「スポーツ空手」や「本土空手」の対義として，しばしば「武道空手」や「沖縄空手」と表現される。この際，後者を「古流（古伝）空手」という言い方をする場合もある。これは，明治以降に体系化され発展した現代武術に対して，古来より伝承されている諸武術群を「古武術」という言い方で括るやり方の援用かと思われる。古武術は一般的に，設定している場面・背景が，確かに古い（武士同士の戦闘場面の）ために，現代的ではないという意味で，「古武術」と言えるだろう。「手」が設定している場面・背景，すなわち，形が形成される上での場面や背景は，一部古いものはあるものの，しかし，「手」の場合は，徒手空拳の武術ゆえに，現代でもそのまま応用可能である。このように考えると，本来の「手」のことを「古流空手」と称するのはあまり適切とはいえない。
The expressions of "Budo karate" and "Okinawa karate" are often used as the antonyms of "Sport karate" and "Hondo karate." On this occasion, some people use the expression "koryu (
koden) karate" instead of the formers (koryu or koden means old-style). It is presumed that they may apply an idea to karate as well, which is the way of grouping various martial arts that has been passed down since the ancient times by the expression "kobujutsu or kobudo (old-style martial arts), " compared to modern martial arts organized and developed from Meiji era downward. We can say that generally old-style martial arts are allowed to be called "ko (old) bujutsu (martial arts)" in that they are not modern because the scenes or situations they assume they fight with enemies in are certainly old, for example, the fighting situations of samurai soldiers. Though some of the scenes "te (tiy)" assumes, or the ones katas had developed in, are as old as the ones "kobujutsu" assumes, the techniques of "te (tiy)" can be applied to modern situations because it is a marital art with no arms. In this way, it may not be all that proper to designate the original "te (tiy)" as "koryu (old-style) karate."
February 02, 2012
Karate and Te
本土普及時におけるスポーツ化によって，「空手」というと，どうしてもスポーツのイメージが強い。その意味でも，本来の沖縄伝統武道としての「手」（ときに「沖縄手」という人もいる），もしくは，個別的具体的に「首里手」「那覇手」と称するのが適しているかもしれない。また，近年，沖縄では，スポーツ空手とほぼ同義の名称としての「本土空手」と区別するために，「沖縄空手」という概念を提唱している。しかし，空手は本来，沖縄の伝統武道なので，「沖縄空手」という言い方は，同義語反復（重複表現）であると言えなくもない。ただ，沖縄の空手の中にも試合を導入している流派や道場があることを鑑みると，「沖縄空手」という言葉は，決してスポーツ空手の対義語ではない。また，たとえ本土であろうとも，スポーツ化していない本来の「手」を追求している団体はいくつか存在する。だとすれば，「沖縄空手」という表現は，スポーツ空手の対義語ではなく，あくまで本土空手との弁別を図るためであって，もし仮にスポーツ空手との明確な峻別を求めるのならば，その場合は「武道空手」という表現が妥当だろう。しかし，厳密に言えば，空手は本来，武道なので，「武道空手」という言い方も，同義語反復（重複表現）であると言えなくもない。このように，「○○空手」のような形容は，多重な意味を含むので，沖縄で構築・発展した徒手空拳の伝統的武術のことを指す場合は，かつてそのように称されていた通り，「手」もしくは「首里手」「那覇手」と称した方が良いのかもしれない。
People have a stable image of "karate" as a sport, because of the sportization during its prevailing in the mainlands of Japan. Then, it may be better to use "te (tiy)" (some say "Okinawa-te [Uchina-diy]" ), or respectively and concretely call "shuri-te (diy)"and "naha-te (diy)," if you want to refer to the primary Okinawan classical martial arts. Besides, in recent years, Okinawan karateka have advocated the word or concept "Okinawa Karate" in order to distinguish their own karate from "Hondo (mainland) karate, " which is regarded as a synonym for karate sports (sport karate). But, the word "Okinawa karate" might be thought to be a redundancy or tautology, since karate is essentially one of the Okinawan classical marital arts. However, considering that there are some schools and dojos in Okinawa importing competitions into themselves, "Okinawa karate" is not definitely an antonym of "sport karate." On the other hand, even if they are in the mainland of Japan, there are some groups pursuing the original "te (tiy)," which has't got sportized. Then, they would be wrong if they used the expression "Okinawa karate" as the antonym of "sport karate" in order to distinguish themselves from "Hondo karate." It would be more appropriate to use the expression "budo karate," if they want to draw a clear distinction between themselves and "sport karate." However, strictly speaking, the expression "budo karate" also might be thought to be a redundancy or tautology, since karate is "budo" from the beginning. In this way, the expressions including any adjective like "something karate" has multiple meanings. So, when we refer to classical martial arts with no arms organized and developed in Okinawa (Ryukyus), we should call them "te (tiy)" or "syuri-te" and "naha-te, " as they once had been called.
