The Bassai Kata (Penetrate the Fortress)

Bassai Dai, one of the two Bassai Shotokan Karate kata, is thought to date back hundreds of years, possibly tracing its origins to the Leopard and Lion Kung Fu forms. The form was passed down through generations until sensei Ankō Itosu taught it to sensei Funakoshi, who eventually developed the versions we study today. The two kata are:

Bassai Dai (Penetrate the fortress, major): 42 moves.

Bassai Sho (Penetrate the fortress, minor): 27 moves.

The Bassai kata were designed to represent two elements of the same attack. The Bassai Dai form represents the act of fighting your way into a fortress, and Bassai Sho is symbolic of breaking your back out.

Your sensei may choose Bassai Dai as one of your grading kata, up until your 3rd degree black belt (sandan).