No.2 Ten-tai Ten-i Ten-gi

Translation of talk no. 2

The following are definitions of Japanese martial arts words used in
technical discussions.

1.Hon-Mi is when the upper body faces forward (when it is 90
degrees to the direction it faces).

2.Han-Mi is when the upper body is at an angle to forward
(45 degrees to what it faces).

3.Ma-Han-Mi is when the upper body is exactly side ways to forward
(parallel to the intended direction of travel like in Nai-Hanchi stance).

4. Yori-Ashi is to step (not slide) in order to move up or back.

5. Suri-Ashi is to slide the feet in order to move forward or back.

6. To-Bi Komi-Ashi is to take a big step to move forward or
backwards.

7. Towa is the Japanese word for “meaning”.

8. Ten-Tai Towa is “meaning of body movement by turning”.

9. Ten is to turn or move.

10. “I” is position.

11.Ten-I Towa is “meaning of changing the body position”. It can
refer to either defensive or offensive movement when shifting the
position of the body.

12. Ten-Gi Towa is the “meaning of changing from one techniques
to another”.

13. San-Mi-lttai is the concept that one movement consists of
three actions.

14. Hiranori Otsuka , the founder of Wado-ryu Karate-do, utilized
Ten-Tai, Ten-I
and Ten-Gi to explain all martial art techniques.
They are the three actios with in one technique, an example of
San-Mi-Ittai. They are the inseparable components for the
execution of any technique, subject to the situation.

15. People generally react by thoughts and emotions. Ideally,
the proper application of Ten-Tai, Ten-I and Ten-Gi, is from the
state of consciousness beyond thinking and emotions. This is
referred to “being” in the moment.

16. Practice is the way to self-improvement. The more we practice,
the more we
are able to achieve consciousness beyond thinking and emotions in
Karate or anything else in Life.

Hiranori Otsuka was born on June 1, 1892 in Ibaragi, Japan. He was
an important Showa Karate Master, the founder of Wado-ryu
Juijitsu Kempo Karate. He died on January 29, 1982.

By Souke Kiyohisa Hirano.

*Translator;　Mark M..Shigeoka.
Assistant Teacher & Fully Ordained Priest.

*Translator; Weslay Yoshikawa
Karate 5dan Since1963