Παρασκευή 25 Δεκεμβρίου 2009

Takeda Sokaku

click to enlarge Takeda Sokaku was born the second son of Takeda Sokichi on 10 October 1859 in the Takeda mansion within the precincts of Aizu Ise Shrine in Oike. As a child, Sokaku witnessed first-hand the battles of the Aizu War, many of which took place within walking distance from his home. He learned kenjutsu, bojutsu, sumo, and Daito-ryu from his father. He also learned Ono-ha Itto-ryu from Shibuya Toma at the Yokikan dojo, which was located in the Bangemachi district of the Aizu domain. In 1873, together with his father Sokichi, he visited the Jikishinkage-ryu dojo of Sakakibara Kenkichi with whom Sokichi had good relationship. Sokaku became a live-in student at the Sakakibara dojo, studying the depths of Jikishinkage-ryu.

Sokaku's stay in Tokyo was cut short by the sudden death of his older brother Sokatsu in 1876. Sokatsu had entered the priesthood and, with his unexpected passing, Sokichi determined that his second son, Sokaku, would succeed him, an arrangement that he felt would give Sokaku a more respectable vocation. Consequently, the seventeen-year-old Sokaku was sent to Tsutsukowake Shrine in Fukushima prefecture (the Aizu domain had ceased to exist by that time). The chief priest there was Hoshina Chikanori (1830-1903), formerly known as Saigo Tanomo and a one-time Aizu domain councilor. Hoshina was sympathetic to the cause of Saigo Takamori (1828-1877), a key figure in the Meiji Restoration, who now found himself at odds with the Imperial government he had helped to create. It would appear that Hoshina briefed Sokaku on the political and military situation in the country and, in particular, on Takamori's activities in Kagoshima. At that time, rumors of Takamori's rebellion buzzed in Sokaku's ear and after a short stay of only a few weeks at the shrine as an apprentice priest, he abandoned his duties and set out for Kyushu with the intention of joining Takamori's army.

Sokaku made his way towards Kyushu via Tokyo and then Osaka where he spent a period of time training at the Kyoshin Meichi-ryu kenjutsu dojo of noted swordsman Momonoi Shunzo (1826-1886). Objections from those around him and other events eventually conspired to prevent Sokaku from joining Takamori's army, and he finally abandoned his plan. Nonetheless, he did not return home but instead spent the next ten or so years traveling around the southern part of Japan engaged in self-training. There are no known documents from this period of Sokaku's life, but various accounts of his training and adventures were left by his son Tokimune.

Likewise, few details are available on Sokaku's activities following his period of wandering in southern Japan. It is known that he spent some time in his native Fukushima prefecture, during which time he married and fathered two children. He also accompanied Saigo Tsugumichi (1843-1902), a younger brother of Saigo Takamori, to Hokkaido about 1887, when Tsugumichi became the head of the Hokkaido Development Project. It seems likely that Sokaku continued his training in the martial arts during this period extending into the 1890s and may have begun his teaching activities as well.

click to enlarge Sokaku trained in Daito-ryu under his father Sokichi. As for oshikiuchi he learned it for the first time from Hoshina Chikanori while studying under his mentorship at Tsutsukowake Shrine as an apprentice priest in 1876. In later years Sokaku would visit Hoshina often, including in 1898 when he spent some time at Ryozen Shrine in Fukushima prefecture, used as a dojo for esoteric practices by the Tendai Buddhist sect. There, under the supervision of Hoshina, Sokaku is said to have mastered the arts of divining time and space, the Mind's Eye and other magical powers, as well as the deepest secrets of oshikiuchi. On 12 May of the same year Sokaku received a poem from Hoshina:


People, do they know?
Though you may strike the flow of a river
no mark is left on the water

This is thought to have signified the formal transmission of Daito-ryu to Sokaku. Since that time Sokaku referred to himself as a practitioner of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu and Ono-ha Itto-ryu swordsmanship. He began traveling around Japan teaching these martial arts and is revered as the "interim reviver" of Daito-ryu.

It is possible to trace Sokaku's whereabouts over a span of approximately fifty years with pinpoint accuracy beginning from 1892. This is due to the fact that of most of his personal enrollment books (Eimeiroku) and payment ledgers (Shareiroku), in which he had recorded detailed information on his teaching activities, have been preserved. These books contain the names and addresses of students, techniques taught, amounts paid, and other relevant information.

