What is "fukyugata"

Fukyugata is the name of kata practiced in many styles of Okinawan karate, particularly Matsubayashi-ryu. There are two Fukyugata. Shoshin Nagamine ( Matsubayashi-ryu) created Fukyugata Ichi and Chojun Miyagi ( Goju-ryu) created Fukyugata Ni, or Gekisai Ichi. They were developed as beginner kata because the more traditional kata were too difficult for beginners.

In some styles of karate, the kata are known as Fukyu. In Goju-ryu, the second Fukyugata is referred to as Gekisai ichi.

These kata were commissioned by the special committee of Okinawan Karate-do under Mr Gen Hayakawa, then governor of the Okinawa Prefecture in 1940. The kata were finished and introduced in 1941 in order to promote a basic and standard kata across a majority of Okinawan Karate styles, however only some styles continue to practice both, or one of these kata.

A third Fukyugata was composed by Sensei Ansei Ueshiro in 1960, consisting of 17 movements. The Shorin-Ryu Okinawan Karate Question and Answer Book, written by William Cummins and Robert Scaglione, describes this kata as "characterized by techniques emphasizing speed, combinations and strong, low stances."