Kihon Kata, or Taikyoku Shodan, was developed by Yoshitaka Funakoshi, the son of Gichin Funakoshi, as a basic introduction to karate kata. (Yoshitaka also developed Taikyoku Nidan and Sandan which we do not practice in our club.) The kata consists of successive restatements of the theme of gedan barai - oi tsuki, a theme that forms the basis of our self defence syllabus.

		Yoi
		Transitional movement: step left leg to left . . .
		1) Left gedan barai
		2) Step right leg forward oi tsuki
		Transitional move: Move right leg back to left . . .
		3) Continue moving right leg into gedan barai
		4) Step forward left oi tsuki
		5) Left leg step 90 degrees to gedan barai
		6) Right leg step forward oi tsuki
		7) Left leg step forward oi tsuki
		8) Right leg step forward oi tsuki *KIAI*
		Transitional movement: Bring left leg up to right . . .
		9) Keep the right foot where it is, swivel 270 degrees into left gedan barai
		10) Step right leg forward oi tsuki
		11) Keep left foot where it is, swivel 180 degrees into right gedan barai
		12) Step forward left leg oi tsuki
		13) Keep right leg where it is, step 90 degrees with the left into gedan barai.
		14) Step forward right leg oi tsuki
		15) Step forward left leg oi tsuki
		16) Step forward right leg oi tsuki *KIAI*
		17) Keep right foot where it is, swivel 270 degrees into left gedan barai
		18) Step forward right leg oi tsuki
		19) Keep left foot where it is, swivel 180 degrees into right gedan bari
		20) Step forward left leg oi tsuki
		move left leg back into yoi