Advanced
Tensho
転掌
Rotating palms kata - a softer, more flowing kata that complements Sanchin.
- Brown Belt
- Advanced
- 13 movements
- Linear
What this kata contains
OverviewThis page does not carry a sourced, movement-by-movement score for this kata. The points below describe what it contains and emphasises — not a numbered sequence to follow move by move.
- Tensho is Goju-ryu's soft counterpart to Sanchin: continuous, circular open-hand movement performed from Sanchin Dachi, with a softer Ibuki breathing than Sanchin uses
- The hands trace repeated circular blocking and pressing motions — drawing back, rotating, pressing outward — rather than the linear strikes of the hard kata
- Performed in mirror image to both sides, it develops the flowing, 'soft' half of training that Sanchin's tension-and-power half complements
Key Points
The points most worth checking your own performance against.
- All movements are circular, never linear
- Breathing is soft Ibuki, gentler than Sanchin
- Movements flow continuously without pause
- Practice develops internal energy flow (ki)
- Represents the 'soft' principle of karate
Purpose
To develop circular, flowing movements and understand the soft aspect of Kyokushin training.
Practice Video
A full-speed performance, for once the written form makes sense.
Learning order
Kata 12 of 14