Kata is a Japanese word meaning literally “form” referring to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone, and can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practised in Japanese martial arts as a way to memorize and perfect the movements being executed. Korean martial arts with Japanese influence use the derived term hyeong and also the term pumsae.
| Kata | Gōjū-ryū | Shitō-ryū | Shōrin-ryū[ | Shotokan | Shuri-ryū | Wadō-ryū | Isshin-ryū | Gensei-ryū | Kyokushin kaikan | Tōon-ryū | Uechi-ryū | Ryukyu Kempo | Shindō jinen-ryū | Shukokai | Shōrinjiryū Kenkōkan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ananku | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | Some | ||||||||
| Annan | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Annanko | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Ansan | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||
| Chinte | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||
| Chintō/Iwa Ame/Gankaku | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Chinsu | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Fukyugata /Gekisai/Shinsei | Yes | Some | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Gojūshiho/Useishi (some: dai & sho versions) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| Happiken | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Jiin | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Jion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||
| Jitte | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| Juroku | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||
| Kururunfa | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||
| Kusanku/Kanku /Bokanku (some: dai and sho versions) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Naihanchi/Tekki (some: series of 3) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Nipaipo/Neipai | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Niseishi/Nijushiho | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Bassai/Passai (some: dai & sho versions) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | Some | |||||
| Enpi/Wansu/Wanshū | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | Yes | Some | Yes | ||||||
| Pinan/Heian (series of 5) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | |||||
| Rōhai/Meikyo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | |||||||
| Ryuko | Some | Some | Some | ||||||||||||
| Saifā | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Sanchin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Sankakutobi | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Sanseiryu/Sanseryu | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Seichin | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||
| Seipai | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Seiryu | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||
| Seisan/Hangetsu | Yes | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | ||||
| Seiyunchin/Seienchin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| Shimpa | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||
| Shisōchin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||
| Sōchin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some | ||||||||||
| Suparimpei/Pechurin | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Taikyoku Kihon (some: series of 3 or more) | Some | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| Tensho | Yes | Yes | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Ten No Kata | Yes | Some | Some | ||||||||||||
| Unsu | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
| Wanduan | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Wankan/Matsukaze | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some |
To practice kata is not to memorize an order. Find the katas that work for you, understand them, digest them & stick with them for life.
Gichin Funakoshi
