Aug 29 2009
Kata of the Bujinkan
I have been asked recently to explain the kata of the Bujinkan. Not to explain how to do each kata, but rather how they are to be studied. I will try to give a brief contrast between Bujinkan Kata and Karate Kata/Chinese Kung Fu forms.
In the Bujinkan arts the form generally consists of few moves. The most involved kata that I have seen to date are around 12 moves at most. In san shin you have as many as 4 distinct moves and as few as 2.
When I compare this to my experience in Karate and Kung Fu, the forms are generally much longer with many parts. When I was learning the forms, I was taught that each sequence, the series of moves before a direction change is another opponent. If this is true; which I have no reason to doubt, one of those sequences is the equivalent of a Bujinkan Kata.
Kata in the Bujinkan are treated like bujkai in karate. Bunkai is when you take a portion of a kata and work it against a live opponent. This allows you to get a feel for the technique and its variations.
The very nature of Bujinkan kata create an issue when it comes to self study. It is difficult to practise a kata which relies on feedback of an opponent by yourself. There is a method to accomplish this. I will discuss visualization in the near future.
I hope this clarifies the subject of kata in the Bujinkan if even a little. Your life is on the line, practise well.