Shitō-Ryū Kata:  Bassai-Dai (抜砦大)

 

Bassai-Dai (抜砦大) is an Itosu-kei kata, meaning that it was either created or primarily passed down by Itosu Ankō.  It is generally believed to be among the oldest traditional kata, originating either with Matsumura Sōkon or Sakugawa Kanga.  Over the years there have been numerous suggestions for the correct kanji and meaning of the name, "Bassai."  The most widely accepted is 抜砦, which means "Capture [a] Fortress."  There are more variations of Bassai than any other kata—at least twenty—with Bassai-Dai ("Greater Bassai") being the most common and therefore the standard or basic version.  The video presented below was filmed at the Jikishin-Kai hombu dōjō in San Diego, with tournament champion David Bertrand performing the kata.

Bassai-Dai Description

After bowing and announcing the name of the kata ("Bassai-Dai") ...

Yōi (cross open hands at groin level in musubi dachi) and kiyomeri kokyū (purification breaths)
Kamaete is not performed in this kata.   

  1 Close feet into heisoku dachi whilst turning hands thumb-side forward with left hand covering the knuckles of the right fist
  2 Lunge as far forward as possible into migi kōsa dachi(1) with kote-sasae yoko uke
  3 Turn 180 degrees left into hidari zenkutsu dachi with hidari yoko uke, then draw left foot back into hidari han-zenkutsu dachi with migi uchi kentsui uke
  4 Turn 180 degrees right into migi zenkutsu dachi with hidari uchi kentsui uke, then draw right foot back into migi han-zenkutsu dachi with migi yoko uke
5 Step rearward with right foot, turning 90 degrees right into shiko dachi with migi sukui dome, drawing right foot inward into heikō dachi as the right arm rises to complete sukui dome
  6 Step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi uchi kentsui uke, then hidari yoko uke
  7 Slide the right foot left in line with the left foot and turn 90 degrees left into heikō dachi with migi kote mageri
  8 Shift 45 degrees right into migi han-zenkutsu dachi with hidari yoko kentsui uchi to jōdan
  9 Shift 45 degrees left into heikō dachi with migi chūdan junzuki, then immediately shift 45 degrees left into hidari han-zenkutsu dachi with migi nagashi uke
  10 Shift 45 degrees right into heikō dachi with hidari chūdan junzuki, then immediately shift 45 degrees right into migi han-zenkutsu dachi with hidari nagashi uke
  11 Step 45 degrees left into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi gedan shutō barai uke
  12 Step forward into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari gedan shutō barai uke
  13 Step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi gedan shutō barai uke
  14 Step backward into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari kakete uke
  15 Hidari katate kakete uke, then slide the left foot forward into hidari han-zenkutsu dachi with migi chūdan shotei uchi
16 Maintaining hand positions from step #15 raise right knee and lunge forward with migi fumikomi geri with morote hikite(2) at left hip and kiai, finishing in migi han-zenkutsu dachi(3)
17 Turn 180 degrees left into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari shutō uke
  18 Step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi shutō uke
19 Draw right foot back into heisoku dachi with jōdan wa uke
  20 Lean forward in wa uke, then lunge forward into migi han-zenkutsu dachi with morote gedan uchi kentsui uchi(4), and immediately slide the right foot forward and turn the body 90 degrees left into shiko dachi with migi chūdan yoko zuki
  21 Draw the left foot inward into heisoku dachi with migi-te ue manji uke (manji nage), looking to the left
  22 Step 90 degrees to the left into shiko dachi with simultaneous migi-te yoko gedan barai and hidari-te kagi zuki, then immediately pivot 180 degrees left and draw the left foot back into hidari han-zenkutsu dachi with hidari soto kentsui uchi to chūdan
  23 Open and turn the left hand into nukite position, migi-ashi mikazuki geri against the left palm, landing forward in migi han-zenkutsu dachi with migi chudan hiji ate against the left palm, immediately followed with hiji-sasae migi gedan barai, hiji-sasae hidari gedan barai, and hiji-sasae migi gedan barai in quick succession, then morote hikite at left side and hidari-te ue morote zuki
  24 Draw right foot back into heisoku dachi with morote hikite at right side, then step forward into hidari han-zenkutsu dachi with migi-te ue morote zuki
  25 Draw keft foot back into heisoku dachi with morote hikite at left side, then step forward into migi han-zenkutsu dachi with hidari-te ue morote zuki
  26 Pivoting on the right foot, turn 270 degrees left into hidari zenkutsu dachi with migi-te sukui-otoshi uke to right side
27 Pivoting on both feet, turn 180 degrees right into migi zenkutsu dachi with hidari-te sukui-otoshi uke to left side
  28 Draw right foot inward and slightly back to face 45 degrees left in migi neko-ashi dachi with migi kakete uke(5)
  29 Slide right foot rearward with migi gedan shutō barai (both hands palm down), then pivot on both feet 90 degrees left into  hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari kakete uke(5)
  30 Pivoting on the right foot 45 degrees right, draw left foot back into heisoku dachi whilst turning hands thumb-side forward with left hand covering the knuckles of the right fist