In 1910, Sokaku accompanied Akita prefectural police chief Takarabe Sanehide to Hokkaido upon the latter's transfer to Japan's underdeveloped northernmost island. Sokaku decided to settle in Hokkaido and there he remarried. Hokkaido would remain the site of his official residence for the rest of his life. After finishing his assignment with Takarabe, Sokaku began traveling around Hokkaido teaching Daito-ryu in various locations. Later, on the invitation of his student Ueshiba Morihei, Sokaku moved to a new dwelling in the Hokkaido town of Shirataki, where he lived with his wife Sue. This union produced seven children including Sokaku's successor Tokimune.

With the exception of the years of 1921 and 1922, Sokaku seldom ventured outside Hokkaido until the mid-1930s. Starting in 1934 he shifted his activities to the Tohoku, Kanto, and Kansai areas. While in Kanto he was often assisted during his instructional tours by Sagawa Yukiyoshi (1902-1998). Then in 1936, Sokaku appeared at the office of the Osaka Asahi News, announcing himself as "the martial arts teacher of Ueshiba Morihei." The specifics of this episode are surrounded in controversy, and it is unclear why Sokaku showed up so unexpectedly and took over instruction at the dojo where Morihei had been teaching since about 1933. In any event, during the following two years and eight months Sokaku often visited Osaka and taught Daito-ryu, eventually awarding menkyo kaiden (license of full transmission) certificates to both Hisa Takuma (1895-1980) and Tonedate Masao in 1939.

Sokaku spent most of the last years of his life in Hokkaido. Despite his advanced age he continued teaching until finally passing away at age eighty-four, on 25 April 1943 in Aomori prefecture during one of his usual instruction tours.

Takeda Sokaku mastered many different martial arts during his life, including sword, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu, spear, staff, stick, shuriken, and others. He held the highest certificate (inka) awarded in Takada-ha Hozoin-ryu spear and menkyo kaiden in Ono-ha Itto-ryu swordsmanship. In his youth, he visited numerous dojo throughout Japan polishing his skills. He also engaged in personal training austerities, secluding himself in Udo Myojin Shrine in Kyushu, Futarasan Shrine in Nikko, Hagurosan Shrine in Yamagata prefecture and other places, always striving to temper his body and spirit. Sokaku's sword skills were extraordinary and fearsome to the degree that he was called "the little demon of Aizu." He was less than 150 centimeters tall, but is said to have had piercing eyes, skills that reached a level that seemed almost divine, and an ability to know a person's past, present and future even before meeting him. During his lifetime he taught about 30,000 students, including many famous martial artists (among them the swordsman Shimoe Hidetaro, aikido founder Ueshiba Morihei), as well as a wide array of politicians, military officers, judges, policemen, and other persons of high social standing from all over Japan.

http://www.daito-ryu.org/history2_eng.html

What is Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu ?

Daito-ryu aikijujutsu ( 大東流合気柔術 ) is an ancient and noble bujutsu School; ancient because it was founded in 1087 a.d. by Yoshimitsu Minamoto (1056-1127); noble because its genesis and evolution are along all classical Japan history. The martial teachings of the school were transmitted secretely within the Takeda family up until the present days. The 36° Soke, Takeda Tokimune (1915-1993), decided to develop these marvelous self-defense techniques in all the world only in late 1988, accepting the first foreign students and thus giving birth to the reknown of this art. All the Aikijujutsu techniques practiced within the School are the one and only techniques practiced by the bushi of the Minamoto (1100), and later Takeda (1500) families and, at last, the Aizu Clan.These techniques were faithfully handed on to the present days by the Takeda family. Purpose of the School is to pass on in a correct way the teachings received by Takeda Tokimune, who received them from his father Takeda Sokaku ( 武田惣角 ), 35° inheritor of the Daito School. Daito-ryu is a School that teaches a complete martial art, among the hand-to-hand combat techniques with atemi waza (kicks, strikes, elbow hits etc.), nage waza (throws), shime waza (strangles), kansetsu waza (joint-locks), kyusho waza (pressure on vital points of the human body) and aikinojutsu (throws), the practitioner studies the use of all the ancient weapon of the bushi (like katana, yari, bo, tessen, jutte, kodachi, etc.).

Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu and Daito-ryu Aikibudo.

