It encompasses power, speed and beauty into one and is a physical expression of art of human movement.Uechi-ryu is one of the main styles of Okinawan karate. It contains movements to the four and eight cardinal points and transitions through suegoshi-dachi, shizen-dachi, zenkutsu-dachi. The final kata of Uechi-ryu and one of the original kata brought back from China. The kata is characterized by dynamic speed and movement and requires the use of the lower body in conjunction with ‘muchimi’. It is the 7th kata found in Uechi-ryu and includes tenshin, hiji-ate, shoken sukui uke, gedan-barai, etc, as well as emphasizing the delivery of these techniques from suegoshi-dachi. Kanchin was created by Uechi Kanei sensei and includes movements similar to those found in Sanseru kata. Using the lower body is greatly emphasized in this kata。 Kanchin (完戦)（カンチン） It emphasizes cat-leg stance and includes other techniques not found in other Uechi-ryu kata such as hira-te mawashi kake uke, boshi-ken tsuki, etc. This kata is the creation of Uechi Kanei sensei. Sesan requires speed and agility to peform properly. It is a kata that develops fighting skills and is characterized by mostly open-hand techniques, and single-leg stances. Contained within this kata is the base of crane fist which allows it to be flexible during fighting. It contains ‘dragon fist’, ‘tiger fist’, and ‘crane fist’ and is therefore referred to as ‘dragon, tiger, crane’. One of the Chinese boxing kata brought back from China which includes: Sanchin, Sesan, and Sanseru. It contains movements from ‘Pangainuun’ and ‘Okinawa te’. This kata was created in 1963 by Uehara Saburo sensei. It contains many challenging techniques for beginning students such as hira-te mawashi uke, boshi-ken tsuki, hiji ate from suegoshi-dachi and many others.

This kata contains many of the movements found in Sesan kata and was intended to prepare the student for learning Sesan. From 1970 onwards it was also referred to as ‘Dai ni Sesan’. Like the kata Kanshiwa, Kanshu uses the kanji from Uechi Kanbun and Shu Shiwa. It is the only kata in Uechi-ryu that contains regular punches.

This kata originally contained three one-knuckle strikes that were later changed to regular punches to better aid beginning students.

The kata was originally called “Kanshabu” but in 1970 it was renamed “Kanshiwa”. This kata was created by Uechi Kanei sensei in 1954 using kanji from their respective names of his father Kanbun and his teacher, who was referred to as Shu Shabu. All subsequent kata are defined by the principles contained in Sanchin. You are not supposed to practice other kata before you practice Sanchin. It contains the basic stances and strikes, means of training the mind, as well as provides training to resist various strikes. This is one of the kata that directly comes from Pangainuun Souuthern Shaolin boxing.

Uechi ryu karate do kanji