Kuchiki taoshi

Kuchiki-taoshi is accomplished by Tori grabbing Uke's leg from the outside or inside with one hand in a split second. Then, as Tori pulls up Uke's leg, he pushes him back to throws him down. Also, techniques similar to this technique.

[edit](Type 1) Tori uses right hand to grab Uke's right leg from the inside and throws down (Kuchiki-taoshi)

Tori and Uke grab each other in the right natural posture. Tori steps back right, left, right to force Uke to step forward, right, left. Then, Tori takes left defensive posture and press Uke down with both hands and stops. At this time, Uke takes left defensive posture and stops. Tori loosens up both pulling hands and push Uke with his right hand. Uke steps his left foot backward and tries to raise his upper body to become a secured position. A moment before Uke's move, Tori steps his right foot close to his own left foot. Then, he changes his left foot position to the outside of Uke's right foot. He, then, gets closer to Uke's body to become left defensive posture.

Then, he holds Uke's right leg from the inside around behind his knee with his right hand. Tori pulls Uke's right leg with his right hand, as he pulls his left hand straight down and pushes him backward. Tori needs to follow quickly in conjunction with Uke's steps, right, left in order to grab Uke's right leg with his right hand. If (Tsukuri) is not enough, Tori, sometimes, pushes Uke backward by covering Uke's body to throw. Next throwing is not Kuchiki-taoshi. When Tori grabs Uke's right leg by holding from the inside with his right hand, he then steps in deeply behind Uke's legs and sacrifice his body to throw Uke down. In this instance, it is called Taniotoshi (Yokosutemiwaza). When Tori grabs Uke's right leg with his right hand and sweeps Uke's left foot (supporting leg) with his left foot, it is called (Kosotogake). Techniques of practical applications (1) Combination of your technique to become Kuchiki-taoshi

(a) Execute Seionage, then, twist body 180 degrees to change to Kuchiki-taoshi.

When Tori tries to throw with right Ipponseionage, Uke leans his upper body backward for defense. Tori turns his body half way to face Uke. Then, steps his left foot to the outside of Uke's right leg to become a right defensive posture. He, then, grabs Uke right leg with his right hand and pulls up as he pulls his left hand straight down. Tori pretends to execute Seionage, then, twists his body 360 degrees to change to Kuchiki-taoshi. Tori pretends to execute right Ipponseoinage, then steps his right foot in front of Uke's right foot, using his right foot as a spinning point, then turns his body to the left 360 degrees. Then, Tori steps close to Uke's right side to take a left defensive posture. He, then, grabs Uke's right leg from the inside and pulls up as his left hand pulls down to throw Uke backward.

(b) From Kataguruma turn the body halfway to change to Kuchiki-taoshi

When Tori tries to lift upUke by right Kataguruma, Uke leans his upper body backward for defense. Tori turns his body to face Uke. He, then, steps in his left foot beside the outer side of Uke's right foot, pulls his right hand up (which has grabbed Uke's right leg). Pull left hand down and push Uke backward.

(2) From Uke's execution of technique to change to Kuchiki-taoshi

The change from Uke's right Oshotogari to Kuchiki-taoshi

The moment Uke executes right Osotogari, Tori steps back his right foot and take a left defensive posture. At the same time, Tori grabs Uke's right leg from the inside with his right hand and pulls up as his pulls his left hand down to throw Uke backward. This technique is also applicable when Uke tries Haraigoshi or Tsurikomigoshi which shows Uke's back to Tori.

[edit](Type 2) Tori uses his left hand to hold Uke's right leg from the outside to throw Kuchiki-taoshi

Tori & Uke hold each other in right natural posture. When Uke steps back his left foot, Tori steps his right foot in deeply between Uke's legs and brings his body close to Uke. He, then, take a right defensive posture. Tori holds Uke's right leg from the outside with his left hand to scoop up Uke behind the knee. He, then, pushes Uke's upper body with his right hand. Uke loses his balance since all his weight goes on his left heel. At this moment, Tori keeps pushing Uke as his left hand continues to pull up to throw backward. This technique is different from Type 1 in grabbing Uke's leg. (Type 1)-Tori grabs Uke's leg from inside. (Type 2)-Tori grabs Uke's leg from outside. (Type 1)-Tori is able to throw Uke at once because he can pull up Uke's right leg with his right hand as his pulls his left hand straight down. (Type 2)-Tori pulls Uke's right leg with his left hand from the outside as he pushes his right hand backward. Since, Uke is able to defense by stepping back his left foot, Tori must have good coordination of both hand-work and strong dashing power. A moment before Tori grabs Uke's right leg from the outside with his left hand, Tori switches his grip from Uke's left collar to the right collar (stick four fingers inside). He, then, pulls down his right hand as he pushes Uke right backward. Since Uke's weight is on his right leg, Tori is able to throw down at once like Type 1.