With the word Aikijujutsu ( 合気柔術 ) we refer to the practice and training of the techniques of jujutsu and aikinojutsu only, while with Aikibudo ( 合気武道 ) it is meant the practice of jujutsu, aikijujutsu, Ono-ha Itto-ryu kenjutsu ( 小野派一刀流 ) and other weapons. It was Takeda Tokimune ( 武田時宗 ) to change the name of the art inherited by his father, trying to stress the importance, in a traditional martial art, of practicing kenjutsu. Tokimune then taught to his most trusted students the kata of the Ono style with those modifications that his father introduced; so today this style is called Takeda-den Ono-ha Itto-ryu.

by http://www.daito-ryu.com/home1.html

Daito-ryu and aikido

Aikido founder Ueshiba Morihei (1883-1969) was one of the best students of Takeda Sokaku. Sokaku had a major effect on Ueshiba, and clearly the origins of aikido lie in Daito-ryu. Morihei met Sokaku for the first time in 1915 in the town of Engaru in Hokkaido. He was amazed at Sokaku's martial skills and immediately became his student. He studied Daito-ryu assiduously for about five years, and was so enthusiastic that he invited Sokaku to relocate to the village of Shirataki where he was living at that time along with a group of settlers from Tanabe city in Wakayama prefecture. Sokaku agreed and lived and taught Daito-ryu in Morihei's house for a period of time. In late 1919, Morihei suddenly departed Shirataki upon receiving news that his father had become ill, and he left his house along with all its furnishings to Sokaku.

click to enlarge The association between Morihei and Sokaku was renewed in 1922 when Sokaku spent about six months together with his entire family at Morihei's home in Ayabe. By that time Morihei had joined a community of believers in the Omoto religion and, with the encouragement of the religion's co-founder Deguchi Onisaburo, had set up a dojo in his home where he was teaching Daito-ryu. At the end of his stay in Ayabe, Sokaku awarded Morihei the Representative Instructor (kyoju dairi) certificate, which entitled him to teach Daito-ryu on Sokaku's behalf. Subsequently, Morihei received the kaishaku sodensho, the highest Daito-ryu certificate at the time. Although the relationship between the two ceased to be as close as before, they would meet again on several occasions during the next decade.

Overall, historical records show that Ueshiba Morihei practiced Daito-ryu for some twenty years. He gradually changed Daito-ryu techniques, eventually formulating his own system, which is now known as aikido.

by http://www.daito-ryu.org

Κυριακή 20 Δεκεμβρίου 2009

What is Zen ?

The word Zen is Japanese. It is their pronunciation of the Chinese word ch'an which in turn comes from the Sanskrit word dhyana, meaning wisdom-meditation.

The Founder

Bodhidharma (b. 450 CE) is the Indian master who is credited with having brought the form of Buddhism emphasizing meditation to the Far East. He was from Kanchi, renowned as the site of the Great Stupa, in what was then the Pallava kingdom of South India. When his spiritual mentor, Prajnatara, advised him to go to China, he left by ship and arrived in the south of that country in about 475. According to his devotees, he is considered the 28th master in a direct line from Buddha Shakyamuni. Shi Da Yang is one Chinese form of his name. In Japanese, he is called Daruma Taishi.The 15th-century Japanese image by Bokkei [above] is courtesy Buddhanet. Here, as in many other scroll paintings, he is portrayed as a fiercely wild-eyed monk. One traditional explanation for this extraordinary appearance is that he sat in meditation in a cave facing a blank wall for nine years. So as not to succumb to sleep before attaining enlightenment, he cut off his own eyelids. Legend says that tea-plants sprang from the place where his eyelids fell. The site of his 9-year meditation is a cave in China not far from the site of the Shaolin Temple. A few years after his death, which is conservatively given as 528, a Chinese official reported encountering Bodhidharma in the mountains of Central Asia. He was described as walking with a staff from which hung a single sandal, and told the official that he was on his way back to the land of his birth. Legend also says that when this account reached India, the monks opened Bodhidharma's tomb only to find a single sandal. Near the end of The Life of Milarepa, we learn that the great Tibetan yogi had met "Dharma Bodhi, the Indian saint," but that would place his life some 500 years later. Also, some think that Bodhidharma and Padampa Sangye, Machig Labdron's teacher, are one and the same person.

The Method

Tao-husan's Further Lives of Exemplary Monks, dating from 645, mentions the collected sermons of Bodhidharma. In the 20th-century, T'ang dynasty manuscript copies were found in China's Tunhuan caves that were in use from the 7th through the 8th centuries. Previously, only 14th-century copies were known.

