Urashi Bo or Urashi-No-Kun:

According the Hanshi Nick Adler, Urahshi Bo was named after the village where it was created and fine turned until the form was considered one of the best on Okinawa. Robinson sensei’s version, of Urashi-No-Kun is more static than this one. In this version there is more motion. In the mid-eighties sensei Nick Adler came to Phoenix and gave a seminar on the weapons of Isshin-ryu. Adler sensei’s version contained more movement than the way most instructors performed the kata. Rick Robinson was my first weapons instructor. After reviewing Robinson sensei’s version, I noted that his form was more ridged like the earlier versions and his strikes were also more horizontal. Sensei Beahr trained in Chinese weapons, so from him we developed even more of a more fluid movement. This form contains less static movements, but in essence it is still the form Tatsuo Shimabuku taught the first generation students.  

There are many blocking and striking surfaces associated with the Bo (staff). Any movement of the Bo can be utilized as a strike or a block. The only movements that can be purely interpreted as strikes are made with the tip of the Bo. Even these strikes can be delivered utilizing a poking motion or a thrusting motion and can be administered to high or low targets. Urashi kata does a good job of moving the targeting to various heights on the opponent’s body. Remember, blocks can be strikes and strikes can be blocks. A block can also set-up a strike. A strike can be used to set-up a strip of the opponent’s weapon. Don’t get locked into the idea that a certain movement has only one explanation.

Understanding your adversary’s target areas is of vital importance. The obvious targets are first the hands and then the remainder of the body. In every instance you want to damage your opponent’s hands. Break their wrist or fingers. If he/she cannot hold the weapon the weapon becomes useless. This applies to bo, sai, nunchaku or tuifa (tonfa). You must understand the weapon’s strengths and weakness, and how to battle close- and long-range weapons. The second favored target area, when wielding a bo, is the opponent’s legs and feet. If they cannot move, you can pick their defense apart. Remember to bo is a log distance weapon, so immobilization of your attacker allows you to toy with your would-be adversary. Lastly, are the ribs and head. Yes, these can take your attacker out of action quickly, but these are also the area’s most likely to be defended rigorously. The bo has two ends, so you have in essence two weapons. Each end can be used to strike the opponent or block the opponent’s advance. Knowing your target areas and the strengths and weakness of your weapon can save you.

Urashi-No-Kun was designed to allow the student to practice the various strikes, blocks, and strips they may need if in a real confrontation. This was done with the understanding that physically, the body-mind connection must first be in place to be able to execute the counterattack responses built into this form. Once the body-mind connection is made by months of practice, the student can then begin to dissect the technique within the form. Do not get trapped into performing a set of technique in response to a single type of attack. Urashi-No-Kun is a puzzle that can be rearranged into a limitless number of responses to a single attack.

One of Master Beahr’s Chinese instructors told him that he had seen the technique found in step thirty-one used in the street when he lived in Taiwan. As the story goes his instructor was on the roof of the building where his family lived. He saw one young man being pursued by several other young men. The lone man carried a staff. At one point he stopped abruptly and thrust the weapon backwards dropping his closest assailant with the point of the Bo. Immediately, after dropping the attacker, he continued to run away, but the small gang stopped to administer aid to their fallen comrade. This technique was made doubly affective because of the forward momentum of the attacker coupled with the reverse momentum of the weapon. A Bo is a good weapon to utilize if attacked by a large group of men/women, yet the man wielding the Bo used his opponent’s zealousness to increase this technique’s effectiveness.  There are many striking areas on the Bo, and Urashi-No-Kun familiarizes the student with these areas and how to wield them. We can see from the story how viable this weapon can become.

The purpose of this document is not to teach you the kata. You must learn the form from a qualified AOKK instructor. There are many nuances that cannot be taught with this document. This is only a guide to help you while learning the form when and if you get stuck during practice at home