Shushi no kun
Shushi no kun (staff form of Zhou)
aka: Shushi no kon sho, Suji no kon
The second bo kata taught within the Shotokan Karate-do Kenkyujo. Adding to the techniques of Shiromatsu no kun are a number of more versatile blocking manouvres (such as tate-uke) and stances, as well as the characteristic dashing forward three times with shomen-uchi.
History
This wide-spread kata (sometimes with a dai and sho version) is said to have been created by Master Soeshi (a martial instructor for the Okinawan royal family) and perhaps named after a Mr. Shu (or Zhou), who lived for a time in Naha, Okinawa, though it may refer to one of the Chinese 'thirty-six families', one of whom was known as Shu. Our version follows the great Okinawan kobudo master, Taira Shinken, though with a Yamanne Ryu flavour.