Zanshin yame is not performed in Bassai-Dai
Naotte
Rei

Key Training Aspects of Bassai-Dai

 
The Key

Bassai-Dai is typically taught to students of Shimabukuro-Ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō in prepartion for advancement to nikyū, since it is considered to be an intermediate-to-advanced kata.  Bassai-Dai is a core kata in which every karate-ka aspiring to reach Black Belt must become proficient.  It contains numerous techniques for which the ōyō (practical applications) are not readily apparent, and therefore bunkai (detailed analysis) must be performed in depth.

Note(1):  In movement #2 kōsa dachi should be structured with the left knee tucked into the back (the hollow) of the right knee; not with the knees apart as depicted in the video. 

Note(2):  The morote hikite performed in movement #16 is not done in the usual (kote mageri) way.  The fists should instead be aligned with each other as if gripping a pole or a rope with their thumbs facing each other. 

Note(3):  Also in movement #16, the finishing position in which the morote hikite is performed should be migi han-zenkutsu dachi rather than heikō dachi as shown in the video.  This was an adjustment Shimabukuro Hanshi incorporated soon after the videos were filmed as a result of his training with Mabuni Kenzō Sōke. 

Note(4):  In movement #20, the morote gedan uchi kentsui uchi is not actually a kentsui uchi strike.  It is instead the follow-up to the wa uke in step #19 in which the opponent's arms are swung outward, slightly rearward, and powerfully down to his/her sides in a semi-circular motion to expose the torso for the yoko zuki in shiko dachi that immediately follows, so it should be performed with that feeling. 

Note(5):  The kakete uke in movements #28 and #29 are not the usual kakete uke.  The movements begin as usual, with the rear hand circling forward to arm's length followed by the leading hand, but instead of finishing with the fingers of rear hand pointing upward, both hands finish on the same plane, palms down, with the "V" between their thumbs and forefingers aligned with the opponent's seichūsen.

 


Additional Information

MakimonoAs with each new kata, it is important to remind oneself of the adage: "Manabu no tame ni hyakkkai, jukuren no tame ni senkai, satori no tame ni manga okonau" (学ぶのために百回、熟練のために千回、悟りのために万回行う.).  A hundred times to learn, a thousand times for proficiency, ten thousand repetitions for complete understanding.   A related Okinawan saying is "ichi kata san nen" (一型三年):  one kata three years.  To become truly proficient-to be able to perform it correctly, and with the speed, power, timing, and bushi damashii (samurai spirit) necessary to make its techniques effective in a real self-defence situation will take a thousand repetitions, which equates to 100 days at ten repetitions a day.   And to fully understand and apply all of its principles, nuances, and variations will take 1,000 days (three years) at ten repetitions per day.

When performing bunkai (分解) and considering the ōyō (応用) of Jion, it will be necessary to apply one's accumulated knowledge and vivid imagination to visualise the potential uses for the techniques in the kata.  Consideration must be given to the possibility that some movements represent applications other than obvious blocks or strikes (gōhō), but may instead—or in addition—have jūhō applications.