Similarity between Shuri-te and Naha-te

首里手と那覇手は，敵との間合い，呼吸や身体の締めに関する態度，技における身体の操作方法などに違いがあるとされる。このため，両者を習うことはできないと考える人もいる。しかし，戦いの際には，敵の位置や動きに応じて，様々な間合いに対応する必要がある。間合いが遠いから近いからといって，敵は待ってくれない。あらゆる間合いの攻撃に対応する技を身につけるべきである。そもそも敵と相対するにあたって，実際は手や足の接触する範囲での一瞬の攻防になる。であるならば，首里手と那覇手の「間合い」の違いはわずかな差であり，併伝できないような差ではない。また，空手的身体操作の根幹は，呼吸と身体の締めであることは首里手だろうと那覇手だろうと同じであるから，最初から意識的に稽古するに越したことはない。細かいところでは身体の操作技法は違うかもしれないが，どちらも沖縄で発達した戦闘技術として，根本的な技法には共通するものがあるだろう。そのように仮定すれば，端から技の方法や理合が違うと断定して首里手と那覇手を区別するのではなく，両者に共通の理合を追求し，技術的な融合を図ることで，手として昇華されるはずである。沖縄の空手家である摩文仁賢和先生が興し今に至る糸東流の独自な存在意義と責務は，ここにある。

It is said that there are differences between shuri-te and naha-te in the distance from enemies, the attitudes toward breathing and tension of the body, the body manipulation techniques, and so on. Hence, some karateka think that it is impossible to learn both shuri-te and naha-te. But, on fighting, it is necessary to cope with various distances of enemies according to their position and move. Enemies do not wait for us who think and say that the distance between they and ourselves is broad or narrow. We should learn techniques to cope with their offences which are given to us at any distance. Precisely, on facing with enemies, the actual offence and defense is taken in a moment within the range that we can reach and touch them by hands and feet. If so, the difference in distance between shuri-te and naha-te is slight, not the one which is impossible to be learned together. Besides, the bases of body manipulation are breathing and tension of the body similarly for shuri-te and naha-te, and it is better to practice them consciously from the beginning. Though both of them may be different in minor parts of body techniques from each other, there may be major core techniques common to both as fighting arts developed in Okinawa. If we assumed that, shuri-te and naha-te should not be distinguished from each other by deciding at the beginning that each of them have different methods and theories respectively. Rather, both of them must be sublimated into te by pursuing the common theories of them and fusing their techniques together. Here is the original meaning and responsibility of the existence of Shito-ryu, which has been found and developed by Kenwa Mabuni sensei who was an Okinawan karateka.