People have a stable image of "karate" as a sport, because of the sportization during its prevailing in the mainlands of Japan. Then, it may be better to use "te (tiy)" (some say "Okinawa-te [Uchina-diy]" ), or respectively and concretely call "shuri-te (diy)"and "naha-te (diy)," if you want to refer to the primary Okinawan classical martial arts. Besides, in recent years, Okinawan karateka have advocated the word or concept "Okinawa Karate" in order to distinguish their own karate from "Hondo (mainland) karate, " which is regarded as a synonym for karate sports (sport karate). But, the word "Okinawa karate" might be thought to be a redundancy or tautology, since karate is essentially one of the Okinawan classical marital arts. However, considering that there are some schools and dojos in Okinawa importing competitions into themselves, "Okinawa karate" is not definitely an antonym of "sport karate." On the other hand, even if they are in the mainland of Japan, there are some groups pursuing the original "te (tiy)," which has't got sportized. Then, they would be wrong if they used the expression "Okinawa karate" as the antonym of "sport karate" in order to distinguish themselves from "Hondo karate." It would be more appropriate to use the expression "budo karate," if they want to draw a clear distinction between themselves and "sport karate." However, strictly speaking, the expression "budo karate" also might be thought to be a redundancy or tautology, since karate is "budo" from the beginning. In this way, the expressions including any adjective like "something karate" has multiple meanings. So, when we refer to classical martial arts with no arms organized and developed in Okinawa (Ryukyus), we should call them "te (tiy)" or "syuri-te" and "naha-te, " as they once had been called.
February 01, 2012
Shuri-te and Naha-te
空手には，首里手と那覇手がある。日本と中国の間にあり，政治的にも文化的にも両者の影響を様々に受けてきた琉球（沖縄）において，独自に構築され発展した伝統武術は，かつて「手」と呼ばれていた。そして特に首里地方で発達した手を首里手，一方，那覇地方で発達した手を那覇手と呼んだ。現在でも，沖縄の空手家の中には，これらの名称をあえて使う人もいる。「空手」という名称は近年与えられた名称であり，沖縄伝統武道を表現する総称として，また現代における名称の普及率を考えると，使い勝手は良い（ならば「手」でも良いのだが）。しかし，むしろ厳密には首里手あるいは那覇手という表現を用いた方が適切かもしれない。なぜなら，首里手と那覇手は，一見したところでは，異なる技術体系に見えるからである。
Karate has two types of the genealogy: shuri-te and naha-te. The classical marital art originally formulated and developed in Ryukyus (Okinawa), which had been influenced variously by both China and Japan in a political and cultural way, was once called "te (tiy)." Especially, the te (tiy) developed in Shuri area was called shuri-te, while the te in Naha area was called naha-te. Even today, there are some karateka in Okinawa who use these names intentionally. The name "karate," which was given in recent years (at the beginning of 20 centuries), is useful for us to give a generic name to Okinawan classical martial arts and if we think about the prevalence of the name today--if so, we could use "te" instead of "karate,"though. But, more strictly, it should be appropriate to use such names as shuri-te and naha-te. It is because, at first sight, the two seem to be different technique systems from each other.
Karate has two types of the genealogy: shuri-te and naha-te. The classical marital art originally formulated and developed in Ryukyus (Okinawa), which had been influenced variously by both China and Japan in a political and cultural way, was once called "te (tiy)." Especially, the te (tiy) developed in Shuri area was called shuri-te, while the te in Naha area was called naha-te. Even today, there are some karateka in Okinawa who use these names intentionally. The name "karate," which was given in recent years (at the beginning of 20 centuries), is useful for us to give a generic name to Okinawan classical martial arts and if we think about the prevalence of the name today--if so, we could use "te" instead of "karate,"though. But, more strictly, it should be appropriate to use such names as shuri-te and naha-te. It is because, at first sight, the two seem to be different technique systems from each other.
