Isshinryu Karate

Toko-Mini-Nokun Kata

"Bo of first importance", which probably means the first bo kata of importance. Named after Tokomine Kun, who created this kata. The bo, typically 6 feet long, originated with the tenbin, a stick held across the shoulder with baskets hanging from each side to carry water, food, and other supplies. When the need arose, the tenbin was used to strike or block attacks. Prior to Shimabuku's time, in all other forms of karate, the bo was strictly strictly handled from the left side; Shimabuku broke tradition and brought the right-hand side into play. This kata emphasizes basic strikes and blocks, as well as parries. The bo is used as an extension of the body; thus, a person must become one with the bo in order to have effective techniques.
 
  • Starting position: bo is grasped in right hand at bottom third, hand down, palm facing back. Rei.
  • LF steps out into naihanchi dache. Bo uncurls vertically; LH grasps at other 3rd. Bo turns in front of body to vertical: LH above RH, both thumbs pointed downwards. Block.
  • LF opens up to L. Bo pivots in the centre to do LL block.
  • LF steps back into seisan dache; another LL block.
  • Overhead strike: bo pivots about center. First, bo pivots in plane 45' in front of body; as RH clears RL, bo starts to turn in plane orthogonal to body. LH comes up to armpit; RH extended.
  • RF shifts to RF forward kumite dache. Jab.
  • Walk forward to kake dache: jab.
  • Walk forward to kumite dache: jab.
  • Get out; circular parry.
  • Look to right diagonal. Reverse bo: RH comes to L shoulder; LH goes straight out.
  • Pivot around LF to RF forward seisan dache on the diagonal. Cross-body sweep at shoulder level: LH to R armpit, RH extended.
  • Reverse bo: RH to R shoulder, LH extended.
  • Pivot 90' to left around RF to LF forward seisan dache on (original) left-front diagonal: cross-body sweep at shoulder level: LH to armpit, RH extended.
  • Look 45' to left (original left). Pivot about RF to LF forward seisan dache on new heading. Drop LH end of bo to bring bo vertical in front of body: RH above LH. Palms rotate on the bo to reverse orientation: both hands are now with thumbs-down. Block.
  • Overhead strike: RH to R armpit, LH extended.
  • Uppercut strike: LH to R shoulder, RH extended.
  • Overhead strike.
  • Cross-body strikes: first, LH to L shoulder with RH extended, then RH to R armpit and LH extended.
  • Pivot about RF to LF forward kumite dache. Jab.
  • Get out; circular parry.
  • Look over R shoulder to behind (original right). Keeping bo in place, palms rotate on bo to reverse orientation. Pivot about LF to RF forward seisan dache. Bo comes to vertical block: LH above RH.
  • Overhead strike, uppercut strike, overhead strike, cross-body strikes.
  • Pivot about LF to RF forward kumite dache: jab. Get out; circular parry.
  • Look to L (original front). Pivot about LF to RF forward kumite dache. RH thrust to groin; L elbow is wrapped over the bo.
  • RF moves back to LF into musabi dache; strike upwards into groin by LH going down, RH coming up (R shoulder is down, elbow is flexed). Kiai.
  • RF steps out into kumite dache: bo thrust.
  • Step forward into kake dache: thrust.
  • Step forward into kumite dcahe: thrust.
  • RF steps forward and then entire body turns to left to face behind: LF forward neko ashe dache. Bo is held just above R shoulder: RH at shoulder, LH extended.
  • RF lunges forward to RF-forward seisan dache lunge; R to L cross-body strike.
  • Pivot around RF 180' to another RF-forward seisan dache lunge. L side reverse and cross-body strike L to R.
  • LF moves up to normal RF-forward seisan dache. Vertical block, RH down.
  • Overhead strike, uppercut strike, overhead strike.
  • RF moves backward to LF-forward shika dache (body facing R). Bo comes to guard on R side: LH up, RH down to R thigh. RH reverses grip as it comes down.
  • LH slides to end; RH slides to meet it and bo comes overhead and forward at full arm extension. RF slides up to LF into musabi dache as hands come together. 360' counterclockwise swing.
  • RF steps out to zenkutsu dache. Hands shift to normal grip: LH down, RH up, into an uppercut (L side down, R side up).
  • RF shifts back to shika dache. LH comes to R armpit, RH sweeps down to RF: RF sweep/block.
  • LH stays as pivot point; RH sweeps large circle (down, left, up, right, back to RF).
  • Cross-body strike: RH goes to L shoulder (outside edge, not above) and LH fully extends. Return to original position.
  • In the vertical anterior plane, bo rolls with both hands switching orientation. As roll ends, RH goes to L armpit, LH goes down to LF sweep/block.
  • LH sweeps large circle (down, right, etc). Cross-body strike.
  • Look over L shoulder. Pivot around RF to LF-forward seisan dache. Bo completes cross-body strike from R to L.
  • Bo reverses in vertical LS plane. Pivot around LF to RF-forward seisan dache. Bo completes cross-body strike from L to R.
  • RH reverses handhold (both hands pointing down). Temple strike to L (opponent's R): RH comes down on R thigh.
  • R temple strike (LH to L thigh).
  • L temple strike (RH to R thigh).
  • R temple strike (LH to L thigh).
  • L temple strike (RH to R thigh). Kiai.
  • LF moves up to RF: musabi dache. End.