Gojushiho Sho

GOJUSHIHO SHO
Gojushiho sho, or “Fifty-Four Steps Small,” is the longer and more complex of the two Gojushiho kata. At 67 counts, it is the lengthiest of Shotokan kata, beating Gojushiho Dai(and Kanku Dai) by two moves. Its surplus of movements over its twin can basically be accounted for by the inclusion of two techniques in Gojushiho Sho that are not present in Gojushiho Dai: koko-sukui-uke/tsukidashi and washide. Washide, or “eagle-hand,” is a precise attack using all five fingertips pressed together in the shape of a bird’s beak to strike an opponent’s pressure points. Outside of this kata, washide does not exist in Shotokan. Gojushiho Sho has a smaller frame than its twin, mostly due to its “trademark set” of kitsutsuki-no-kamae, keito-nagashi-uke, and otoshi-ippon-nukite. Essentially, the larger frame of the ryuun (flowing cloud) set of Gojushiho Dai is replaced by the smaller kitsutsuki (woodpecker) set of Gojushiho Sho. The grand style of ryuun-no-uke is replaced by the smaller curving keito-uke; the long shihon-tate-nukite are exchanged for shorter otoshi-ippon-nukite; and the big zenkutsu-dachi and kokutsu-dachi are traded for the much smaller neko-ashi-dachi. Gojushiho Sho has more techniques executed in neko-ashi-dachi than any other Shotokan kata. Along with Unsu, it is one of only two Shotokan kata that have no kokutsu-dachi at all (excluding Tekki, of course). This can prove difficult for Shotokan karateka who generally practice kokutsu-dachi to a much greater extent, often neglecting the practice of neko-ashi-dachi. One of the more difficult aspects of the kata occurs when changing direction from one neko-ashi-dachi to another; many students tend to have difficulty maintaining balance throughout.             At one time, Gichin Funakoshi tried to change the name of the kata to Hotaku, meaning “woodpecker,” due to the frequency of poking strikes found within the kata. Some consider the true woodpecker’s strike to be ryo-kentsui-koho-hasami-uchi (#61), viewing it primarily as a head butt attack. Regardless, for reasons unknown, the name Hotaku was never really accepted. Striking with the fingers is the norm for Gojushiho Dai so one must have an understanding of an opponent’s vital areas.

#TechniqueTranslationStanceTargetNotes
1mizu-nagare-uraken-kamae (uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi)water flowing back-fist posture (vertical back-fist strike)zenkutsu-dachijodanslow speed
2ryoken-morote-uke (morote-tate-uke-zuki)both fists double-hand block (both hands block-punch)zenkutsu-dachichudanslow speed
3ryoken-morote-uke (morote-tate-uke-zuki)both fists double-hand block (both hands block-punch)zenkutsu-dachichudanslow speed
4tate-shuto-uke
vertical knife-hand blockzenkutsu-dachichudanslow speed
5gyaku-zuki
reverse punchzenkutsu-dachichudan
6tsuki
punch
zenkutsu-dachichudan
7mae-geri
front kickashi-dachichudan
8gyaku-zuki
reverse punchzenkutsu-dachichudan
9tate-shuto-uke
vertical knife-hand blockzenkutsu-dachichudanslow speed
10gyaku-zuki
reverse punchzenkutsu-dachichudan
11tsuki (oi-zuki)punch (lunge punch)zenkutsu-dachichudan
12mae-geri
front kickashi-dachichudan
13gyaku-zuki
reverse punchzenkutsu-dachichudan
14tate-empi-uchi
vertical elbow strikezenkutsu-dachijodan
15koko-sukui-uke / koko-osae (tsukidashi)tiger-mouth scooping block / tiger-mouth press (thrust)zenkutsu-dachigedan gedan
16keito-uke (kitsutsuki-no-kamae)chicken-head wrist block (woodpecker posture)neko-ashi-dachichudanslow speed
17keito-kamae / gedan-ukechicken-head posture / down blockneko-ashi-dachijodan gedanslow speed
18otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudanyori-ashi
19otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
20otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
