Kashu Kata (Demonstrated slowly in sections by André Bertel).

This YouTube video (direct-linked below, but please read first) is not to teach 火手 (Kashu) kata, nor to give a complete analysis; rather, it is to highlight some of the key points of this ‘Asai Sensei refined version’ of this form. Most of the video is of me performing it slowly: for ease of observation. The bunkai (analysis) shown is minimal and merely to highlight the waza and/or tachikata/unsoku actions. As I stated at the Portugal seminar, earlier this month, this rendition of Kashu/Hi no te has never been taught outside Japan before. Accordingly, there are several waza and tachikata which are different from commonly practiced versions. I’m not not going to beat around the bush here, THIS IS THE ULTIMATE VERSION. This video is primarily for the karateka who attended the 2023 Portugal Seminar as a reminder of the variations “…key points (differing from the more commonly known version).” However, I hope that others, who did not attend, will see some of the refinements Asai Tetsuhiko Sensei made to this ‘natural element kata’. Better still, I hope this leads to better understanding of this formal exercise (at its most refined rendition) through systematic practice and training. 押忍 and greetings from Oita City, Japan. André