I’ve written articles about the five 常行 (Joko)—pronounced じょうこう (Joukou)—before; however, by request I’ve been asked “…to clarify if they are 古典型 (Koten-gata) or not. Furthermore, I’d like to expand on why they exist which, is ultimately, their purpose, as defined by Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei.
So, let’s begin…
Firstly, it must be highlighted that both 順路 (Junro) and 常行 (Joko) are NOT Koten-gata! They were totally designed/formulated by Asai Sensei.
With this in mind, it is obvious to explain their purpose. In Asai Sensei’s words “…the Joko kata are, in fact, “a higher level of Junro”. The purpose of all of these formal exercises is simple: “to boost one’s Kihon”.
It is here that one could say the five Heian are more than enough to achieve this; nevertheless, the five Junro and Joko supercharge this process.
Ask any karate master, and they will tell you ‘the level of one’s karate skill is absolutely and undeniably determined by kihon'. This point is the only difference between, 'good, great, excellent and legend'. Accordingly, this gives the Junro and Joko kata their immense value.
That being said, these kata, especially Joko are not for the lighthearted—and not for everyone—especially due to their brutal focus on core kihon and their respective lengths.
Please allow me to expand on this. The five Joko are in fact the equivalent of the ‘Hanon piano exercises’, first published in 1873, in Charles Louise Hanon’s classic textbook ‘The Virtuoso Pianist’. If you are not sure what I am saying here, please do quick search. These exercises are nasty but do so much: skill wise. My wife is a pianist, and these exercises perfectly describe Joko. They are not beautiful songs, but pure training for skill development. Not for exhibition, but to make you good... REALLY GOOD. But don't forget, this done properly is painful!
To be blunt, for most, there is little joy in practicing Joko. They are very hard work. But, for very serious Karateka, they really bolster their kihon skills. This is no easy challenge and probably not appropriate for most. For professionals, definitely. In fact, the professionals not doing Joko now are hugely disadvantaged. Asai Sensei said this and taught these kata at the end of his life 'at the expense of art', which demonstrates their importance for elite karateka and professional instructors.
The transitions in the five Joko kata are particularly difficult ‘forcing smoothness’. In sum, and please excuse the seeming pun here, these transitions cannot be 'forced'. Rather, one must utilize relaxed power and achieve kime with each waza naturally. I've seen videos where youthful physicality is OK but kime and basic form is poor. This form of Joko is actually negative for one's karate. The reality is that, for the most part, the Joko Kata have been mostly overlooked, as just another routine.
The fact is, with regular and/or intermittent practice of Joko, everything else seems easy, from the various forms of kumite to the advanced Shotokan-Ryu kata. Again, this is simply because ‘the basics’ determine your skill level. Accordingly, if basic tachikata, unsoku and waza are even slightly compromised, Joko becomes pointless (and to be completely honest, literally counterproductive).
To conclude, Asai Sensei was adamant that everyone must do 順路初段 (Junro Shodan) and initially pushed the other four Junro for gradings and in the elimination rounds at competitions. Insofar as gradings are concerned, he later back-peddled this idea.
Here it is important to note that he only encouraged Joko practice for those seeking an acute level of skill in their kihon. Consequently, these kata are not compulsory practice; instead, their training is depending on each individual’s personal aims.
IKS instructors have noticed our versions have several differences from other groups. In particular our use of Fudo-dachi. This was Asai Sensei's higher forms of the Joko Kata for his personal students, and we retain this.
Finally, let’s examine the kanji for Junro and Joko and their respective numbering.
順路 (JUNRO)
順 Orderly / Obedience
露 Path / Road
This name is extremely common in Japan. For example, when visiting say a castle or park the kanji ‘junro’ directs which way you should walk.
常行 (JOKO)
常 Always
行 Practice / Do
The name ‘Joko’ actually comes from Buddhism, which means “Practicing all the time without neglect”. This directly implies ‘not to be lazy and to always train’.
As already stated, I need to also mention the numbering of Junro and Joko. Junro is simply 初段 (beginners' level) to 五段 (fifth level). Whereas the five Joko are labeled 一勢 (first momentum/energy) to 五勢 (fifth momentum/energy) which, at least to me, implies ‘physics'.
押忍！
アンドレ
©︎ André Bertel. Oita City, Japan (2025).
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