About This Kata
| Name | Unsu [雲手] |
| Translation | Cloud Hands |
| Style | Shotokan |
| Level | Advanced |
| History | The name Unsu means ‘Cloud Hands’, evoking fluid adaptability and dynamic transitions. The kata is believed to have originated in the Tomari-te lineage and is considered a synthesis kata drawing on older forms such as Niseishi (Nijushiho), Chinte, Sochin, and Bassai Sho, suggesting it was designed as a culminating form integrating principles throughout the Shotokan curriculum. Some traditions credit Aragaki Seishō, a 19th-century Okinawan master, with transmitting forms that evolved into Unsu. The kata was noted in Funakoshi’s 1922 book Ryūkyu Kempo Karate. It was introduced into Shotokan by the JKA during the early to mid-20th century and was especially championed by Masatoshi Nakayama. |
| Lineage | Aragaki Seishō → Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū) → Funakoshi Yoshitaka (Shōtōkan) |
Hands In The Clouds (Shotokan Kata)
