About This Kata
| Name | Hangetsu [半月] |
| Translation | Half Moon |
| Style | Shotokan |
| History | Hangetsu originated as Seishan (also Seisan), a kata practised across multiple Okinawan and Chinese-influenced karate styles. Seishan roughly translates to ’13’, interpreted as 13 techniques, 13 steps, or symbolic numerological balance. The kata has roots in Southern Chinese martial arts such as White Crane and Fujian Tiger, where controlled breathing, rooted stances, and dynamic tension are emphasised. It is one of the few kata in Shotokan that integrates deep Sanchin-like breathing and slow muscle control. Gichin Funakoshi renamed it Hangetsu (Half Moon) when adapting it for Shotokan, preserving the internal training elements while adjusting the stance dynamics and performance line to suit Shotokan’s linear structure. |
| Lineage | Naha-te (Seisan) → Gichin Funakoshi (Shōtōkan) |
Half Moon (Shotokan Kata)
