As in most Japanese martial arts, Kata form the basis for the teaching of all the techniques we learn. Because the kata are choreographed and performed in an ordered manner, the aikidoka can practice the techniques in a environment that is considered to be safer than in that of Randori.

Professor Tomiki recognized the importance of incorporating kata into aikido training, not only as a balance to the competitive randori but also as a reminder to where the roots of aikido lie. Many of the techniques included in these kata date back hundreds of years to when, as a life saving necessity, they would have been practiced for combat on the battlefield.

 

Tomiki, with the aid of close friend Ohba sensei, formulated the koryu or traditional kata that we still practice today and although relatively modern kata have been added since, it is the koryu kata that keep the budo spirit alive today.

Listed below are the kata that are practiced in Shodokan aikido.

 

RANDORI NO KATA

The Randori no kata, or Junanahon, is comprised of the basic seventeen techniques of tomiki aikido. It is generally the first kata taught to students in this style of aikido.

The first five techniques fall under the heading " Atemi waza ".

1. Shomen-ate

2. Aigamae-ate

3. Gyakugamae-ate

4. Gedan-ate

5. Ushiro-ate

The next five techniques are classed as " Hiji waza " and are all focused against ukes elbow joint.

6. Oshi-taoshi

7. Ude-gaeshi

8. Hiki-taoshi

9. Ude-garami

10. Waki-gatame

The following four techniques are against uke's wrist and are called " Kote waza" also called " Tekubi waza".

11. Kote-hineri

12. Kote-gaeshi

13. Tenkai-kote-hineri

14. Shiho-nage

The final three techniques are known as " Uke waza " or floating techniques.

15. Mae-otoshi

16. Sumi-otoshi

17. Hiki-otoshi

 

RANDORI NO KATA NO URA WAZA

This kata comprises of ten techniques that are counters to the Randori no kata.The first technique is the attack or defense that uke makes and the second second technique is the counter that tori executes.

1. Shomen-ate / waki-gatame

2. Aigamae-ate / Oshi-taoshi

3. Gyakugamae-ate / Gedan-ate

4. Gedan-ate / Gyakugamae-ate

5. Ushiro-ate / Tenkai-kote-hineri

6. Oshi-taoshi / Oshi-taoshi

7. Hiki-taoshi / Tenkai-kote-hineri

8. Kote-gaeshi / Kote-gaeshi

9. Tenkai-kote-hineri / Waki-gatame

10. Shiho-nage / Shiho-nage

 

GO HON NO KUZUSHI

Go hon no kuzushi consists of the five primary balance breaking techniques of the Randori no kata. Only kuzushi is taken during this kata and no nage is performed.

1. Oshi-taoshi

2. Hiki-taoshi

3. Waki-gatame

4. Shiho-nage

5. Sumi-otoshi

 

SHICHI HON NO KUZUSHI

This kata contains the seven balance breaking techniques.

1. Jodan-aigamae

2. Jodan-gyakugamae

3. Chudan-aigamae

4. Chudan-gyakugamae

5. Gedan-aigamae

6. Gedan-gyakugamae

7. Ushiro-ryote-mochi

 

KORYU DAI ICHI

The first five techniques of this kata are performed as suwari waza with both tori and uke in the kneeling position facing each other.

1. Oshi-Taoshi

2. Tentai-oshi-taoshi

3. Tekubi-osae

4. Ryote-mochi-sumi-otoshi

5. Ryote-mochi-kokyu-nage

The remaining nineteen techniques are performed tachi waza.