In the collection known as The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma, the master says:

The only reason I've come to China is to transmit the instantaneous teaching of the Mahayana: This mind is the Buddha. I don't talk about precepts, devotions or ascetic practices such as immersing yourself in water and fire, treading a wheel of knives, eating one meal a day, or never lying down. These are fanatical, provisional teachings. Once you recognize your moving, miraculously aware nature, yours is the Mind of all Buddhas.

The two Sutras that formed the basic texts of early Ch'an, the Lankavatara and the Diamond, are shared with Vajrayana Buddhism.During his life he had few disciples, only the names of three are known. Bodhidharma transmitted his line age to Hui-k'o, who reportedly cut off his own arm to show he had got the transmission.

In Japan

As we have seen, Zen is the Japanese pronunciation of Ch'an. It developed in Japan in the Kamakura period when, in 1191, a monk named Eisai brought the Ch'an method to Kyoto. Ch'an or Zen is like Mahamudra [Kagyu method] and Dzogchen [Nyingma method] in that it is direct and immediate. Therefore, Zen has always stressed meditation over study and theory, and has been known as "the transmission that does not depend on teaching" or in Japanese: kyoge betsuden.

What is the sound of one hand . . . ?

A koan (in Korean kong-an) is puzzling proposition or phrase, but it is not merely a paradox designed to shock the mind. It is an integral part of a system honed over centuries to help bring a student to a direct realization of ultimate reality. From the Japanese ko meaning public, and an meaning proposition, koans can be questions, excerpts from sutras, episodes in the life of a master, or just a word from a famous dialogue (Jap.: mondo) or teaching. There are about 1,700 traditional koans in existence.

from http://www.khandro.net/Bud_paths_Zen.htm

Πέμπτη 17 Δεκεμβρίου 2009

What is Kyudo (Japenese Archery)

Kyudo, which literally means The Way of the Bow, is considered by many to be the purest of all the martial ways. In the past, the Japanese bow was used for hunting, war, court ceremonies, games, and contests of skill. The original word for Japanese archery was kyujutsu (bow technique) which encompassed the skills and techniques of the warrior archer. Some of the ancient schools, known as ryu, survive today, along with the ancient ceremonies and games, but the days where the Japanese bow was used as a weapon are long past. Modern kyudo is practiced primarily as a method of physical, moral, and spiritual development.

No one knows exactly when the term kyudo came into being but it was not until the late nineteenth century when practice centered almost exclusively around individual practice that the term gained general acceptance. The essence of modern kyudo is said to be synonymous with the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty.

Truth in kyudo is manifested in shooting that is pure and right-minded, where the three elements of attitude, movement, and technique unite in a state of perfect harmony. A true shot in kyudo is not just one that hits the center of the target, but one where the arrow can be said to exist in the target before its release.

Goodness encompasses such qualities as courtesy, compassion, morality, and non-aggression. In kyudo, goodness is shown by displaying proper attitude and behavior in all situations. A good kyudo archer is a person who maintains his or her composure and grace even in times of great stress or conflict.

Beauty both enhances life and stimulates the spirit. In kyudo, truth and goodness, themselves, are considered beautiful. Beauty can also be found in the exquisite grace and artistry of the Japanese bow and the elegance of the traditional archer's attire. It is also present in the refined etiquette that surrounds the kyudo ceremony. Etiquette, which is simply common courtesy and respect for others, is an essential element of kyudo practice.

Much has been written about the philosophical connections of kyudo. Perhaps most known is the book Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel. In his book Mr. Herrigel sets forth his experiences with kyudo in the 1930's. It was a beautifully written account that has been translated into many languages, giving people worldwide their first glimpse of the art. Unfortunately, the book was very one-sided in its description of kyudo as a Zen art and is responsible for a lot of the current misconception surrounding the practice of kyudo as a religious activity.
While kyudo is not a religion it has been influenced by two schools of Eastern philosophy: The previously mentioned Zen, a form of Buddhism imported from China, and Shintoism, the indigenous faith of Japan. Of the two, the influence of Shintoism is much older. Ritualistic use of the bow and arrows have been a part of Shintoism for over two thousand years. Much of the kyudo ceremony, the attire worn by the archers, and the ritual respect shown for the equipment and shooting place are derived from ancient Shinto practice.
The influence of Zen, on the other hand, is more recent, dating back to the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) when the warrior archers adopted Zen as their preferred method of moral training. Zen's influence on kyudo became even greater in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries when Japan, as a whole, experienced a period of civil peace. During that time the practice of kyudo took on a definite philosophical leaning. This is the period when sayings like "one shot, one life" and "shooting should be like flowing water" were associated with the teaching of kyudo. Because of its long and varied past, modern Japanese archery will exhibit a wide variety of influences. Today, at any given kyudojo (practice hall), one can find people practicing ancient kyujutsu, ceremonial court games, rituals with religious connections, and contests of skill. The key to understanding kyudo is to keep an open mind and realize that any style of kyudo you see or practice is but a small part of a greater whole, and that each style has its own history and philosophical underpinnings which make them all equally interesting and important.

