Chinto - "Crane on the rocks" or - Gankaku - "Fighting to the East"
Chinto was a sailor and martial artist who was shipwrecked off the coast of Okinawa. In order to survive, he would steal from the Okinawan farmers under the cover of darkness. Sokon Matsumura, a karate teacher and guard to King Sho, was called upon to help capture Chinto. Matsumura was unable to capture Chinto. Over time, they had come to respect one another and became friends. Chinto subsequently taught Matsumura his martial art. From Chinto's teachings, Matsurmura developed the kata Chinto. Gichin Funakoshi changed the name of the kata to Gankaku when he took Karate to Japan.
I have found no references to "flight of the striking tiger" in any of my research. I will have to discuss this with Sensei Rick. I could be way off track with this one. This is, however, the only kata that looks very similar to the one we perform.
