Pinan Shodan
Peaceful mind number one

The kata is called Pinan Shodan in Shintani Wadōkai and Heian Shodan in Shōtōkan. Heian is an alternative pronuniciation of the same kanji 平安 as Pinan, and the change from Pinan to Heian was made by Okinawan Funakoshi Gichin, who renamed all his kata to make them seem more mainland Japanese, in order to further its acceptance. The kata was originally called Pinan Nidan by its creator, Itosu Ankō (Yasutsune) 糸洲 安恒, and mainline Wadō ryū and some other ryū retain the name. It was Shintani Masaru who switched the names of Pinan Shodan and Pinan Nidan. However, because Itosu's Pinan Nidan is generally considered to be easier than his Pinan Shodan, even those ryū which use his numbering usually teach their Pinan Nidan first, so there is some logic in renumbering them. Kyokushinkai calls this kata Pinan sono ichi.

Nakayama Masatoshi counts 21 movements in Heian Shodan (not including bows as moves) and says that it should take about 40 seconds to execute. For clarity, I've divided some of his steps up, so there are more than 21 listed here.

Scottish Karate-dō Federation		The embusen 演武線 is the path the body travels through a kata

Technique sequence

1. Hachiji dachi (character 8 stance) or shizentai (natural stance). Insure that the feet are parallel, not turned outward. Then musubi dachi (informal stance, feet in a V) and bow. Return to hachiji dachi, bringing arms up to cross quickly and with strength. Then lower them more slowly. Position 0 in embusen diagram. This is the kiten 基点 , the starting point for a kata. For the purposes of this description, assume that the kata begins facing north.
    
2. Look left, as with all Pinan kata. Set, with arms across the body. Left fist is above, with palm facing out; right is below with palm facing down. At the same time, slide left with left foot. Rotate hips counterclockwise into hidari kokutsu dachi (left back stance) . Without stopping, flow into hidari tettsui otoshi uke (left dropping hammerfist block), with a big arc that uses the hips and shoulders, rather than just the arm. The block should finish with the left forearm parallel to the floor. Facing west.
    
3. Step right foot forward into migi zenkutsu dachi (right front stance) . Back leg must be straight and feet shoulder width apart. Migi jun zuki (right lunge punch), timed so that the punch is delivered at the same moment that the final stance is assumed. Hips and shoulders should be rotated counterclockwise, in hanmi. Position 1, facing west.
    
4. Look over right shoulder, chamber right fist at left shoulder, palm in. At the same time, push left fist across to protect right side ribs, palm down, as you step far back and far across with the right foot. Right foot is jiku ashi (pivot foot). Rotate hips 180° clockwise into migi zenkutsu dachi. Migi gedan barai (right lower sweeping block) . The combination of chamber, a step and rotation into gedan barai/zenkutsu dachi is repeated throughout the kata, so it's a very important movement. Outside of blocking fist should be aligned with the right side of the body, not beyond. Blocking arm should be straight and parallel to the right thigh, not angled downward more steeply. Facing east.
    
5. Pull right fist to hip, palm up, while pulling right foot into sanchin dachi (three battles stance, sometimes called "hourglass stance") or uchi hachiji dachi (inwards natural stance). Migi age uke (right rising block) , keeping the feet in place but rotating the hips counterclockwise so you look due east over your raised upper arm , followed immediately by migi tettsui otoshi uke (right dropping hammerfist block), rotating back clockwise, while staying in stance. Facing east.
    
   
6. Step left foot forward into hidari zenkutsu dachi (left front stance). Hidari jun zuki (left lunge punch). Position 2, facing east.
    
7. Look over left shoulder. Chamber left fist at right shoulder, right fist protecting left side ribs, and pull left foot in, then step out 90° counterclockwise. Rotate hips counterclockwise into hidari gedan barai (left lower sweeping block). Facing north.
    
8. Step right foot through into migi zenkutsu dachi. Migi oi age uke (right lunge rising block). Age uke should come straight up, then rotate outwards. Facing north.
    
