An Embodiment of Teaching Martial Arts

“Kata is an embodiment of teaching, therefore it should be learned correctly without preconception. Kata is also like a “container,” with which we pass its “contents called Ryuha” from teachers to learners strictly. After having instructed the teaching, we can throw away the container; however, if we did so, the school would cease to exist because of the lack of containers for passing their contents onto the next learner. The life of human being is very short, but we can feel the spirits of the founder and his disciples through Kata. In short, Kata is for us to have a vicarious experience and follow in the footsteps of the learners in the past.”
​
From “The Form of Instruction” – Kukishinden Ryū