Kōdōkan Jūdō’s three orphaned forms of counter techniques: part 2: the Nage-waza ura-no-kata: 'forms of reversing throwing techniques'

Background and Study Aim: The purpose of the present paper is to provide a comprehensive review of nage-waza ura-no-kata ["Forms of Reversing Throwing Techniques"], a non-officially accepted kata of Kōdōkan jūdō made famous by the late Mifune Kyūzō (1883-1965), of which the date of creation has not been previously established, nor under what circumstances it was created or what its sources of inspiration were. Material and Methods: To achieve this, we offer a careful critical analysis of the available literature and rare source material on this kata. Results: In 1903 Mifune entered the Kōdōkan and in 1904 he attended Waseda University's Preparatory School for a year. The inspiration for Nage-waza ura-no-kata may be traced back to Waseda University, where Takahashi Kazuyoshi was Mifune's contemporary. While Mifune, in combination with an intensive competitive career, also spent time researching new individual throwing techniques, it is Takahashi's research that focused on the concept of ura-waza or reverse-throws. On Kanō's invitation Takahashi authored many articles on this topic which appeared in Yūkō-no-Katsudō, the Kōdōkan's official magazine. It is likely that drawing from Takahashi's and his own research Mifune completed his nage-waza ura-no-kata probably around 1934-1938. The objective of the kata is not to copy a supposed gold standard performance that then needs to be evaluated and scored by a jury, but to develop the ability of performing jūdō at the supra-mechanical level of myōwaza [unexplainable sophisticated technique], irrespective of differences in minute technical details. Conclusions: Nage-waza ura-no-kata is an exercise devised by expert-technician Mifune Kyūzō which similarly to katame-no-kata complements nage-no-kata and of which the practice is intended to contribute to developing the highest levels of jūdō technical ability.

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