Ukemi in the koshiki-no-kata

Alessio Lisi, december 2007.

How come the Kodokan official katas change every time a new technical manager comes to office?. Mr.Kano used to practice the Kito-ryu-takenaka-ha (the Kito ryu school – takenaka branch) but since Mr.Toshiro Daigo has taken over the helm it seems that the Kodokan has been influenced by the Kito-ryu- Noda –ha (The Kito ryu Noda branch). This branch of the Kito Ryu first appeared in Okayama in the middle of 1800's.

The uncut version of the film where Mr.Kano performs the Koshiki-no-kata, suggests a few reflections; first of all it is very different from the one distributed by the Kodokan and used as a model for Kata competitions.

Other remarks about ukemi-waza

In the fourth omote technique (mizuguruma) Mr.Yamashita performs an ukemi (fall) on his right side by stepping his leg forward (gyaku). This fall is performed almost spontaneously when Tori (the attacker) applies uci-mata-makikomi; if the right leg leads the action it remains off the ground while Tori performs the kaiten-ukemi on the right side.

This fall can be naturally applied when uke (the receiver) is thrown with this particular form of yoko-wakare.

Let's compare the technique on the film recently distributed by the Kodokan with the current one of the Noda-branch.

 

( the film of the Koshiki-no-kata can be found on the filesharing website emule or bittorrent and it is on sale on the kodokan website)

 

 

Both the Kodokan and the Noda-ha perform kaiten-ukemi on the right side, leaning on the right leg. We wonder which school has influenced which.

 

Ukemi performed by Mr.Kano

 

Ukemi performed by the Kodokan (left) and by the Noda-ha (right)

 

Take note of the different way the fall is performed. In the old jiu-jutsu when uke took a fall he would pick himself up off the ground facing tori so as to fight him again. In the film of Mr.Kano and Mr.Yamashita, shot in 1929 in the Imperial Park , Mr.Yamashita rises up facing his opponent.

 

Final moment of the technique performed by Mr.Kano

 

In the Koshiki-no-kata performed by Mr.Kano and Mr.Yamashita, photos of which are in the Butokukai annals, Mr.Yamashita rises to his feet turning his hip towards Tori and describing a 90 degree angle. (see photo)

 

Both in the film of the Kodokan, whose purpose was to establish the rules for Kata competitions and in the film of the Noda-ha, the fall is the same as is taught to beginners. Here uke pick himself up off the ground turning his shoulder to tori.

 

Final moment of the technique as it is today performed at the Kodokan and at Noda-ha

Between the kata of Mr.Kano and the one performed today at the Kodokan there are a few technical differences. But what really matters is the fact that the concepets of muyoshi, fudo and shiki are lacking in the Kodokan teaching, overlooking the formative aspect of the Koshiki-no-kata.

As a matter of fact today there are two different interpretations of judo: