characters, which
translate roughly into “Oar in the Water”, are not the characters used by the emissary WANSHU
and thus are a modern inaccuracy. This is complicated by the fact that WANSHU (the name) is
commonly considered the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese WANG Ji. But WANG Ji would
be transliterated into Oushu, not Wanshu. But perhaps Wan is the Okinawan pronunciation of the
Japanese Ou. If this is so, who then was Wang Ji?
• WANG Ji was a Supposhi (embassary) who arrived in Okinawa in 1683 (according to Ryusho
SAKAGAMI) and stayed for only six months. Was this enough time to teach Okinawans and have
a kata named after him?
General
• EMPI shows up/down as well as in/out motions while WANSHU tends to show only the in/
out motions
• The embusens of EMPI and each WANSHU variation are different, but one can see a similarity
in the general L-shape
• Isshin and some Shito schools refer to this kata as “The Dumping Form” perhaps because of the
kata guruma (shoulder wheel) throw illustrated near the end of the kata.
• Wankan (Matsukaze), Wanshu (Empi) and Wandoh (Wanduan) may be related kata, all from
Tomari-te.
Other Versions
• Isshin-ryu (Kyan to Tatsuo Shimabuko); Matsubayashi-ryu (Maeda to Nagamine); Itosu-kai
Shito-ryu (Mabuni? to Sakagami); Seibukan Shorin-ryu (Kyan to Zenryo Shimabuko); Okinawan
Kenpo (Toma to Odo); Kyan to Okuhira Bunei; Shorei-ryu; Gohakukai Tomari-di (Seiyu to Iken: 2
versions Dai and Sho)
NOTE: “2 versions” may give a hint as to the variation in main versions above
References:
• Alexander, George W., Okinawa, Island of Karate , Yamazato Publications,1991
• KANAZAWA, Hirokazu, Shotokan Karate International Kata (Vol. 1), 1981
• Kim, Richard, “KATA”, Dojo Magazine, vol. 1, no. 1, Fall 1992
• NAKAYAMA, Masatoshi, Best Karate (Vol. 7), Kodansha International, 1981
• Morris, Vince & Aiden Trimble, Karate Kata and Applications, Vol 2, Stanley Paul Pub., 1990
• Reed, Tobey, Wanshu no Kata (a report, 9/00)
• Reed, Tobey, Wansu (personal handout to students)
• SAKAGAMI, Ryusho, Karate-do Kata Taikan, Japan Publications, 1978.
BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS, c/o 300 Eliot St., Ashland, Mass. [01721] 508 881-4007
The following illustrated outline of the kata comes from KARATE-DO NO SHOSAI
(The Details of Karate-do) Volume 4: Nidan by Tony Annesi
(Available through BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA, this manual includes 9 other forms, suggested bunkai,
as well as Takeshin Nidan sparring and kicking requirements.)
Because the WANSHU varaitions taught at this seminar are not on the
rank requirement list in Takeshin Karate-do, we have not provided illustrations
for thaose forms. Refer to the seminar videotape for the sequences of those forms.
Matsukaze l Wankan
(Pine Wind)
(King’s Crown)
Additional Information compiled by Shihan Tony Annesi
• There are two distinct kata bearing the name Wankan (“King’s Crown”): the first is the Shitoryu form also known as Matsukaze (literally “Pine Wind” or figuratively “Wind through the
Pines”); the second is the Shotokan form Wankan (“King’s Crown”) which, at first glance, bears
no resemblance to the Matsukaze form
History & Name
• Matsukaze is said to descend from tomari village through Matsumora and is preserved in
Shito-ryu, Matsubayashi Shorin and other styles
• Shotokan’s Wankan, although seemingly different, is said to descend from Tomari-te and thus
is probably a variation or a derivation of Matsukaze
• SAKAGAMI uses ideographs for Wankan which translate into “Arm Piercing” or “Piercing
Arm” but this is probably a fanciful name based on the sound of the word
• Funakoshi changed the name of Wankan to both Shiofu (“Tide” or “Appearance”) and Hito
(“Man”, “Mankind”, or “Messenger”) but the old name prevailed
• Although Pine Wind and Tide suggest the back and forth wave of the signature movement in
Matsukaze, I have been unable to discern why the term “King’s Crown” is relevant to either
kata
General
• Wankan (Matsukaze), Wanshu (Empi) and Wandoh (Wanduan) may be related kata, all from
Tomari-te
• Both Matsukaze and Wankan are based on the L- or modified T-shape but the direction of the
L or T differs from one kata to the other
• Shito’s Matsukaze is considered a basic or intermediate kata while Shotokan’s Wankan is
usually listed as an advanced kata despite the fact that it is the shortest form in the Shotokan
syllabus
References:
• Alexander, George W., Okinawa, Island of Karate , Yamazato Publications, 1991
• KANAZAWA, Hirokazu, Shotokan Karate International Kata (Vol. 2), 1981
• Kim, Richard, “KATA”, Dojo Magazine, vol. 1, no. 1, Fall 1992
• NAGAMINE, Shoshin, The Essence of Okinawan Karate-do, Tuttle, 1976
• NAKAYAMA, Masatoshi, Best Karate (Vol. 7), Kodansha International, 1981
• Morris, Vince & Aiden Trimble, Karate Kata and Applications, Vol. 4, Stanley Paul Pub., 1990
• SAKAGAMI, Ryusho, Karate-do Kata Taikan, Japan Publications, 1978.
BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS, c/o 300 Eliot St., Ashland, Mass. [01721] 508 881-4007
The following illustrated outline of the kata comes from KARATE-DO NO SHOSAI
(The Details of Karate-do) Volume 4: Nidan by Tony Annesi
(Available through BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA, this manual includes 9 other forms, suggested
bunkai, as well as Takeshin Nidan sparring and kicking requirements.)
BUSHIDO-KAI SEMINARS,
c/o 300 Eliot St., Ashland, Mass. [01721]
508 881-4007
The preceding illustrated outline
of the kata comes from
KARATE-DO NO SHOSAI
(The Details of Karate-do)
Volume 4: Nidan by Tony Annesi
(Available through
BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA,
this manual includes 9 other
forms, suggested bunkai, as well as
Takeshin Nidan sparring and
kicking requirements.)
NOTE: The presentation of this
seminar on videocassette,
professionally edited in vinyl
library case is available from
BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA at the
above phone number.
Ryusho SAKAGAMI performs Itosu-kai Wanshu.