9. Step left foot through into hidari zenkutsu dachi. Hidari oi age uke (left lunge rising block). Facing north.
    
10. Step right foot through into migi zenkutsu dachi. Migi oi age uke. First kiai point. Position 3, facing north.
     
11. Look over left shoulder. Chamber left fist at right shoulder with right fist protecting left side ribs, while pulling left foot in then sliding it back and far across to the right. Rotate hips 225° counterclockwise into hidari gedan barai in hidari zenkutsu dachi. Facing southeast.
     
12. Step right foot through into migi zenkutsu dachi. Migi jun zuki. Position 4, facing southeast.
     
13. Look 90° clockwise. Chamber right fist at left shoulder with left fist protecting right side ribs, while stepping out and to the right with the right foot. Rotate hips clockwise into migi gedan barai in migi zenkutsu dachi. Facing southwest.
     
14. Step left foot through into hidari zenkutsu dachi. Hidari jun zuki. Position 5, facing southwest.
     
15. Look 45° counterclockwise. Chamber left fist at right shoulder while stepping out about 45° counterclockwise. Rotate hips counterclockwise into hidari gedan barai in hidari zenkutsu dachi. Facing south.
     
16. Step right foot through into migi zenkutsu dachi. Migi jun zuki. Facing south.
     
17. Step left foot through into hidari zenkutsu dachi. Hidari jun zuki. Facing south.
     
18. Step right foot through into migi zenkutsu dachi. Migi jun zuki. Second kiai point. Position 6, facing south.
     
19. Bring left foot up into migi gyaku nekoashi dachi (reverse cat stance). At the same time the right hand pulls back a little into kaishu (open hand), palm down; left hand comes forward in kaishu, palm up, directly over the right, so that the backs of the hands come close to touching. Then three simultaneous movements:
         a. look over left shoulder
         b. rotate palms together clockwise into a vertical position, with wrists straight.
         c. step left (rear) foot right, behind and past the right (front) foot.
    Rotate hips counterclockwise 225° into hidari neko ashi dachi (left cat stance) . Morote teishō harai uke (augmented palm heel sweeping block). Facing northwest.
     
20. Rotate hands counterclockwise into horizontal position, then slide left foot forward into kiba dachi (horse stance) . Hidari gedan hira nukite (left lower level flat spear hand) , rotating hips clockwise and rotating left hand into palm down with strike. Aim at your own floating rib height. At the same time, right hand in kaishu pulls back to shō mune mae gamae (hand in front of chest posture). Facing northwest.
     
21. Right chidori ashi (crossover step) in front of left foot, bringing the right hand, palm up, over the left. Slide right foot forward into kiba dachi. Migi gedan hira nukite, rotating the right hand into palm down. Left hand pulls back to shō mune mae gamae. Position 7, facing northwest.
     
22. Pull right foot back into migi neko ashi dachi while pulling the right hand back and rotating it clockwise into palm up, directly over the left open hand, palm down. Three simultaneous movements:
         a. turn head to look 90° to the right
         b. rotate palms together counterclockwise into a vertical position
         c. step right with right foot.
    Rotate hips clockwise 90° into migi neko ashi dachi (right cat stance). Morote teishō harai uke. Facing northeast.
     
23. Rotate hands clockwise into horizontal position, then slide right foot forward into kiba dachi. Migi gedan hira nukite, rotating the hips counterclockwise and right hand counterclockwise into palm down. Left hand pulls back to shō mune mae gamae. Facing northeast.
     
    
24. Left foot chidori ashi in front of right foot, bringing the left hand, palm up, over the right. Slide left foot forward into kiba dachi. Hidari gedan hira nukite by rotating the hand clockwise into palm down. Right hand pulls back to shō mune mae gamae. Position 8, facing northeast.
     
25. Hold kamae (posture) in zanshin (remaining mind) for five to seven seconds, concentrating on imagined opponent. Slowly pull left foot back and to the left so that feet are at shoulder width, still looking in the same direction and keeping nukite extended. Snap arms across chest with strength while assuming hachiji dachi while turning head to face north, then slowly bring arms down. Musubi dachi and bow. Hachiji dachi. Position 0, facing north. You should end at or near the kiten..

Pinan Shodan page 2