What's Inside

In this workshop, grandmaster Yagami Ren is working with two ukemi (受け身): Shirokuma (male, aikido) and Kano Hana (female, judo).

We are treated to approximately 45 different techniques (waza, 技), including kaeshiwaza (返し技, counter techniques).

Hojojutsu / hobakujutsu (捕縄術 / 捕縛術) has been one of the 18 warrior skills of the samurai. It is important to distinguish between hayanawa (早縄) take-down techniques designed to capture enemies on the battlefield and to arrest criminals – and the more elaborate honnawa (本縄) rope tying styles that are usually carried out once the adversaries have been brought to a secure location.

None of these techniques work by themselves. Instead, they require intense training resulting in different skill levels.

In an interesting demonstration, Yagami Ren sensei is demonstrating an extremely painful wrist-locking nikyo (二教) technique being applied by Shirokuma-san who has ten year's experience in aikido. Yagami sensei (with 30 year's experience) then shows a kaeshiwaza counter technique that is rendering the nikyo useless. He then teaches that technique to Shirokuma-san, only to yet overcome Shirokuma's counter technique.

In short, skill is everything.

And this not only applies to Japanese martial arts but also to kinbaku (緊縛).

Today's Terminology Roundup

kaeshiwaza – 返し技, counter techniques

hajojutsu – 破縄術, the art of escaping a bondage by dislocating joints

nikyo – 二教 (an aikido wrist locking technique)

aikido – 合気道

ukemi – 受け身, the passive part in budo practice