Neko Buto Shodan

[kosho]

Hi,
Just seeing what any of you think of this kata...O'Sensei Mitose
passed this form on to Robert Trias Sensei. The form was developed by Mitose Sensei with quick movements like a cat. Mitose Sensei named the kata after the late Gogen Yamaguchi, founder of Japanese Goju Ryu.
If you have or know of this kata I would love to share and chat about it.
steve

 

[BlackCatBonz]

All 3 kata in this set are great. It really uses a variety of movement and ideas.

 

[marlon]

is there anywhere we can see this form or could you describe it and what it teaches?

Respectfully,
marlon

 

[Kosho Gakkusei]

I would love to hear some suggestions for the Bunkai of the opening moves of this Kata. There must be some significance of these movements to Kosho as they start all off the Neko Buto and the Ennogyo series.

_Don Flatt

 

[kosho]

Hi,
Yes I will write out the kata sometime this weekend. at work now so can not at this time...I also like all three of the katas in the Neko Buto set.
Hanshi Juchnik is big on knowing katas and he has about 360 plus to memory. His Histroy of arts is just mind blowing...I have around 52 katas myself at this time.... and I teach around 21 to Black belt.
steve

 

[Benjp]

I would love to hear some suggestions for the Bunkai of the opening moves of this Kata. There must be some significance of these movements to Kosho as they start all off the Neko Buto and the Ennogyo series.

I, too, love the Neko Buto katas. Nidan and Sandan are among my all time favorite katas.

My sensei showed us a cool multi attacker bunkai for the opening. My sensei is very big on bunkai of the subtleties of kata (i.e., before stepping into the kiba dachi, there's a weight transfer that can be used as an avoidance).

So essentially, the first attacker is avoided by the weight transfer. The first grab rip and kick combination effectively positions this opponent to effectively block or trip the second opponent. The second grab/rip disables the second opponent.

This bunkai was shown to me when learning ennogyo.

Uncle Larry Kraxberger taught me the importance of a good chamber when I was learning Neko Buto Nidan when he showed me a bunkai that made it a devastating throw.

Regards,

Ben

 

[Kosho Gakkusei]

Ben,

Sounds cool. I'm trying to picture it but I can't yet. Well the weight transfer makes sense, but all Kata involves a weight transfer at the start--would this apply to all Katas, ie. how is the transfer before the kiba in neko buto and ennogyo different? I'm also not sure how the grab-rip-kick combo works like you said. I know it's hard to write a bunkai but could you spell it out specifically? If they had a book "Bunkai for Dummies" I'd buy it.

_Don Flatt

Steve,

Hey! Were you the Steve that was at the Deishi at Sensei Evan's School?

 

[kosho]

Hi,
Yes I'm the same steve LOL, that was a great weekend. I have part #2 coming up with Hanshi in Jan 07. I will be adding some more stuff about this kata...And Sensei Larry K. ( spelling) I worked with him at the gathering for a few Hours...WOW he is just WOW... I'm also working on Getting Sensei Pat Kelly to come out to my Dojo in March, of 07 also for a weekend of training.. will post that when i have set dates and times...

 

[BlackCatBonz]

I would love to hear some suggestions for the Bunkai of the opening moves of this Kata. There must be some significance of these movements to Kosho as they start all off the Neko Buto and the Ennogyo series.

_Don Flatt

The movement at the beginning of the kata is kind of like a salutation or signature move.

 

[Benjp]

Sounds cool. I'm trying to picture it but I can't yet. Well the weight transfer makes sense, but all Kata involves a weight transfer at the start--would this apply to all Katas, ie. how is the transfer before the kiba in neko buto and ennogyo different? I'm also not sure how the grab-rip-kick combo works like you said. I know it's hard to write a bunkai but could you spell it out specifically? If they had a book "Bunkai for Dummies" I'd buy it.

Hi Don,

Yes, it does apply to all katas--good intuition. The transfer is the same in both en no gyo and neko buto (however, my level of experience was different when learning each: orange belt when learning n.b. and brown belt when learning ennogyo). It's difficult for non-experienced kosho practitioners to see that particular bunkai. In fact he (my instructor is Sensei Troy Soles) first showed us a similar bunkai with the opening of juni ippo.

Sorry for the confusion.. The grab would be the part when the hands go above the head, the rip would be the settling of weight into the kiba while bringing the hands to the sides. The kick is the shift to direction 3 and the front kick to 3. Then there's another "grab, rip".

I agree about the "Bunkai for Dummies" book. Unfortunately, the "Bunkai for Kosho Dummies" book would be very confusing.

From the FAQ:
Is this a block or a strike? "yes"
Is this a front stance or a cat stance? "yes"



One reason Kosho bunkai is difficult to quantify is because a block is a strike is a parry is a kick is an avoidance is a setup is a manipulation.

Ben

 

[BlackCatBonz]

Ben,

Sounds cool. I'm trying to picture it but I can't yet. Well the weight transfer makes sense, but all Kata involves a weight transfer at the start--would this apply to all Katas, ie. how is the transfer before the kiba in neko buto and ennogyo different? I'm also not sure how the grab-rip-kick combo works like you said. I know it's hard to write a bunkai but could you spell it out specifically? If they had a book "Bunkai for Dummies" I'd buy it.

_Don Flatt

Steve,

Hey! Were you the Steve that was at the Deishi at Sensei Evan's School?

You would think that that statement is true, But the way Hanshi showed me junni-ippo, the first move had no weight transfer, but was more of a leg setup for movement.
This kind of movement can be used with a lot of kata.

 

[kosho]

What I love about kosho ryu kempo and this kata is that it changes as you need it to. You have escaping arts, controlling arts, and war arts. all in the same movments with this kata and all katas. I like the fast cat movments and the shifting of the lower body with the movments of your blocks or strikes depending on the attackers balance or in-balance...
steve

 

[Kosho Gakkusei]

Since I last posted on this forum - I've learned a little more about this Kata. Great Kata for escaping manuevers!! The lights started going on when I saw a video where Hanshi said the name of the Kata is a description of the mindset of the Kata. I was confused because I didn't think the movements looked cat like but if you approach it with mindset of a cat it makes sense. I still am not picturing the bunkai Ben described yet, maybe one day someone will show it to me.

_Don Flatt

 

[Kosho Gakkusei]

Just thought I'd copy a post where I put a video of the Kata because we were discussing it.

Let me try this.

[yt]0Sx9GCbMkY4[/yt]

_Don Flatt