About This Kata
| Name | Gojushiho Sho [五十四歩小] |
| Translation | Fifty-Four Steps – Lesser |
| Style | Shotokan |
| Level | Advanced |
| History | Gojushiho Sho shares the same origin as Gojushiho Dai, both derived from the older Okinawan/Chinese form known as Useishi. The Dai and Sho designations are not a reflection of difficulty or length but distinguish two related forms with a shared origin. The use of ‘greater’ and ‘lesser’ is traditional in Japanese martial naming and does not imply one is superior to the other. Some Shotokan organisations reverse the labels of Dai and Sho, and a persistent story holds this arose from a senior master using the wrong name during a public demonstration. |
| Lineage | Sōkon Matsumura (Shuri-te) → Itosu Ankō (Shuri-te) / Kenwa Mabuni (Shitō-ryū) → Gichin Funakoshi (Shōtōkan) |
Fifty Four Steps – Small (Shotokan Kata)
