Shitō-Ryū Kata:  Matsukaze (松風)

 

Matsukaze (松風) is considered to be a Mabuni-kei kata, but it is based upon Tomari-te principles.  In that sense, it is the first Tomari-te kata introduced to students of Shimabukuro-Ha Shitō-Ryū.  Most karate historians believe that Matsukaze was derived from a Tomari-te kata called Wankan, and it bears a striking similarity to the kata Wankan that is practiced in Matsubayashi Shōrin-Ryū, which is the modern style most strongly influenced by Tomari-te.  Sometime around 1940 Mabuni Kenwa renamed the kata as Matsukaze, presumably because he had modified several of the movements in Wankan and no longer considered it the same kata.  The name, Matsukaze, means "Pine Wind" or "Wind in the Pines".  The video presented below was filmed at the Jikishin-Kai hombu dōjō in San Diego, featuring Shimabukuro Masayuki Hanshi.

Matsukaze Description

After bowing and announcing the name of the kata ("Matsukaze") ...

Yōi (cross open hands at groin level in musubi dachi) and kiyomeri kokyū (purification breaths)
(There is no kamaete in Matsukaze.  The first movement is executed from yōi)

  1 Turn 90 degrees right into migi neko-ashi dachi with shutō uke
  2 Turn 180 degrees left into hidari neko-ashi dachi with shutō uke
  3 Slide left foot forward into hidari zenkutsu dachi with morote jōdan kaishū oyayubi-zuki, followed by morote hikite
  4 Turn 90 right into shikō dachi then migi chūdan seiken tsuki, immediately followed by hidari chūdan seiken tsuki
  5 Step forward into migi zenkutsu dachi with chūdan kōsa uke, followed immediately with kōsa hikite then morote yoko kentsui uchi
  6 Turn 90 degrees left into hidari neko-ashi dachi with hidari shutō uke
  7 Step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi with migi shutō uke
  8 Step forward into hidari neko-ashi dachi, with hidari shutō uke
  9 Raise right foot into hidari sagi-ashi dachi while performing migi soete ura-shutō uke, then migi kakete
  10 Slowly tilt right, then step sideways into migi heikō dachi with hidari yoko kentsui uchi, followed immediately by shifting left into nami heikō dachi with soete migi seiken tuski, immediately shifting back into migi heikō dachi with hidari jodan haishu uke (beside left ear), then immediately back again into nami heiko dachi with awase hidari sukashi uke-migi chūdan seiken tsuki
  11 Pivot 180 degrees left on right foot into hidari zenkutsu dachi with gedan barai, then gyakuzuki
  12 Step forward into migi neko-ashi dachi, with migi shutō uke
  13 Step forward into hidari neko-ashi dachi, with hidari shutō uke
  14 Raise right foot into hidari sagi-ashi dachi while performing migi soete ura-shutō uke, then migi kakete
  15 Slowly tilt right, then step sideways into migi heikō dachi with hidari yoko kentsui uchi, followed immediately by shifting left into nami heikō dachi with soete migi seiken tuski, immediately shifting back into migi heikō dachi with hidari jodan haishu uke (beside left ear), then immediately back again into nami heiko dachi with awase hidari sukashi uke-migi chūdan seiken tsuki
  16 Pivot 90 degrees left on right foot into hidari zenkutsu dachi with gedan barai
  17 Step forward into migi zenkutsu dachi with oizuki and kiai
  18 Pivoting on left foot, turn 180 degrees to right into migi zenkutsu dachi with gedan barai-gyaku zuki 
  19 Left foot choku geri chūdan, landing forward in hidari zenkutsu dachi with gyakuzuki
  20 Right foot choku geri chūdan, landing forward in migi zenkutsu dachi with gyakuzuki
  21 Left foot choku geri chūdan, landing forward in hidari zenkutsu dachi with gyakuzuki
  22 Pivot on right foot 180 degrees right into shikō dachi with migi yoko gedan barai
  23 Draw right foot inward into heikō dachi with migi sukui dome

Zanshin yame
Naotte
Rei

Key Training Aspects of Matsukaze

 
The Key

Matsukaze is typically taught to students of Shimabukuro-Ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō in prepartion for advancement to gokyū, since it is perceived to be an intermediate-to-advanced kata.  Matsukaze does present students with some new or unfamiliar footwork they may find challenging, including sagi-ashi dachi (crane-foot stance), turns that are neither Shuri-te nor Naha-te method, and rapid hand-strike combinations that are coupled with shifting footwork.

The first challenge occurs in Step #9, in which the karate-ka must stand in sagi-ashi dachi while performing the transition from ura uke to kakate (slowly), then continue balancing in this position while gradually tilting to the right side before stepping sideways into migi heikō dachi.  The key is to maintain good posture and avoid wobbling while balancing on one leg.  The next challenging technique immediately follows:  making a series of lightning-fast block-strike combinations while shifting quickly between nami heikō dachi and migi heikō dachi with each movement.   The turns in Step #22 follows neither typical Shuri-te nor Naha-te methodology.


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.  Think of it this way:  it takes about 60 seconds to perform Matsukaze.  So in just ten minutes per day for only ten days (or twenty minutes a day for just five days), you can learn the correct sequences of movements in this kata.   But 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 Matsukaze, 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.