Bunkai
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Bunkai is a Japanese term used in Karate. It refers to the applications or interpretation of the moves in a kata or other technique which may be practiced without an uke. Bunkai can be obvious or elusive depending on the technique in question, the moves preceding and following it, and the individual karateka, the practitioner of Karate. There are stages of depth of comprehension of bunkai only reached through the passage of time, the rewards of which are incalculable.
Bunkai is performed with training partners surrounding a karateka to simulate attackers. This allows the karateka in the middle to understand what the movements in kata are meant to accomplish. It may also illustrate how to improve technique by adjusting distances, time moves properly, and adapt a technique depending on the size of an opponent. Some kata have another layer of application that is taught using an Oyo Bunkai. Different practitioners will learn or discover alternative applications, but the bunkai, like the kata varies based on the style and the teacher.
The terms toridai and himitsu are used to refer to techniques not readily seen to the casual observer and hidden techniques within kata. In Goju Ryu Karate two man kata training is used to reinforce bunkai and correct technique. If techniques in the kata are not performed correctly they will not be effective in two man training.
[edit] References
- Roland Habersetzer, Shotokan Kata, Éditions Amphora, October 1990, Paris, France. (ISBN 2-85180-210-0)
- Elmar T. Schmeisser, Bunkai: Secrets of Karate Kata - The Tekki Series, 2001, Tamashii Press.
- Iain Abernethy, Bunkai-Jutsu - The Practical Application of Karate Kata Iain's website
