Gojūshiho

Gojūshiho ( Japanese五十 四 歩, dt. 54 steps) are two kata variants in Shōtōkan karate :

• Gojūshiho dai (Japanese 五十 四 歩 大, German large [Kata of] 54 steps)
• Gojūshiho shō (Japanese 五十 四 歩 小, dt. Small [Kata of] 54 steps)

origin

The origin of these two kata lies in the Chinese Dao (Chinese for Kata) Useishi. This kata was taught in Okinawa in Shōrin-ryū and passed on to Mabuni Kenwa by Itosu Yasutsune, a master of this style . This took over the kata in his Shitō-ryū and later taught it to his friend Funakoshi Gichin , the developer of the Shōtōkan, who then developed the "Shō variant" from this kata in collaboration with his son Yoshitaka. In addition to the Kata Unsu , Gojūshiho dai and Gojūshiho shō are considered the highest master kata in Shotokan style.