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THE KAMA
Okinawa's Deadliest Farm Tool
by Michael Rovens and Mark Pollard
page 3
OTA EIHACHI SENSEI
Ota Eihachi is a seventh-degree black belt in Matsubayashi Shorin-ryu
karate, and the highest-ranking practitioner of the World Matsubayashi-ryu
Karate-do Association in the United States. Mr. Ota is also a kobudo expert.
Because of the serious nature of weapons, each movement and technique is
critical. Like Bruce Lee, many kobudo students practice kata as if it was
merely a performance of the techniques in a given sequence. However, when
watching Ota Sensei do kata, every movement and every technique is executed
exactly as it should be done for combat. Then he strings these movements
together in sequence to make kata.
Ota Sensei's first kama teacher was Master Kishaba Chokei, the older brother
of Yamanni-ryu bo master Kishaba Chogi. Master Kishaba Chokei appeared on
the cover of the summer 1998 issue of Bugeisha. Master Kishaba learned the
kama from legendary Grandmaster Soken Hohan (1889-1983). Master Kishaba
began studying all the kobudo weapons from Grandmaster Soken when he was in
his late twenties. Just as Ota Sensei is proficient in all of the major
kobudo weapons, as is Master Kishaba. However, his most favorite are the bo
and kama, as they are for Ota Sensei as well.
The first time Ota Sensei tried the kama was with Master Kishaba, a friend
of Shima Masao Sensei. According to Ota Sensei, Master Kishaba is one of
the most expert kobudo practitioners in Shorin-ryu. Ota explains,
"Kishaba would come to the Shima dojo to teach us kobudo. But he didn't
want to teach kama at the school. One day, he suggested that anyone who
wanted to learn kama should come to his house. A group of us, maybe nine
or ten, went over to his house, and we just talked about karate and the
meaning of the martial arts. Kishaba had some very old Chinese books about
martial arts, which he showed us. Finally he got out the kama, and gave
them to us to look at and feel. He wanted us to get a general idea of what
the weapon is, so that it could make an impression on us before we tried to
use it. Then a few of us began trying the basic motions, with only one kama.
A basic downward swing, a horizontal swing, a diagonal swing, all just with
one kama, in a natural stance, the other arm at the side out of the way."
It is important to start in a natural stance because it reduces the chance
of slicing the legs and knees.
Kishaba went on to instruct Ota Sensei in the basic combative principles
of ni-cho kamajutsu. According to Master Kishaba, after learning the basics
with one arm, the next thing that practitioners need to develop is the
co-ordination to simultaneously move the kama around the body in a
synchronized fashion from one position to another without causing bodily
injury to themselves. This is often more difficult than it sounds.
Ota Sensei's other kama teacher was Mr. Kinjo. While Mr. Kinjo is not
widely known in karate circles outside Okinawa, he was both feared
and respected for his powerful position as an influential businessman and
for his ties to the Japanese mainland. Ota Sensei recalls that Mr. Kinjo
trained frequently at the dojo of Shima Masao Sensei, one of the
highest-ranking Matsubayashi-ryu teachers, and one of Ota Sensei's
primary karate instructors after Grandmaster Nagamine. Like Ota Sensei,
Mr. Kinjo was attracted to the rough sparring sessions at the Shima dojo
rather than the more classical kata training methods preferred at
Grandmaster Nagamine's honbu.
Another notable karate and kobudo instructor to matriculate from the
Shima dojo is Oshiro Toshiro, who joined a couple of years after Ota Sensei.
Mr. Kinjo taught Ota Sensei how to attach a rope to the end of one kama
and swing it around the body. This technique is most probably a Japanese
innovation that was derived from the kusarigama. Most Okinawan stylists do
not swing the kama, but grip the weapon firmly for blocking and striking.
According to Ota Sensei, the swinging motion is used to extend the distance
and keep an opponent at bay. When fighting multiple opponents, the swinging
technique is very useful.
Vertical Swing
When executing a vertical swing, the arm generally starts in an upright
angle with the sickle held above shoulder height. The kama is thrown forward
while pointing the tip of the blade at the desired target. If the weapon
doesn't strike the opponent, it swings in a downward arc and the rope wraps
around the hand one-two times, and is then regrasped. From this position,
the kama can be swung in a backwards arc; a reverse motion from the first
swing. However, in this case, the first two inches of the top of the blade
is aimed upwards at the opponent.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Eihachi Ota Sensei is a Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu Stylist with
over 35 years of experience. He is also an expert in traditional
Okinawan kobudo. Michael Rovens is chief instructor and Mark Polland
is a senior instructor at Ota Sensei’s dojo in West Los
Angeles.
A note from DOSHIN:
Over the years, we have hosted or taken many seminars with Oshiro Sensei.
We have found him to be an outstanding "SENSEI" in every sense of the word.
You have an opportunity to learn more about him from his "high tech
business cards"... through our association with AMAZON.COM -- click on
the pictures for more details on purchasing videos by Oshiro Sensei and
Ota Sensei.
For further information they can be contacted at their central
dojo at:
This article is reprinted with the kind permission of
Mr. Angel Lemus, Editor,
Bugeisha.net
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