6. Katate-mochi-oshi-taoshi

7. Tentai-oshi-taoshi

8. Ryote-mochi-tentai-kote-hineri

9. Tekubi-jime-oshi-taoshi

10. Ushiro-waza-kote-gaeshi (no.1)

11. Ushiro-waza-kote-gaeshi (no.2)

12. Ushiro-waza-mae-otoshi

13. Kata-mochi-shiho-nage

14. Kata-mochi-hiji-nage

15. Kata-mochi-senkui-nage

16. Kata-mochi-tenkai-shiho-nage

17. Katate-mochi-irimi-nage (no.1)

18. Katate-mochi-irimi-nage (no.2)

19. Ryote-mochi-tenchi-nage

20. Ryote-mochi-tekubi-kime

21. Ryote-mochi-sukashi-nage

22. Ryote-mochi-shiho-nage

23. Ryote-mochi-senkai-nage

24. Ushiro-ryote-mochi-mae-nage

 

KORYU DAI NI

This kata consists of sixteen techniques, all performed tachi waza

1. Katate-mochi-kata-gatame

2. Ryote-mochi-gyakugamae-ate

3. Ryote-mochi-irimi-nage

4. Ushiro-waza-ryote-mochi-kote-gaeshi

5. Juji-garami-nage

6. Ushiro-waza-gyakugamae-ate

7. Ushiro-waza-oshi-taoshi

8. Ushiro-waza-tenkai-kote-hineri

9. Ushiro-waza-kote-gaeshi

10. Ushiro-waza-oshi-taoshi-nage

11. Ushiro-waza-juji-garami

For the next five techniques uke uses tegatana and strikes yokomen to tori's temple

12. Yokomen-uchi-uke-otoshi

13. Yokomen-uchi-kokyu-nage

14. Yokomen-uchi-shomen-ate

15. Yokomen-uchi-sukashi-nage

16. Yokomen-uchi-hiki-otoshi

 

KORYU DAI SAN

Also known as Goshin no kata, this the largest with a total of 50 techniques and possibly the most dynamic in terms of techniques contained. The kata begins in suwari waza with both tori and uke in the kneeling position facing each other.

1. Oshi-taoshi

2. Gyakugamae-ate

3. Kote-gaeshi

4. Ryote-mochi-sukui-nage

5. Tenkai-kote-hineri

6. Shiho-nage

7. Gedan-ate

8. Hiji-kime

The next section of the kata is performed tachi-waza and immediately follows on from the first section. As uke performs ukemi from hiji-kime, tori turns to face uke and rises from suwari-waza.

9. Kote-mawashi

10. Uchi-tenkai-nage

11. Gyakugamae-ate

12. Hiji-kime

13. Mae-otoshi

14. Ushiro-waza-mae-otoshi

15. Ushiro-waza-tenkai-kote-hineri

16. Mune-dori-kata-gatame

The next section of this kata is the first to include defence against tanto dori.

17. Ushiro-ate

18. Gyakugamae-ate

19. Tentai-oshi-taoshi

20. Ushiro-ate

21. Ude-gatame

22. Kote-gaeshi

23. Tenkai-kote-hineri

24. Shomen-giri-gedan-ate

The following five techniques are tachi dori with tori defending against sword attack.

25. Mae-otoshi

26. Shiho-nage

27. Aigamae-ate

28. Oshi-taoshi

29. Hiji-kujiki

Next is " Jo no bu " which is the first part of jo dori with five techniques defending against jo.

30. Gyakugamae-ate

31. Shomen-ate

32. Hishigi

33. Renraku-waza-hiji-hishigi

34. Irimi-mae-otoshi

Tori keeps the jo for " Jo no tsukai ", the next eight techniques that follow on without pause from " Jo no bu ".

35. Migi-sumi-otoshi

36. Migi-sumi-gori-hidari-sumi-otoshi

37. Tekubi-kime (gori)-shomen-tsuki

38. Mae-otoshi

39. Shiho-nage

40. Shiho-nage-gyaku-kaiten-nage

41. Ude-kujiki

42. Kokyu-nage

" Tachi tai tachi " is the final part of the kata and has both uke and tori armed with sword.

