Bunkai

Bunkai is the application and/or interpretation of the kata (form). It is a place where students and instructors can apply their knowledge and imagination to the art. It is also a place where one’s creativity is allowed to expand, and one can really learn what the form is trying to teach.

Within the Uechi-ryu system, there are two formalized bunkai, meaning that they were created and added to the system in Okinawa. These bunkai are for the kata Kanshiwa and Seisan. In the Shohei branch, they have added a bunkai to Sanseiryu to their curriculum. Along with these "official" bunkai, many dojo have created their own and use them to evaluate their own students.

There are different methods of performing bunkai depending upon what the instructor wants to emphasize. The bunkai within the Uechi curriculum is practiced very formally. This means that, it is the form that is emphasized, not the actually attacks. The person’s job performing the bunkai (tori) should be to show off the form to his/her sensei, or to the audience, not to get into a prearranged fight. The person helping (uki) should move only when designed and not distract the audience from the person doing the bunkai.

The format to doing the bunkai is to show - demonstrate - and show again. In other words, the tori shows the move to the audience, then demonstrates the move with his/her partner, and then shows it to the audience again.

Kanshiwa Bunkai

Kanshiwa Bunkai Front

Kanshiwa Bunkai Down