Peaceful Mind
The IKKU sets itself apart from other Traditional Karate Organizations through the extensive kata and bunkai exposure we offer our members in live dojo classes, seminars, weekend camps, and now via digital video formats. You will experience this early on with our Pinan Katas 1-5 offering. The IKKU teaches all 5 Pinan kata and bunkai as a complete training series. Initially developed by Itosu Anko and named Pinan, which translates to Peaceful Mind. The kata was later renamed Heian by Gichin Funakoshi after establishing himself in Japan in 1923.
Pinan Katas 1-5 were developed by Itosu Anko (1831-1915) around 1901. The intent was to bring karate from the shadows to the general public by introducing karate into the public school system. To do this, Itosu Anko needed a more standardized system to facilitate teaching the basics to the youth of Okinawa. He developed the Pinan Series to accommodate this task and began teaching the youth the new Pinan Kata Series.
Itosu was a school teacher like his student Gichin Funakoshi. In 1901, he started teaching Karate at the Shuri Jinjo Elementary School, where he successfully leveraged his New Pinan Kata Series. Itosu had so much success that in 1905, he was allowed to teach Karate at the First Junior Prefectural High School. With the following success, he eventually made it to teaching Karate at Okinawa’s Teachers College.
This evolution and foundation were the bedrock on which Funakoshi scaled Karate by exposing it to Japan. The standardization and belting system put in place by Funakoshi resulted in the success of Karate in the College University System. The Pinan Kata Series was the gateway to making this happen, the transition point from beginner and intermediate to more advanced kata and bunkai. Without it, karate certainly would have had a different outcome.
Soke Ruiz learned this kata series as a youth while studying under Aihara Sensei in Hawaii and has generously shared the kata knowledge with the IKKU members during previous seminars and camps.
We hope you enjoy the exposure to this traditional karate kata series.
Pinan Shodan
平安 一
Peaceful Mind 1
Pinan Nidan
平安 二
Peaceful Mind 2
Pinan Sandan
平安 三
Peaceful Mind 3
Pinan Yondan
平安 四
Peaceful Mind 4
Pinan Godan
平安 五
Peaceful Mind 5