風手 (FUSHU) also known as 風の手 (Kaze no te)

秋 (Aki) - Fall/Autumn has truly arrived here in beautiful Oita City, Japan; furthermore, in the early hours of tomorrow morning, it will bring the so-called 'super typhoon' labelled 'Hinnamnor'.

Typhoon ''Hinnamnor' approaching Japan.

So far wind gusts have been recorded up to 185 mph (297 kilometers per hour). So, no, I won't be doing any 'rooftop Kiba-dachi' challenges this time.

In light of the incoming typhoon. I thought I'd briefly mention our kata  風手 (FUSHU), also known as 風の手 (Kaze no te). This kata is largely based on the winds of a typhoon. It is important to note that Asai Sensei's Hushu is probably only known within our group. With all due respect, the other version of this kata has no relationship, whatsoever, to Hushu/Kaze no te. Rather, it was completely created by the late Kato Sadashige Sensei.

Today I will quote Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei about Hushu verbatim here, then do my best to translate his words into English:   各方面から起こる自然界の風力及び嵐の荒れ狂う風圧を想意して体術に取り入れた風心術

"Fushin jutsu - which is put into the physical techniques imagined from the strong and crazy wind pressures of a storm/the wind power of nature, which occurs from every direction".

This kata was Asai Sensei's favorite in the series of the five 'Natural Energy kata'; namely, Unsu, Kashu, Suishu, Roshu and Hushu. Needless to say, the core components of these five kata are relaxation, softness, speed, snap and, again, moving naturally. Note, "...five kata with five mutually shared points".

For those of you here in Oita and Kyushu, please stay safe.

OSU, André

Hushu features the same jump as Unsu, which resembles the motion of a typhoon.

  © André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2022).