Heian Shodan

"Peaceful Mind One"

Heian Shodan is the first of the five Heian, or "Peaceful Mind" katas. Heian Shodan is composed entirely of "basic" techniques; there is nothing "fancy" at all being done. For this reason, it could be said that Heian Shodan is one of the hardest kata to do correctly (of course, a case could be made that they are all pretty hard).

The early history of kata parallels the history of Shotokan Karate. They were developed in Okinawa, with some amount of influence from Chinese martial arts, then were brought to the main islands of Japan by Gichin Funakoshi in 1922. During the periods when Karate training was done in secret, performing kata was the primary form of practice.

Funakoshi's first teacher, Yasutsune Azato, was an exceptional swordsman, and around Funakoshi's time, kata started to incorporate ideas from kendo. These included more focus on relaxing the upper body to achieve faster, snapping motions, and more aggressive and pronounced body shifting.

The Heian kata were distilled from Kanku Sho, a more advanced kata, by Funakoshi's other instructor, Anko Itosu. These kata were designed to aid the development of younger students, and they are usually taught to students below the level of brown belt. Although these kata originated in Okinawa, they were primarily practiced in Japan.

Additional changes to the original kata came as Gigo Funakoshi (the son of Gichin Funakoshi) started teaching his students altered forms of the kata, including deepened stances. A series of meetings at Waseda University in the 1950's lead to further changes in the kata, to emphasize longer, more athletic movements for better conditioning, to eliminate repetitious movements and move the focus to fundamental techniques, and simplify many of the self-defense moves.

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Bow

Yoi (ready)

1

Look to the left - turn to the left and move left foot into zenkutsu dachi with a left gedan barai.
2

Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi with a right oi-tsuki.
3

Look to your right. Pull right foot back and pivot on your left foot to turn 180 degrees into a right zenkutsu dachi and a right gedan barai.
4

Pull the right foot back half a step. Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi and swing your right hand back across the front of your body in a circular movement ending in a downward tettsui uchi.
5

Step forward with left foot into zenkutsu dachi and with left hand do a left oi-tsuki.
6

Look to your left. Pull left foot back, pivot right foot and turn 90 degrees, stepping forward into a left zenkutsu dachi and a left gedan barai. Immediately execute left jodan uke and open hand.
7

Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi and do a right jodan-uke. Immediately open right hand.
8

Step forward into a left zenkutsu dachi with a left jodan uke. Immediately open left hand.
9

Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi and do a right jodan uke with a KIAI (Do not open your hand on the last one).
10

Look to your right. Pivot right foot and move left foot 270 degrees into a left zenkutsu dachi and do a left gedan barai.
11

Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi with a right oi-tsuki.
12

Look over your right shoulder. Pull right foot back and turn 180 degrees into right zenkutsu dachi with a right gedan barai.
13

Step forward into a left zenkutsu dachi with left oi-tsuki.
14

Look to your left. Pull left foot back, pivot right foot and turn 90 degrees, stepping forward into a left zenkutsu dachi and a left gedan barai.
15

Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi and do a right oi-tsuki to the chest.
16

Step forward into a left zenkutsu dachi with a left oi-tsuki.
17

Step forward into a right zenkutsu dachi and do a right oi-tsuki to the chest with a KIAI.
18

Look to your right. Pivot right foot and move left foot 270 degrees into a left kokutsu dachi and do a left shuto uke.
19

Step 45 degrees into a right kokutsu dachi with a right shuto uke.
20

Look to your right. Pull right foot back and pivot on your left foot to turn 135 degrees into a right kokutsu dachi and a right shuto uke.
21

Step 45 degrees with left foot into kokutsu dachi and with left hand do a left shuto uke.
End

Return to hachji dachi by pulling your left foot back and facing front once again.
Bow

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