Gichin Funakoshi taught one passai, which he learnt from Anko Itosu, at least mainly, if not entirely, as others such as Kanken Toyama, Kenwa Mabun, and Chosin Chibana learnt a version of passai from Itosu that is basically the same, with some variations (wherever each of their differences actually came from…). Whether or not he did know other versions, he at least knew of others, such as the passai that is taught in several lines of Funakoshi karate, called passai [sho]. He was also at least aware of Tomari passai, as another of his teachers, Anko Asato, noted that it is a practical kata, during an interview between Funakoshi and Asato.
Passai [sho] was apparently also taught by Itosu, and is said to have been created by him. However, there are other passai that bear similarities. One is called koryu passai. Another name for it is Gusukuma passai. While there is yet another Gusukuma passai, which has various similarities, the former, otherwise known as koryu passai, suggests that it is an old passai. If that’s true, it may be that passai [sho], which is a variation of koryu passai, might be Itosu’s version of koryu passai.
The passai taught by Funakoshi is called passai [dai] when separating it. Based on comparison with other passai, it appears to be a combination of Ishimine passai and Tomari passai. Ishimine and Tawada learnt from Sokon Matsumura. There are similarities between Ishimine passai and Tawada passai, so we know from them which techniques are most likely from Matsumura. Nonetheless, Funakoshi-ha passai [dai] must be Itosu’s combination of Ishimine passai and Tomari passai, which I think is interesting.
S. R. Marshall
