Training at the 沖縄空手会館 (Okinawa Karate Kaikan): PART ONE - Report

This week I’ve been back in Okinawa training.

While Shotokan is ‘mainland Japanese karate’ our IKS style is deeply respected due to our old-school approach: both technically and in attitude/spirit.

Here’s a brief outline from my days training at the Okinawa Karate Kaikan.

基本 (Kihon)

In Okinawa karate tradition this sessions “Kihon” centered around 補助運動 (Hojo-undo). While I regularly use the sandbag, makiwara and weights in my daily practice, the training here always includes some ‘old school’ tools.


① 巻藁 (Makiwara)
Impacts with Seiken and Shuto.


② サンドバッグ (Sand-bag)
Renzokuwaza.


③ 握り甕 (Nigiri-game)
Unsoku with both Sanchin-dachi and Fudo-dachi.


④ 鎚石 (Chi-ishi)
Exercises in both Kiba-dachi and Shiko-dachi.

⑤ 石差し (Ishi-sashi)
Exercises in both Kiba-dachi and Naifanchi-dachi.


型 (Kata)

平安初段 (Heian Shodan).

鉄騎二段 (Tekki Nidan).

半月 (Hangetsu).

征遠鎮 (Seienchin).

舞鶴小 (Maizuru Sho).
In sum the training was focused on strength and conditioning for impact power; furthermore, the 力の強弱 (Chikara no kyojaku) — the ‘use of power’— via the utilization of solo kata practice.


While kumite was not directly addressed today, the aspects covered are clearly related to actual self-defense, which is the technical essence of 伝統的な空手道 (Traditional Karate-Dō).

The IKS (International Karate-Dō Shōtōkan) is moving forward here in Japan and aroun

d the world. I am sure that Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei would greatly approve of our technical standards and efforts.

André

© André Bertel. Japan (2026).