Heian Kata
Peaceful Mind:
Shodan, Nidan, Sandan etc. - Kata 1, 2 3, etc.
Heian katas were originally known by the Okinawan name of Pinan. Funakoshi changed the word to the Japanese word for "peace and tranquility" - Heian. The name change was likely due to the growing national spirit in Japan at that time, causing the change to the Japanese. The original Pinan forms were developed by the Oinawan Master Yatsune Itosu(also known as Anko Itosu) for the Okinawan School System. Itosu was one of Funakoshi's instructors and so influenced him a great deal. Because Itosu considered most Kata too difficult for the school curriculum, he developed five new forms. He called these new forms "Pinan" and introduced them to his students at the rate of one per year. Itosu developed the Pinan forms from a pair of different katas called "Kusanku" and "Channa". While the Kusanku kata is still practiced in one form or another, Channa is lost to history.