The Spirit of Kyudo

Hideharu Onuma sensei, believed that one's spirit was like a great oak tree, and in order for it to realize its greatest potential the seeds had to be planted early. He, of course, recognized the importance of technique; teaching that technique was the gateway to the spiritual level. But more often, he liked to echo the sayings of past kyudo masters and teach that "shooting with technique improves the shooting, but shooting with spirit improves the man."

Because the practice of kyudo involves little in the way of hard physical activity, spirit is extremely important. When the spirit is weak the shooting becomes dull and lifeless. Onuma sensei taught that if the spirit is strong one will appear like a deep-flowing river, calm on the surface but with tremendous power hidden in the depths. Compare that to someone whose internal spirit is weak. Like a small stream, they may appear powerful because of all their noise and turbulence, but underneath they are shallow and devoid of any real power.
Strict self-control and emotional stability are crucial to the development of one's spirit and to the practice of kyudo. But some are unwilling to adhere to the strict ceremonial procedures that the practice of kyudo requires. These people argue that any attempt at self-control stifles creativity. Attitudes such as this, however, are usually little more than an attempt to use unorthodox methods as a cover for insufficient skill or knowledge. True creativity is sister to the spirit and both are born of simplicity. They are not a product of the intellect, but surface only when the rational mind is quieted and the intuitive thought process takes over. The guidelines and procedures established for the practice of kyudo have been borrowed from generations of past teachers, and are designed to put the analytical mind to rest and allow the practitioner to move into a state of consciousness known as mushin (literally, no mind). And while some may associate a state of no mind with unconsciousness or even death, it is in truth a state where the remnants of thought are eliminated and only pure thought remains.
It is important to mention here that kyudo, by itself, cannot solve our problems nor add anything to our lives; at least not in the beginning. Kyudo may look simple but it is deceptively complex. Onuma sensei liked to tell us that the practice of kyudo made him feel like "A blind turtle in the middle of the ocean searching for a log." It is that complexity, however, that makes kyudo such a rewarding instrument for self-discovery. Its practice peels away the protective layers of ego that we all hide behind and allows our true nature to be revealed. It is then our responsibility to examine the results and balance our character accordingly. Perhaps the best way to explain the spirit of kyudo is to put it in Onuma sensei's words: "When shooting, sometimes we will hit the target but miss the self. At other times we will miss the target but hit the self. Our purpose, though, is to hit the target as the self and hope that the sharp sound of arrow penetrating paper will awaken us from the so-called 'dream of life' and give us real insight into the ultimate state of being."


Κυριακή 6 Δεκεμβρίου 2009

Goshin Jutsu (Kodokan )

The Kodokan Goshin Jutsu was created in 1956 by a Kodokan working group to update the older kata with more modern forms of self-defense. It also shows the influence of Kenji Tomiki, one of Professor Kano's students, who also studied Aikido under the founder of Aikido. It consists of 21 techniques against an unarmed, as well as armed, attacker. It is divided into two unarmed sets (toshu no bu) and three sets with weapons (buki no bu). The first seven techniques are against an attack close in. The next five are against attacks from strikes and kicks. Then there are three attacks with a knife, three with a stick and three with a gun. The techniques here cannot be used in free exercise practice or in competition, but only in kata. Never-the-less, as one practices this kata, the attack speed increases and one's reflexes and reactions sharpen to meet the attack. Eventually, this kata can be practiced with real weapons. The intent in this kata is different than with normal Judo practice, in that this is a self-defense kata, the intent on the part of both participants is to hurt the other. While the actions are controlled, so that the attacker is not hurt, the defender's actions can easily be modified to disable the attacker. It is important to realize that all of the techniques in this kata are consistant with the principles of "Judo", the way of gentleness or yielding.