[edit]Techniques of practical applications

(1) Change from your own throwing techniques to Kuchiki-taoshi

(a) Change from Ouchigari to Kuchiki-taoshi

When Tori executes right Ouchigari, Uke responds by swinging up his left foot up in the air for defense. At this moment, Tori grabs Uke's left leg from the outside with his right hand and pulls up with his left hand to throw Uke to his left backward. Next technique is not Kuchiki-taoshi. When Tori grabs Uke's left leg with his right hand, he, then, sweeps Uke's right foot from the inside with his right foot. It is called Kouchigari.

(b) Change from Kouchigari to Kuchiki-taoshi

When Tori executes right Kouchigari, Uke responds by swinging up his right foot in the air for defense. At this moment, Tori grabs Uke's right leg with his left hand from the outside, then, pushes Uke down. Next technique is not Kuchiki-taoshi. Tori grabs Uke's leg as previously stated and sweeps Uke's left leg from the inside with his right leg. This is called Ouchigari. When Tori grabs Uke's right leg with his left hand, he hooks his right foot against the outside of Uke's left leg and sweeps down. In this case, it is called Kosotogake.

(c) The change from Seoinage to Kuchiki-taoshi

When Tori executes right Ipponseoinage, Uke defense by leaning his body backward. At this moment, Tori turns his body half way to face Uke. He, then, hooks his right arm against the right side of Uke's right leg (like Sotomuso in Sumo). Tori steps his left foot deeply into Uke's right side to become a left defensive posture. He, then, pulls down his left hand and puts his weight on Uke's body to throw down. In this technique, the use of the right hand is different. Since Tori's right hand is not strong enough to pull up, Tori keeps hooking his right arm against Uke's right leg and puts his upper body against Uke to push his down.

(2) The change from Uke's throwing to Kuchiki-taoshi

When Uke executes right Hizaguruma, Tori steps in his right foot between Uke's legs and becomes a right defensive posture. Then, Tori grabs Uke's right leg from the outside with his left hand and pulls up. He, then, pushes Uke's upper body with his right hand and throws down. When Uke executes Sasaetsurikomiashi, the same technique can also be used.

[edit](Type 3) The difference between Kuchiki-taoshi (Type1) and Sukuinage(Type 3)

Kuchiki-taoshi (Type 1) - Tori grabs Uke's leg from the inside with one hand. He, then, pulls up the leg and pushes him down.

Sukuinage (Type 3) - Tori inserts one hand between the legs to grab the thigh deep enough to be able to scoop Uke's lower body and throw. The difference of grabbing between the two techniques does not necessarily classify between Kuchiki-taoshi and Sukuinage. The difference is classified by whether one leg remains on the mat or whether both legs are in the air when thrown.

Generally, when the leg is grabbed shallowly, it becomes Kuchiki-taoshi, and if grabbed deeply, it becomes Sukuinage. Kuchiki-taoshi is one of the throwing techniques in the old Jujitsu. Since this throw reminds us of a rotten giant tree falling from the roots, it was named Kuchiki-taoshi. There were differences among the Jujitsu style in this technique but they are not known.

Professor Kyutaro Kanda, ninth dan, mentions in relation to this technique (in Study of techniques against larger opponents). "I was taught Kuchiki-taoshi by Professor Kinsaku Yamamoto (Totsukayoshinryu - Rival to Kodokan Judo at that time)". Kodokan judo magazine (May 1957) mentions Mr. Takeo Hirose, Shodan, (died in Japan vs. Russia war at Ryojun Harbor) competed in Kodokan fall Red/White tournament (1891) and was promoted to Nidan due to outstanding performance. In a letter to his father about this tournament, he wrote that he fought Mr. Yuji Hirooka, Shodan, who is a certificate holder of Sekiguchiryu and whose favorite technique was Kuchiki-taoshi. According to the above references, it is highly believable that Kuchiki-taoshi existed in both Totsukayoshinryu and Sekiguchiryu at that time.

In the book (Tenshinshinyoryu, a new illustration of Jujitsu techniques) a techniques similar to Kuchiki-taoshi is mentioned. In the second technique in Nagesute, Kuchiki-taoshi again appears. If you want to study the original Kuchiki-taoshi, you should refer to this book. According to the illustration of this book, Tori and Uke comes close to each other. Then, Uke strikes Tori, but Tori steps in just before Uke's attack and strikes Uke chest with his right hand and sweeps Uke's right leg (behind Uke's knee) from the outside with his left hand to throw down. In Jujitsu, they use not only throwing techniques but striking techniques to control the opponent. Therefore, there are some differences between present randori techniques.

This article is excerpted from the book "Kodokan Nage Waza" written by Daigo Toshiro 10dan. (Picture, Tori: Sengoku Tsuneo 7dan, Uke: Sato Tadashi 8dan)