January 06, 2012
Kata is Bible
形には，さまざまな技が込められている。形には，技を成立させるための身体操作の方法が，複雑に練り込まれている。また，形の中のある動きも，解釈によっては様々な意味合いを持って，幾重にも応用的に技が広がる。このように空手の形とは，いわばバイブルでありテクストであり，形から多くのことを引き出すことができる。空手修行の面白さの一つは，こうした形の解釈と技の発見にある。喩えれば，哲学研究者が哲学者のテクストから様々な意味を紐解くように，空手家は形から様々な技を紐解く。もちろん，ある動きから導き出される技には限度があるだろうし，多様な解釈を挟まない動きもあるけれども，バリエーションは多様であり，また修行段階によっても変化する。こうした特徴を持つ形において，そこでの動きそのままそれが実践に役立つわけではない。形とは，技を有効にするための身体操作の方法を織り込んだ体系であり，修行者は，それを繰り返し稽古することによって自らの身体に染みこませる。そして，実際の多様な状況において，練り込まれた身体操作が状況に即して自然に動作することが求められる。その結果，形通りの動きにはならないのは当然である。
Various techniques are embedded in kata. Besides, the methods to manipulate one's own body to complete these techniques are complexly incorporated into kata. Additionally, a certain move in kata has different meanings depending on interpretation, and applicably broadens into various kinds of techniques. Then, kata of karate is something like a bible or text, and we can derive lots from kata. One of the pleasures of karate discipline is such interpretation of kata and discovery of techniques. Metaphorically speaking, as if philosophy researchers interpret texts of philosophers and derive a lot of meanings from them, karateka interpret katas and derive a lot of techniques from them. Of course, the numbers of techniques derived from a move are limited, and some moves do not allow us to interpret them variously, but generally the variation of interpretation is wide, and it also varies according to the level of mastering. Since kata has these characteristics, it is not the fact that moves in kata themselves simply get useful on actual scenes. Kata is a system in which the methods of body manipulation for effectiveness of the techniques are embedded, and practitioners of karate impregnate their own body with them by practicing kata repeatedly. Besides, the impregnated body manipulation is necessary to work naturally according to actual different situations. As a result, it is natural that actual moves are not as moves in kata.
Various techniques are embedded in kata. Besides, the methods to manipulate one's own body to complete these techniques are complexly incorporated into kata. Additionally, a certain move in kata has different meanings depending on interpretation, and applicably broadens into various kinds of techniques. Then, kata of karate is something like a bible or text, and we can derive lots from kata. One of the pleasures of karate discipline is such interpretation of kata and discovery of techniques. Metaphorically speaking, as if philosophy researchers interpret texts of philosophers and derive a lot of meanings from them, karateka interpret katas and derive a lot of techniques from them. Of course, the numbers of techniques derived from a move are limited, and some moves do not allow us to interpret them variously, but generally the variation of interpretation is wide, and it also varies according to the level of mastering. Since kata has these characteristics, it is not the fact that moves in kata themselves simply get useful on actual scenes. Kata is a system in which the methods of body manipulation for effectiveness of the techniques are embedded, and practitioners of karate impregnate their own body with them by practicing kata repeatedly. Besides, the impregnated body manipulation is necessary to work naturally according to actual different situations. As a result, it is natural that actual moves are not as moves in kata.
January 05, 2012
The View That Kata Is Not Useful
スポーツ空手をやっている人の間でしばしば語られるのが，「形は使えない」という言説である。しかしこれは，二重の意味において誤っている。まず第一に，スポーツ空手の形は，本来の形ではない。審判に見栄えの良いように，動きが派手であり無駄が多い。そのために武道的な動きとしばしばかけ離れている。したがって実際に使えるわけがない。第二に，スポーツ空手の選手にとって「使う」とは，おそらく組手試合に使うという意味合いと推測されるが，たしかにルールと審判によって成立するゲームである組手試合の技としては全く使えないだろう。なぜなら，空手の形に込められている技術は，そもそも，組手試合用ではないからである。したがって，スポーツ空手の選手や愛好者からすれば，「形は使えない」のは当然といえば当然である。
We often hear the opinion "kata is not useful" expressed between people who practice karate sports. But, this is doubly wrong. First, katas performed in karate sports are not real ones of Okinawan classical karate. They have florid and superfluous moves appealing to the judges in games. Because of that, moves of katas in karate sports are quite different from ones in real karate as budo. Therefore, there is no way to use katas in effect. Second, although the word "useful" seems to mean for players of karate sports that they apply the techniques included in kata to kumite (fighting) games, in fact, the techniques may not be useful as ones for kumite games which are based on rules and judges. It is because the techniques included in katas are primarily not for kumite games. Thus, it is extremely natural for players or lovers of karate sports that "kata is not useful."
We often hear the opinion "kata is not useful" expressed between people who practice karate sports. But, this is doubly wrong. First, katas performed in karate sports are not real ones of Okinawan classical karate. They have florid and superfluous moves appealing to the judges in games. Because of that, moves of katas in karate sports are quite different from ones in real karate as budo. Therefore, there is no way to use katas in effect. Second, although the word "useful" seems to mean for players of karate sports that they apply the techniques included in kata to kumite (fighting) games, in fact, the techniques may not be useful as ones for kumite games which are based on rules and judges. It is because the techniques included in katas are primarily not for kumite games. Thus, it is extremely natural for players or lovers of karate sports that "kata is not useful."
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