The following is para-phrased from part of a lesson given by Sensei Pete Manning 6th Dan Shotokan Karate, during the recent residential course hosted by the Traditional Shotokan Karate Association:-
“Kata is like a sword. If you strive only for technical excellence, then it is like putting the sword in a glass case and hanging it on a wall for display.
However, if you learn how to use and apply the kata bunkai, then it is like taking down the sword from the glass case on the wall and actually using it”.
I liked the analogy, so I thought it was worth sharing.