KANKU DAI
Having 65 movements, Kanku Dai is the longest of the Sentei kata, as well as one of the longest kata in the Shotokan syllabus. Kanku translates as "Looking at the Sky" or "Viewing the Sky," referring to the kata's opening sequence. The word Dai (big) is used to describe the kata's larger movements as compared to the kata's smaller version, Kanku Sho. Kanku is one of three Shotokan kata that have two versions, Dai (big) and Sho (small). Originally, the kata was called Kushanku, named after a Chinese diplomat and kung fu expert. It is uncertain if this diplomat actually created the kata (or if he even existed), but many credit the kata to one of his alleged students, Santunuku Sakugawa.
Kanku Dai is basically an amalgamation of the Heian and Tekki kata. When practicing this kata, one will find many pieces of H2-H5, and even some T1. It is a very energetic kata involving jumping, dropping, and spinning techniques. It is said that this was Gichin Funakoshi's favorite kata. Although the kata tends to favor the use of shuto-uchi, Kanku Dai offers two unique combinations, ura-zuki & ude-tate-fuse and gedan-uke/furiage. The very difficult jumping nidan-geri is also first practiced in this kata. Kanku Dai has many high and low techniques, requiring a certain amount of flexibility. It is a highly dynamic kata that must be performed with grace in motion.
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|
Technique
|
Translation
|
Stance
|
Target
|
Notes
|
1
|
ryote-hitae-mae-ue
|
both hands in front and above forehead
|
hachiji-dachi
|
jodan
|
slow speed
|
2
|
ryote-kafukubu-mae
|
both hands in front of abdomen
|
hachiji-dachi
|
--
|
slow speed
|
3
|
haiwan-uke
|
back of arm block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
4
|
haiwan-uke
|
back of arm block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
5
|
tate-shuto-uke
|
vertical knife-hand block
|
hachiji-dachi
|
chudan
|
slow speed
|
6
|
tsuki (choku-zuki)
|
punch (straight punch)
|
hachiji-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
7
|
uchi-uke
|
inside block
|
hizakutsu
|
chudan
|
|
8
|
tsuki (choku-zuki)
|
punch (straight punch)
|
hachiji-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
9
|
uchi-uke
|
inside block
|
hizakutsu
|
chudan
|
|
10
|
ryoken-koshi-kamae
|
both fists hip posture
|
ashi-dachi
|
--
|
|
11
|
uraken-yoko-mawashi-uchi /
yoko-geri-keage
|
sideways back-fist strike /
side snap kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
chudan
|
|
12
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
13
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
14
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
15*
|
osae-uke /
shihon-nukite (tate-nukite)
|
pressing block /
four finger spear-hand (vertical spear-hand)
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
chudan
|
|
16
|
shuto-gedan-barai &
jodan-uke /
shuto-soto-mawashi-uchi
|
low knife-hand sweep &
face block /
outside sword-hand strike
|
ashi-zenkutsu
|
gedan
jodan
jodan
|
gyaku-hanmi
|
17
|
mae-geri
|
front kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
18
|
uchi-uke /
gedan-uke (manji-uke)
|
inside block /
down block (swirling block)
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
jodan
gedan
|
|
19
|
nagashi-uke /
shuto-uchikomi
|
flowing block /
knife-hand thrusting strike
|
ashi-zenkutsu
|
jodan
gedan
|
|
20
|
gedan-barai
|
down block
|
renoji-dachi
|
gedan
|
slow speed
|
21
|
shuto-gedan-barai &
jodan-uke /
shuto-soto-mawashi-uchi
|
low knife-hand sweep &
face block /
outside sword-hand strike
|
ashi-zenkutsu
|
gedan
jodan
jodan
|
gyaku-hanmi
|
22
|
mae-geri
|
front kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
23
|
uchi-uke /
gedan-uke (manji-uke)
|
inside block /
down block (swirling block)
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
jodan
gedan
|
|
24
|
nagashi-uke /
shuto-uchikomi
|
flowing block /
