Bunkai is the analysis and practical application of techniques from kata. The Japanese word means «analysis» or «decoding.»

In Kyokushin, bunkai helps understand:
— how to use movements from kata;
— what attacks and defenses are hidden within the technique;
— how to apply kata in real combat.

During bunkai, students work in pairs and study the practical meaning of each movement.

Bunkai develops:
— sense of distance;
— sense of timing;
— coordination;
— applied thinking.

Many techniques that appear formal in kata become real fighting applications in bunkai.

This is why bunkai is considered an essential part of traditional karate.