21keito-uke (kitsutsuki-no-kamae)chicken-head wrist block (woodpecker posture)neko-ashi-dachichudanslow speed
22keito-kamae / gedan-ukechicken-head posture / down blockneko-ashi-dachijodan gedanslow speed
23otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
24otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
25otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
26haito-uke
ridge-hand blockkiba-dachigedan
27jotai-sonomama
upper body as iskosa-ashi slow speed
28ryosho-bo-tsukami-ukeboth palms grasping stick blockashi-dachi kiba-dachijodan gedan
29haito-uke
ridge-hand blockkiba-dachigedan
30jotai-sonomama
upper body as iskosa-ashi slow speed
31ryosho-bo-tsukami-ukeboth palms grasping stick blockashi-dachi kiba-dachijodan gedan
32keito-uke (kitsutsuki-no-kamae)chicken-head wrist block (woodpecker posture)neko-ashi-dachichudanslow speed
33keito-kamae / gedan-ukechicken-head posture / down blockneko-ashi-dachijodan gedanslow speed
34otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
35otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
36otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
37shihon-nukite (yoko-nukite)4-finger spear-hand (sideways spear-hand)zenkutsu-dachigedanshuto variation
38uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi
vertical back-fist strikezenkutsu-dachijodanslow speed
39shihon-nukite (yoko-nukite)4-finger spear-hand (sideways spear-hand)zenkutsu-dachigedanshuto variation
40uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi
vertical back-fist strikezenkutsu-dachijodanslow speed
41washide-otoshi-uchi
eagle-hand dropping strikezenkutsu-dachigedan
42washide-tsuki-age
eagle-hand rising thrustzenkutsu-dachijodan
43mae-geri
front kickashi-dachijodan
44ken-kata-ue / tsukifist above shoulder / punchashi-dachi— chudan
45koho-gedan-uke / yoko-empi-uchirear down block / sideways elbow strikehizakutsugedan jodan
46keito-uke (kitsutsuki-no-kamae)chicken-head wrist block (woodpecker posture)neko-ashi-dachichudanslow speed
47keito-kamae / gedan-ukechicken-head posture / down blockneko-ashi-dachijodan gedanslow speed
48otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
49otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
50otoshi-ippon-nukite
dropping one-finger spear-handneko-ashi-dachichudan
51haito-uke
ridge-hand blockkiba-dachigedan
52jotai-sonomama
upper body as iskosa-ashi slow speed
53tate-shuto-uke & shihon-tate-nukite / hari-empi-koshi-kamaevertical knife-hand block & 4-finger vertical spear-hand / elbow guard hip postureashi-dachi kiba-dachichudan chudan —
54haito-uke
ridge-hand blockkiba-dachigedan
55jotai-sonomama
upper body as is
kosa-ashi slow speed
56tate-shuto-uke & shihon-tate-nukite / hari-empi-koshi-kamaevertical knife-hand block & 4-finger vertical spear-hand / elbow guard hip postureashi-dachi kiba-dachichudan chudan —
57mizu-nagare-uraken-kamae (uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi)water flowing back-fist posture (vertical back-fist strike)zenkutsu-dachijodanslow speed
58kentsui-uchi-mawashi-uchi
inside hammer-fist strikekiba-dachichudan
59*oi-zuki
lunge punchzenkutsu-dachichudan
60ryo-hiji-suhei-kamae
horizontal elbows posturehachiji-dachislow speed fast variation
61ryo-kentsui-koho- hasami-uchiboth hammer-fists rear scissors strikehachiji-dachichudan
62ryo-hiji-suhei-kamae
horizontal elbows posturehachiji-dachi
63ryoken-sonomama
both fists as iszenkutsu-dachi
64ryosho-kakiwake-uke
both palms wedge blockneko-ashi-dachigedanslow speed
65ryo-keito-hane-age-ukeboth hands chicken-head rising blockneko-ashi-dachichudanslow speed
66*ryo-otoshi-ippon-nukiteboth dropping one-finger spear-handsneko-ashi-dachichudanyori-ashi
67keito-uke (kitsutsuki-no-kamae)chicken-head wrist block (woodpecker posture)neko-ashi-dachichudanslow speed