Mae Geri Kekomi To the Chin – Keigo Abe (Karate)
⛩️ Source
The provided photo strongly resembles a “didactic” image from Shotokan/JKA karate (a posed shot meant to illustrate a kumite action), rather than a competition scene: uniform dark background, light-colored floor, absence of protective gear, “manual-style” framing, and a partner (“uke”) accepting the impact.
The most solid (though still probabilistic) hypothesis is that it is a print/reproduction from Dynamic Karate, the manual associated with Masatoshi Nakayama (JKA). The photo most likely shows a mae-geri chūdan (mid-level front kick), either kekomi (thrusting) or keage (snapping), depending on interpretation. The uke could be Hirokazu Kanazawa, presented as an assistant in the Dynamic Karate photos by a secondary source displaying a captioned image “Nakayama y Kanazawa” and attributing it to the book.
Under this scenario, the most plausible dating window is 1965–1966 (preparatory photo session / 1966 publication), and the context would be a demonstration photo shoot for a book rather than a public event.
If the “classic” JKA/Shotokan hypothesis is retained, the most reasonable location would be Tokyo, possibly within the environment of the Japan Karate Association (historic central dojo). The JKA indicates that a headquarters dojo was built in Yotsuya in 1955.
That said, the provided photo contains no background details that would allow the location to be confirmed with certainty: the localization therefore remains plausible but unproven.
🔖 Technique Notes
The photo shows two men wearing white keikogi and black belts; the practitioner on the left is delivering a kick to the torso of the practitioner on the right (chūdan level). Both faces are “open” (mouth slightly open), which often corresponds to a strong exhalation or kiai at the moment of impact in instructional iconography.
Based on the line of attack (torso) and the extension of the leg, the technique appears to be a Mae-geri (前蹴り) chūdan (mid-level)—that is, a front kick to the midsection.
Two variants are technically compatible with the frozen instant captured:
Mae-geri keage (前蹴り 蹴上げ): front snap kick (whipping action). Signature: fast trajectory, very quick retraction (hiki-ashi), impact often sharp and “snappy.”
Mae-geri kekomi (前蹴り 蹴込み): front thrust kick (driving action). Signature: more piston-like extension, hip engagement, a sense of “driving through” the target.
The photo shows a foot deeply engaged into the torso and a pronounced extension; this may slightly favor a kekomi interpretation, but a single image is not sufficient to make a definitive determination.
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