Omote Kage

In formal Japanese martial arts, the concept of demonstrating the application of a technique for the general public and general student population is called Omote. In karate, as it is Okinawan and not Japanese, the concept exists but it is simply called bunkai. Bunkai has different levels of understanding as the student advances such as "honto".

In Japanese Budo, what is hiding in the shadows of the basic techniques is called Kage or Ura. These techniques are only taught behind closed doors and a student must be at a certainl level of trust with the Sensei.

In Karate this concept is often referred to as Oyo, or as one of my Sensei also calls it Tichiki (literally "what the hand is doing", hogen, implying "what the 'hand' is really doing").

It is amazing that to this day, I can demonstrate this concept in the several koryu Japanese Budo I participate in and am met with high enthusiasm, yet, when I demonstrate the same concept in Karate, I am met with scepticism and a sort of "well, that's his interpretation of it."

While there is a certain degree of my interpretation laced in everything I do, I am doing so with an innate desire to keep things in context. I am not going to attend an FBI defensive tactics clinic and then try to reverse engineer the techniques into a kata. The techniques contained in kata must first be trained and understood within the context that they were created. With the principles in place, one can then adjust them to their needs, but it is important to maintain the tradition and the principles of an art.

The following video was forwarded to me and is a prime example of this concept and perfectly executed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M71Iev8Ix8c

A student asked me, "Is he following your methodology, Sensei?" I had to humbly reply that Teruo Chinen Shihan is not following my methodology... he was taught this methodology before I was born...funny

The concept of ShuHaRi is often ignored by my western brethren. They take to applying their own interpretation of the kata within their own perspective without learning even the most basic historical perspective. Compound this with the cycle repeating itself over several generations and what you get is the great majority of karate teachers in the world really missing the boat. The new minority, those keeping the tradition and those adhering to the concept of ShuHaRi, and nay doing it correctly (I know...baffling) are further sent into the minority because our view is no longer the correct view...it is the minority view, afterall, as history demonstrates, the correct view is the majority view.

To complicate things, our desire to continue to adhere to this tradition forces us to remain silent and let the idiots of the world propogate their own ego-driven perception of the martial arts. In the rare event we decide to interject into the silliness, we are looked on as the crazy minority view trying desparately to hold on to an archaic approach to self defense. Our inability to "change with the times" is actually a negative attribute of traditional martial arts today.

For those who don't know, Shu means to adhere, to follow the instruction and direction of your Sensei unconditionally. Ha means to break down or break away. With the teachings internalized, one begins to find their own way with the principles of the art as his foundation. The problem with most is that there is a misunderstanding of the timeline involved with the Shu and Ha stage. One is given permission to officially be on their own with the issuance of a menkyo, such as Shihan or some other official teacher certification. In a world where 16 year old 1st degree black belts are referred to as "Sensei", it is easy to see the confusion. Menkyo are typically issued at what amounts to 6th Dan, or approximately 20 years of experience. Bingo. Simply put, the methodology of transmitting the true martial arts philosophies involve staying with your teacher and the art/ style for no less than 20 years. The innermost teachings are not going to be taught before the Ha stage. Now, how many people do you know who have broken away from their teacher, usually due to ego, and go out on their own while still in the Shu stage? How many generations has this gone on? How many martial artists in the world think Karate is crap because they are seeing the "majority view" and not the minority view? This cycle is destroying karate's traditions.

Ri means to separate from. This is where most who are still in the uneducated Shu phase think they are. To put it in context, Ri is usually accompanied by a Hanshi, Kaiden, or if you want to go Dan level, about 8th Dan. And what I mean is 8th Dan achieved adhering to the ShuHaRi philosophy from an instructor who is transmitting the information of their style within this methodology.

Omote means front. Kage means back. For the student, this is a constant and poetic reminder that there is always something else to learn about a particular form. It is in the nature of Japanese and Okinawan Budo to always hold back the true meaning of something. The highest levels of understanding are always going to be reserved for the most dedicated members. The problem with most is that the ego convinces that perhaps our teacher or our teacher's teacher considered us to be the exception to the rule. Or, we, with our profound level of understanding and expertise, can figure out the true meaning on our own.

-I am not the exception. I am a novice. I know nothing. My abilities can not be forged on my own. I WILL NOT know the truth unless my teacher shows it to me. I am one within a population of a million other practitioners who lets my ego prevent me from learning correctly. The battle within myself is to stop trying to understand and to simply do, to stop thinking "I get it" and to start thinking "I'll do what I'm told". There are those far more experienced thanI am and infinitely more knowledgable... who still do not know it all. I am not special. -

Regardless of our experience and understanding of Budo, if we can all recite or just think to ourselves the above phrase, we might then be able to appreciate the value of tradition.