knife-hand thrusting strike
|
ashi-zenkutsu
|
jodan
gedan
|
|
25
|
gedan-barai
|
down block
|
renoji-dachi
|
gedan
|
slow speed
|
26
|
ryoken-koshi-kamae
|
both fists hip posture
|
ashi-dachi
|
--
|
|
27
|
uraken-yoko-mawashi-uchi /
yoko-geri-keage
|
sideways back-fist strike /
side snap kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
chudan
|
|
28
|
mae-empi-uchi
|
front elbow strike
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
--
|
|
29
|
ryoken-koshi-kamae
|
both fists hip posture
|
ashi-dachi
|
--
|
|
30
|
uraken-yoko-mawashi-uchi /
yoko-geri-keage
|
sideways back-fist strike /
side snap kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
chudan
|
|
31
|
mae-empi-uchi
|
front elbow strike
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
--
|
|
32
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
33
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
34
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
35
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
36
|
shuto-gedan-barai &
jodan-uke /
shuto-soto-mawashi-uchi
|
low knife-hand sweep &
face block /
outside sword-hand strike
|
ashi-zenkutsu
|
gedan
jodan
jodan
|
gyaku-hanmi
|
37
|
mae-geri
|
front kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
38
|
uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi
|
vertical back-fist strike
|
kosa-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
39
|
uchi-uke
|
inside block
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
40
|
gyaku-zuki
|
reverse punch
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
41
|
tsuki
|
punch
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
42
|
soete-ura-zuki /
hiza-zuchi
|
added hand inverted punch /
knee strike
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
--
|
|
43
|
ude-tate-fuse
|
arms vertically prone
|
ashi-zenkutsu
|
--
|
|
44
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
gedan
|
|
45
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
46
|
uchi-uke
|
inside block
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
47
|
gyaku-zuki
|
reverse punch
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
48
|
uchi-uke
|
inside block
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
49
|
gyaku-zuki
|
reverse punch
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
50
|
tsuki
|
punch
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
51
|
ryoken-koshi-kamae
|
both fists hip posture
|
ashi-dachi
|
--
|
|
52
|
uraken-yoko-mawashi-uchi /
yoko-geri-keage
|
sideways back-fist strike /
side snap kick
|
ashi-dachi
|
jodan
chudan
|
|
53
|
shuto-uke
|
knife-hand block
|
kokutsu-dachi
|
chudan
|
|
54
|
osae-uke /
shihon-nukite (tate-nukite)
|
pressing block /
four finger spear-hand (vertical spear-hand)
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
chudan
|
|
55
|
uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi
|
vertical back-fist strike
|
kiba-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
56
|
kentsui-uchi-mawashi-uchi
|
inside hammer-fist strike
|
kiba-dachi
|
chudan
|
yori-ashi
|
57
|
sokumen-mae-empi-uchi
|
front elbow strike to side
|
kiba-dachi
|
--
|
|
58
|
ryoken-koshi-kamae
|
both fists hip posture
|
kiba-dachi
|
--
|
|
59
|
gedan-barai
|
down block
|
kiba-dachi
|
gedan
|
|
60
|
zenwan-gedan-uke /
furiage
|
forearm down block /
rising swing
|
kiba-dachi
|
gedan
jodan
|
fumikomi variation
|
61
|
otoshi-zuki
|
falling punch
|
kiba-dachi
|
gedan
|
|
62
|
kaisho-kosa-uke
(ryosho-juji-uke)
|
both palms crossing block
(X-block)
|
hachiji-dachi
|
jodan
|
|
63
|
ashi-jiku-mawari
|
foot pivot rotation
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
--
|
natural speed
|
64
|
ryoken-mune-mae-kosa
|
both fists crossed in front of chest
|
zenkutsu-dachi
|
--
|
slow speed
|
65*
|
nidan-geri
&
uraken-tate-mawashi-uchi
|
two level kick
&
vertical back-fist strike
|
--
zenkutsu-dachi
|
chudan
jodan
jodan
|
