Gojushiho

Gojushiho is translated simply as "Fifty-Four Steps," making reference to the number of steps or movements in the original kata.

Being labeled as the smaller kata, one would expect Gojushiho Sho to have a smaller frame, fewer movements, and greater complexity than its counterpart Gojushiho Dai. To the contrary, Gojushiho Sho has a larger frame and is slightly less difficult to perform.

Both kata begin with mizu-nagare-uraken-kamae, an elegant posture demonstrating grace and resolve. Both kata rely heavily on the use of the fingers for jabbing strikes.

Almost identical, these kata differ in their execution of the "trademark set." The trademark of Gojushiho Sho is be the ryuun (flowing clouds) set of movements consisting of ryuun-no-uke, followed by haishu-osae-uke/shuto-gedan-barai, and finishing with the triple shihon-tate-nukite.

The main goal here is to perform ryuun-no-uke as smoothly and gracefully as possible, and to rotate the nukite techniques quickly and sharply. In Gojushiho Sho, spear-hand is the attack of choice although sword-hand techniques are also predominant.