Tani-otoshi

Both sides grapple in basic natural posture. Tori steps forward with the left foot, then the right foot and, taking a right han-mi posture, pushes in. At this moment, he pushes uke’s left shoulder with his right hand, and steps in to the tip of uke’s right foot with his right foot. Uke steps back with his right foot, then his left foot, and holds his ground. He becomes unstable with his weight over the left foot, and pushes back to return to a stable posture.

At this moment, tori lessens the pushing action of the right hand and pulls so that uke steps forward with his left foot while pushing back. In time with uke’s action, tori lowers his waist, steps his left foot to the side of uke’s right foot, and changes the direction of his right hand to lifting and pulling in a circular shape. At the same time, he pulls his left hand towards the left side of his chest, and positions uke towards his right rear corner. Uke is unable to transfer his weight onto the left foot, which is lifted off the mat, and his balance breaks over his right heel.

Tori draws his right foot closer, thereby shortening the distance between them, supports his weight on the right leg, and slides his left leg in to the rear of uke’s right leg. While dropping down to the left side, he pushes with the right hand, and pulls down with the left hand, so that uke is thrown towards his rear. Uke is thrown backward in a large rotation around the fulcrum of his right heel.

The key point in this technique is skillfully leading uke, after he pushes back and steps forward with his left foot, to stand on one leg (the right leg). When tori pushes uke backward, he steps his right foot opposite the tip of uke’s right foot, so that he can easily turn and enter uke’s rear with his left leg in a big motion.

When tori drops down in sono ichi, he slides his left leg down lightly, but in this case, where he grapples in natural posture, tori drops down with his left leg separate from uke’s right leg, therefore he does not hook uke’s right leg. He then moves both hands in a large circular motion so that uke is thrown in a large rotating movement.

When uke responds in a right han-mi posture with his left foot stepped back onto the mat, tori slides his left leg in deep behind uke’s legs (and up to the back of his left leg) and drops down. But in this situation, uke will be thrown straight backward onto the spot.