Unarmed Close-in Attacks by Holding

Ryote dori - two hand hold Ryote Dori

Stepping forward with the left foot, the attacker grabs both wrists and attempts a right knee kick to the groin. Defender avoids the kick by stepping back with the left foot, forces his right hand against attacker's weak thumb releasing the grip, and continues his motion into a right knife edge strike to the temple. Defender then uses the right hand to grab the attacker's right wrist from the top and twists to the right, and ends with an armlock and wrist lock forcing the attacker to submit or have his arm broken.


Hidari eri dori - left lapel holdHidari-eri-dori

Using the right hand the attacker grabs the left lapel and pushes defender back while stepping forward with the right foot. Defender holds attacker's hand with his left hand as he steps back with his left foot, pulling attacker off balance, and strikes attacker's eyes with the back of his right hand. He immediately grabs the attacker's right wrist from the top with his right hand, placing his left hand on the attacker's right elbow and stepping back with the right foot. He ends the attack by forcing the attacker to the ground with a wrist and elbow joint lock, controlling his body with his left knee.


Migi eri dori - right lapel hold Migi eri dori

As attacker grabs across to the right lapel and pulls defender forward by stepping back with his left foot, defender steps forward with the right foot and delivers a right uppercut to the chin of the attacker. He then grabs the wrist with the left hand from the top, steps back with the left foot, adds the right hand, and turns forcing the attacker to be thrown with the wrist lock.


Kata ude dori - single hand holdKata ude dori

Attacker approaches from the right rear and grabs the right arm lifting defender to his toes and attempts to take defender with him. As they walk, defender delivers a right kick to the left knee and uses the unbalance position of the defender to apply the armlock to the right arm forcing submission.


Ushiro eri dori - back collar holdUshiro eri dori

As they are walking forward the attacker grabs collar from behind, steps back with the left foot, and pulls. Defender turns and blocks the arm with his left hand and delivers a punch to the solar plexus with the right hand using the turning motion. He then applies the ude gatame armlock, forcing the attacker's elbow down.


Ushiro jime - rear chokeUshiro Jime

Attacker puts his right arm around the defender's neck from the rear to apply hadaka jime. Defender tucks in his chin and pulls the arm down from his throat. He then steps forward with the right foot, turns to the left ducking under the choke, forcing attacker's arm into the te gatame armlock with his right hand on the attacker's elbow and left hand grasping the wrist.


Kakae dori - rear seizureKakae Dori

Attacker steps forward with his right foot and grasps the body and arms from behind as in a bear hug. Defender counters by raising shoulders and arms and simultaneously stomping on attacker's foot with a forceful downward kick. This causes attacker to release grip. Defender then turns to the right to grab the right wrist with his left hand, bringing the right arm up behind the elbow pushing attacker's arm into a forceful throw which is applied by continuing the turning motion.


Unarmed Attack at a Distance

Naname uchi - slanting strikeNaname uchi

Advancing with his right foot attacker attempts to strike the left side of defender's head with his right hand. Strike is parried by stepping outside attacker's right foot with the left and turning to the right pushing the arm down as it misses it's target. It is countered with a right uppercut to the chin and a throat grab forcing attacker off balance backwards as defender applies right osotogari to the attacker's rear.


Ago tsuki - uppercutAgo tsuki

Attacker attempts a right uppercut that is parried by defender as he steps back with his left foot. Attacker's arm motion is redirected by grabbing the wrist with the blocking right hand. The left hand applies pressure against his elbow upward as the wrist is pulled down and defender steps forward with the left foot pushing on the elbow and wrist to throw by this action.


Gammen tsuki - thrust punch or jabGammen tsuki

Attacker steps forward with his left foot and punches the face with the left fist. The punch is again parried as defender steps forward with the right foot and a counter attack is made by a punch to attacker's floating ribs. Defender then applies a rear choke (hadaka jime) with the right arm forcing submission or unconsciousness.


Mae geri - front kickMae Geri

Defender parries a right kick by turning the body to the right and stepping back with the right foot. He then grabs the foot of attacker's raised leg with both hands, twisting the ankle, breaking it, and then forcing attacker backward and down.


