Very nice. What's interesting is that after Nakamura had passed away, the kata was renamed... Nakamura No Sai. Which leads me into thinking maybe it was a Nakamura creation from the beginning and not passed down from Kuniyoshi. Why would you change the name of a kobudo kata associated with a master of nobility? Then again, most of the kobudo we see are recent constructs. The empty handed kata are the ones with true traceable history and lineage.
I was in England for Odo's seminar in 2001. He called it Kuniyoshi no Sai at that time. I learned it from Bill Marron in the '70's. He knew it as Kuniyoshi no Sai. This "Nakamura no Sai" is a later naming that took place after Odo's death. Just like "Odo no Sai" appeared later.
@@ryukyu-kenpo I agree it's entirely possible and probably the case. It just gets me confused if Master Nakamura called it one thing.... shouldn't it stay the name if it truly came from Master Kunisi? I haven't seen any other rendition of this kata from any other Okinawan line other than Nakamura's. Maybe Nakamura developed this from his interaction with Kunishi in honor of him. And, in reality, it was Nakamura's construction all along. Another possible reason for the name change. I've been doing an independent personal project looking into the lineage and performance of Nakamura's kata compared to other styles and lineages that were common to ours for many years. It's been an interesting ride met with a lot of questions and head scratching. For example, Passai is supposedly from the Motobu line. But the Passai shown in Okinawa Kenpo and Ryukyu Kempo bears more of a resemblance in techniques and pattern to Oyadomari Passai from the Kyan Lineage than it does to the Motobu Lineage presentations that I have seen. Leading me to consider our version to be more of a Tomari Te origin. Considering the fact that Nakamura and Shimabukuru were very close and the Kyan version could have been passed to him with Nakamura making final modifications for his liking. Another example is that Nakamura's Seisan is considered Tomari Te. But it was an interesting find that the major masters of Tomari Te (Oyadomari, Matsumura and Iha) had no seisan in their kata taught. Also interesting that Kunishi and Sakayama are of Naha Te. Further intersting that Arakaki Seisho is considered the main instructor of both Seisan and Niseishi (perhaps even the creator) at that time. Ryuei Ryu is a Naha Te system and is the only system that seems to do Seisan in a similar technique and pattern to Nakamura's. Ryuei Ryu was influenced by Arakaki Seisho as well. Perhaps.... Nakamura's seisan is of Naha Te lineage and the Passai is of Tomari Te. From what I've accumulated to far.
@@RaulPerez1 I think it's renaming was done by their students, be they Okinawan or Americans. Tradition has weakened tremendously since they passed. The desire to see one's teachers memorialized is strong. By renaming kata it strengthens your connection to them and their tradition and history.
Very nice. What's interesting is that after Nakamura had passed away, the kata was renamed... Nakamura No Sai. Which leads me into thinking maybe it was a Nakamura creation from the beginning and not passed down from Kuniyoshi. Why would you change the name of a kobudo kata associated with a master of nobility? Then again, most of the kobudo we see are recent constructs. The empty handed kata are the ones with true traceable history and lineage.
I was in England for Odo's seminar in 2001. He called it Kuniyoshi no Sai at that time. I learned it from Bill Marron in the '70's. He knew it as Kuniyoshi no Sai. This "Nakamura no Sai" is a later naming that took place after Odo's death. Just like "Odo no Sai" appeared later.
@@ryukyu-kenpo I guess I’m wondering why rename it if it had historical ties to Kuniyoshi.
@@RaulPerez1 I'm thinking the reason was to honor (or perhaps perpetuate the name of) Master Nakamura. The same reasoning for Odo no Sai.
@@ryukyu-kenpo I agree it's entirely possible and probably the case. It just gets me confused if Master Nakamura called it one thing.... shouldn't it stay the name if it truly came from Master Kunisi? I haven't seen any other rendition of this kata from any other Okinawan line other than Nakamura's. Maybe Nakamura developed this from his interaction with Kunishi in honor of him. And, in reality, it was Nakamura's construction all along. Another possible reason for the name change. I've been doing an independent personal project looking into the lineage and performance of Nakamura's kata compared to other styles and lineages that were common to ours for many years. It's been an interesting ride met with a lot of questions and head scratching. For example, Passai is supposedly from the Motobu line. But the Passai shown in Okinawa Kenpo and Ryukyu Kempo bears more of a resemblance in techniques and pattern to Oyadomari Passai from the Kyan Lineage than it does to the Motobu Lineage presentations that I have seen. Leading me to consider our version to be more of a Tomari Te origin. Considering the fact that Nakamura and Shimabukuru were very close and the Kyan version could have been passed to him with Nakamura making final modifications for his liking. Another example is that Nakamura's Seisan is considered Tomari Te. But it was an interesting find that the major masters of Tomari Te (Oyadomari, Matsumura and Iha) had no seisan in their kata taught. Also interesting that Kunishi and Sakayama are of Naha Te. Further intersting that Arakaki Seisho is considered the main instructor of both Seisan and Niseishi (perhaps even the creator) at that time. Ryuei Ryu is a Naha Te system and is the only system that seems to do Seisan in a similar technique and pattern to Nakamura's. Ryuei Ryu was influenced by Arakaki Seisho as well. Perhaps.... Nakamura's seisan is of Naha Te lineage and the Passai is of Tomari Te. From what I've accumulated to far.
@@RaulPerez1 I think it's renaming was done by their students, be they Okinawan or Americans. Tradition has weakened tremendously since they passed. The desire to see one's teachers memorialized is strong. By renaming kata it strengthens your connection to them and their tradition and history.