Rohai Kata - Instructional
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'White heron', 'vision of a crane', 'crane sign', 'heron sign'. A Kata of the Tomari-te and
practised in many schools of Karate in Okinawa and Japan. Developed by Karate master
Matsumura-Soken. In the Matsumura-Shorin-ryu school of Okinawa the three versions taught
are Rohai-ge, Rohai-chu, and Rohai-jo. Also known as Lo-hai or Gankaku.
Ro - heron
Hai – sign
Hai – Mark, impression
Rohai translates as ‘heron sign’ or ‘heron mark’. The name ‘Rohai’, with identical kanji, is the
name of a traditional Okinawan Kata. 'White heron', 'vision of a crane', 'crane sign', 'heron
sign'. A Kata of the Tomari-te and practised in many schools of Karate in Okinawa and Japan.
Developed by Karate master Matsumura-Soken. In the Matsumura-Shorin-ryu school of
Okinawa the three versions taught are Rohai-ge, Rohai-chu, and Rohai-jo. Also known as Lohai
or Gankaku. The traditional Okinawan Kata is not the same Kata as the Chito-ryu Rohai
and includes the signature moves of standing on one leg to avoid leg attacks. The origins of
Chito-ryu Rohai are unknown.
Rohai Dachi-waza.
Yohi (heisoku-dachi), step out with right foot, nai-hanchi-dachi (arms cross in front, then draw
back to side of body, age-yonhon-nukite/kote-uke (arms force upwards and together in front
of face), arms open outwards, awase-soto-haishu/kote-uke, migi-osae-uke, hidari-yokootoshi-tetsui-uke, migi-kagi-tate-yonhon-nukite), turn moving right foot, nai-hanchi-dachi (arms
cross in front, then draw back to side of body, migi-choku-tsuki, renzuki-chudan), hidari-sagiashi-dachi (arms in preparation for block), step back, hidari-mahanmi-no-kokutsu-dachi
(hidari-otoshi-tetsui-uke), step forward, migi-junzuki, step back, hidari-sagi-ashi-dachi (arms in
preparation for block), step back, hidari-mahanmi-no-kokutsu-dachi (hidari-otoshi-tetsui-uke),
step forward, junzuki, slide forward, migi-junzuki-tsukkomi-dachi (yama-tsuki), draw back,
musubi-dachi (hidari-ho-ran-gamae), slide forward, hidari-junzuki-tsukkomi-dachi (yamatsuki),
draw back, musubi-dachi (migi-ho-ran-gamae), slide forward, migi-junzuki-tsukkomidachi
(yama-tsuki), 360° stepping backward turn, migi-hanmi-no-neko-ashi-dachi (migi-shutouke-jodan), step, hidari-hanmi-no-neko-ashi-dachi (hidari-shuto-uke-jodan), turn facing
forward, nai-hanchi-dachi (arms cross in front, then draw back to the side of the body), yamae
(heisoku-dachi).