43. Ai-uchi-men

44. Hidari-men

45. Migi-men

46. Tsuki

47. Do

48. Kote-nuki-kote

49. Kaeshi-men

50. Hasso-waki-gamae
 

KORYU DAI YON

This kata contains 25 techniques in total and starts with the Shichihon no kuzushi

1. Jodan-aigamae

2. Jodan-gyakugamae

3. Chudan-aigamae

4. Chudan-gyakugamae

5. Gedan-aigamae

6. Gedan-gyakugamae

7. Ushiro-ryote-mochi

8. Counter to No.1

9. Counter to No.2

10. Counter to No.3

11. Counter to No.4

12. Counter to No.5

13. Counter to No.6

14. Counter to No.7

15. Migi-gyaku-gamae-ate

16. Hidari-gyaku-gamae-ate

17. Uchi-kaiten-nage

18. Sukui-nage

19. Ushiro-waza-kote-gaeshi

20. Juji-garami-nage

21. Tentai-oshi-taoshi

22. Tentai-hiji-garami

23. Tentai-sukui-nage

24. Ryote-mochi-uki-otoshi

25. Tenkai-kote-kugiki

 

KORYU DAI GO

Suwari-Waza Kneeling Techniques

1. Oshi-taoshi
2. Tentai-oshi-taoshi 3. Tebubi-osae
4. Tentai-oshi-otoshi 5. Kokyu-nage
6. Kote-gaeshi
7. Sukui-nage

Section B Tachi-Waza Standing Techniques

1. Tenchi-nage
2. Ryote-mochi-sukui-nage 3. Ryote-mochi-sukashi-nage 4. Ryote-mochi-shiho-nage 5. Gyaku-kote-gaeshi

Section C Tachi-Waza Standing Techniques

1. Hidari-gamae-men-uchi-irimi 2. Migi-gamae-men-uchi-irimi 3. Migi-gyaku-gamae-ate
4. Hidari-gyaku-gamae-ate

5. Uchi-kaiten-nage 6. Sukui-nage

Section D Tachi-Waza Standing Techniques

1. Yokomen-uchi-uki-otoshi
2. Yokomen-uchi-kokyu-nage
3. Yokomen-uchi-shomen-ate
4. Yokomen-uchi-sukashi-nage
5. Yokomen-uchi-hiki-otoshi

KORYU DA ROKU

Suwari-Waza Kneeling Techniques

1. Oshi-taoshi
2. Tentai-oshi-taoshi
3. Hiki-taoshi
4. Tenkai-waki-gatame
5. Ryote-mochi-sumi-otoshi

Section B Tachi-Waza Standing Techniques

1. Hiki-otoshi
2. Mae-otoshi
3. Sukui-nage
4. Mae-otoshi
5. Sukai-koho-nage 6. Tentai-nage

7. Ushiro-tentai-nage
8. Ushiro-otoshi
9. Ushiro-nage-kote-gaeshi 10. Tentai-sukui-nage

Section C Tachi-Waza Standing Techniques

1. Uke-otoshi
2. Jodan-sukui-nage
3. Tentai-mae-otoshi
4. Tentai-saka-otoshi
5. Katate-mochi-irimi-nage 6. Katate-mochi-shiho-nage 7. Katate-mochi-hiji-krujiki

Section D
Tanto-dori
Standing Techniques against Knife

1. Irimi-nage
2. Tentai-Shiho-nage

3. Tentai-ude-garami 4. Kote-Mawashi
5. Koshi-guruma

Section E
Tanto-dori
Standing Techniques using Knife

1. Irimi-nage
2. Tentai-gyaku-gamae-ate 3. Kote-mawashi
4. Ryote-mochi-irimi-nage

Section F
Tachi-Dori
Standing Techniques against sword

1. Oshi-taoshi
2. Waki-gatami
3. Hineri-oshi-taoshi-nage 4. Kote-gaeshi

Section G
Jo-no-bu Jo-no-tsukai-kata Standing Techniques using Jo

1. Tentai-ushiro-otoshi 2. Tentai-ashi-bara