Wankan
Encyclopedia
Wankan (Japanese: "King's Crown" or "Emperor's Crown") (also called Okan) is a kata
practiced in many styles of Karate
. Not much is known about the history of this kata. It originates from the Tomari-te school and in modern karate is practiced in Shorin-ryu
, Shotokan
, Genseiryu
and Matsubayashi-ryu
.
It is often considered an advanced kata, despite its brevity. Karate master Shoshin Nagamine
considered wankan to be his favorite kata. A quote from his book describes the kata as "Being characterized by unitary sequences of attack and defense".
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
practiced in many styles of Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. Not much is known about the history of this kata. It originates from the Tomari-te school and in modern karate is practiced in Shorin-ryu
Shorin-Ryu
is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
, Shotokan
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
, Genseiryu
Genseiryu
is a karate style with roots in Shuri-te, one of the three original karate styles of Okinawa Japan. It was developed by Seiken Shukumine who combined classic techniques with his own innovations thus developing the special characteristics of Genseiryū. Shukumine had two known teachers, Sadoyama and...
and Matsubayashi-ryu
Matsubayashi-ryu
Matsubayashi-ryū , is a style of Okinawan karate that was founded in 1947 by Shōshin Nagamine . Its curriculum includes 18 kata, 7 two-man yakusoku kumite routines, and kobudō practice...
.
It is often considered an advanced kata, despite its brevity. Karate master Shoshin Nagamine
Shoshin Nagamine
was a Japanese author, soldier, police officer and karate master.-Early Life and Karate-do:Nagamine was born in Tomari, in Naha City, Okinawa. He was a small and sickly child, and he contracted a gastroenteric disorder in 1926, his second year of high school. He began a self-imposed diet and took...
considered wankan to be his favorite kata. A quote from his book describes the kata as "Being characterized by unitary sequences of attack and defense".