Yoko geri - side kickYoko geri

Walking towards each other, attacker attempts a side kick as he passes defender, who parries the kick, turns and pulls attacker down onto his back dropping onto his left knee. While this technique in the kata looks harmless enough, in actuality, the defender would leave his right knee in place behind the attacker so that he falls with his lower back on the knee, which would no doubt break the attacker's back.

Armed Attack - Knife

Tsukkake - close in thrustTsukkake

As attacker steps back with his right foot and turns his body to withdraw knife, which is hidden from defender's view, defender steps in with the right foot, grabs the left elbow with the right hand, and blinds attacker with a left backhand to the eyes. Defender grabs the left wrist and twists it away to raise the elbow as the right hand applies pressure on the elbow. Attacker is taken down by application of pressure to the elbow.


Choku zuki - straight thrustChoku zuki

Attacker steps forward with the left foot, takes out a dagger with his right hand then steps forward with his right foot and attempts a lunge with the knife. Defender steps forward with the left foot turning to the right and grabs the attacking arm at the elbow with the left hand. At the same time defender strikes above the nose with a punch. Defender grabs the right wrist from below with the right hand, turns and applies an armlock (waki gatame) to the arm with the knife forcing submission or a broken elbow.


Naname zuki - slanting stabNaname zuki

Attacker steps forward with his left foot, takes out a dagger with his right hand and attempts a downward stab to the chest as he steps forward with the right foot. Defender steps back with his right foot, turns to the right, parries by grabbing the right wrist from the top with the left hand. Using both hands on the wrist, defender controls the wrist and arm up into a throw or takedown (kote gaeshi). He then locks the arm (ude garame) and takes the knife away and holds it against attacker's throat. Variations of this technique, force attacker to cut his own throat while being thrown.


Armed Attack - Stick

Furiage - upswing against a stickFuriage

Attacker steps back with his right foot, raises the stick with the right hand preparing to deliver a blow. As attacker brings the stick back to strike, defender steps in, blocking the attacking arm with the left hand, delivering a palm strike to the chin and throwing attacker backward with right osotogari.


Furioroshi - downswing against a stickFurioroshi

Attacker steps forward with his right foot, raises the stick with the right hand and attempts to strike the left side of defender's head. Stick is avoided by a turning action and stepping back with the right foot. Defender immediately steps in with a left backfist strike to the bridge of the nose. He then controls the stick, steps in again with the left foot behind the attakcer and strikes again below the nose with the knife edge of his hand forcing the attacker down.


Morote zuke - two hand thrustMorote zuke

Attacker thrusts stick to abdomen stepping forward with the left foot. Defender steps forward with the right foot, turns to the left and parries with the right hand. He then grabs the stick from the top with the left hand and pulls attacker forward and steps in to grab the stick between the attacker's hands with the right hand. The right arm is placed against the back of the attacker's left elbow applying pressure forwards. Attacker not wanting to let go of the stick, pulls back and defender steps forward throwing attacker with his own stick.

Armed Attack - Gun

Shomen zuke - pistol held to abdomenShomen zuke

Attacker steps forward with his right foot and holds gun against abdomen, says te o age (or hands up), and searches for wallet with other hand. Defender raises hands slowly, watching attacker's eyes, and at the key moment, turns to the right stepping forward with the left foot. Defender grabs the gun with his left hand, thumb on top, and his wrist with the right hand from the top, forcing it to the side and up into attacker's armpit and a release of the weapon. Defender then strikes attacker with weapon.


Koshi gamae - pistol at sideKoshi gamae

Attacker approaches with his left foot. Pistol is held away from defender towards the side aimed at the stomach and the defender raises his hands after the command of te o age (or hands up). As attacker reaches for wallet, defender turns, grabs the gun from the top with the right hand, forces it to point away, and with the aid of the other hand, forces gun up and pulls it away to the right. Attacker's finger is locked into the trigger guard and is broken off. Defender ends the attack with an upward strike to the chin of the attacker with the gun. See the video.


Haimen zuke - pistol against the backHaimen zuke

Attacker steps forward with the right foot. As gun is placed against the back as the attacker says te o age (or hands up). The defender glances to see what arm is raised. As attacker reaches for wallet, defender turns to the right, drops the right hand under the gun hand, raising it up to lock the gun arm against his chest. He then grabs the gun with other hand disarming attacker and striking him with it or applying kote gaeshi to throw him.

By http://judoinfo.com/katagosh.htm