Sensei Kanei's feet were parallel to the chair, ie he sat on the chair with his legs straddling each side. As he twisted his torso to the front his hips also flexed as did the back knee - very slightly. This ( I believe) generates a great deal of torque which is released thru to the elbow strike.

Adding weight to Dana's argument is that Kanei's second son was named Hiromasu.

If I can share the following, when I studied at the Futenma dojo in 1980 Master Kanei specifically demonstrated Kiba dachi when performing the elbow strike in Kanshewa by taking a chair, placing it at a 45 degree angle ...

Hi my name is David Hayward. I am a member of the Australian Okikukai. I have been training in Uechi-Ryu since 1974. I have 7th dan in Uechi and a 4th Dan in Matayoshi Kobudo. I have visited Okinawa on a number of occassions. My first visit was in 1980 where I trained mainly at Master Uechi's ...

The main performers are Gakia sensei who demonstrates the kama and timbei; Yamashiro sensei who demonstrates the surichin and Eshkie (not sure how you spell his name) who demonstartes the Sai and bo hoju undo with Yamashiro san.
Gakia sensei has now left the soke and formed his own association.
In ...

Glen, I believe the information you have in regard to the Tsunami videos is correct. In 1995 Sensei Matayoshi visited Australia and conducted seminars and training seesions for about 10 days. After one of these sessions he spoke of these videos and pointed out that there were infact inaccuracies ...

[So my question is, why bother with the cat stance if you're doing the same movement you do at the end of Sanchin after the double.]

On a visit to Okinawa I trained with Sensei Takara and asked him what was the specific purpose in finishing the movement with a cat stance. Takara sensei ...

I have practiced this kata. In 1997 when I visited Okinawa, the kata was in its final stages of the first cut. At the time, patterns were being marked out on the floor and there were many discussions amongst the afore mentioned masters (although Yonamenie sensei was not involved at the time). I was ...

[/quote]It definitely has impressive performances. It not a training video per se, but it will give you plenty to work with if you already have familiarity with the Matayoshi style.

My copy is just about worn out.

David, I read that Matayoshi Shinpo learned the crane kata from Gokenki, but I ...

To my knowledge there are a number of Uechi seniors that learned under Matayoshi Sensei. A number of which were in the Pai gai noon /Konan Ryu group(s) that broke away from the Soke in the mid 70's. I believe one of the Konan Ryu groups has incorporated Matayaoshi sensei 's Crane Kata into their ...

Like you guys I think there are a number of interpretations to this move. I did spend some time last year in Okinawa and got to train with Seiko Itaksu Sensei (9th Dan Matayoshi Kobudo). Interestly he corrected me in that the bo comes thru in its usual arc however only picks up the sand (or whatever ...