Harvard Aikikai

Advanced Techniques

Below is a list of techniques that are not in the basic set (kihon waza). This list represents a group of very common techniques that are generally called, “kokyu-nage” or “breath throws” that you can see at many seminars and dojo throughout the world. As these names are non-standard, we include as many variations as possible from different Aikido schools in this list to help familiarize you with the diversity (and ironically, the uniformity) of Aikido.

Ago Tsukiage	顎突き上げ	“Chin Rising Thrust”
Gyakute kokyu-nage or Tenbin-nage or Hijikime-nage or Hiji-ate kokyu-nage or Udekime-nage	逆手呼吸投げ or 天秤投げ or 肘きめ投げ or 肘当呼吸投げ or 腕きめ投げ	“Opposite Hand Throw,” “Balance Scale Throw,” “Elbow – throw executed from arm bar behind elbow
Hitoe Irimi-nage or Sokumen Irimi-nage	一重入り身投げ or 側面入り身投げ	“Single Entering Throw” or “Side-faced Entering Throw”
Kata-guruma	肩車	“Shoulder Wheel” or a throw from which the Uke is thrown in a large circular motion of off the Tori’s shoulders
Kokyu-nage	呼吸投げ	“Breath Throw”
Hiki-otoshi	引き落とし	“Pulling Drop”
Katahiki-otoshi	肩ひき落とし	“Shoulder Pulling Drop”
Kiri-otoshi	切り落とし	“Cutting Throw”
Maki-otoshi	巻き落とし	“Rolling Drop”
Suri-otoshi	すり落とし	“Striking Drop”
Tai-otoshi	体落とし	“Body Drop”
Tsurikomi-goshi	釣込腰	“Lifting-pull Hip”
Tsuri-goshi	釣腰	“Pulling Hip”
Hajiki-goshi	はじき腰	“Flicking Hip”
O-goshi	大腰	“Large Hip”
Kote-hineri koshi-nage	小手捻り腰投げ	“Forearm Twist Hip Throw”

Weapons

There are numerous terms for techniques for Aiki-jo and Aiki-ken. These will be passed on in class. What is included here are some basic/common terms that will help you as you start to learn.

Bokken or Bokuto	木剣 or 木刀	A wooden sword
Choku-zuki	直突き	Straight thrust
Fumikomi-zuki	振り込突	A stepping in thrust.
Gedan-gaeshi	下段返し	Lower level sweep
Happo-giri	八方切り	Eight direction cut
Hasso	八相	“Eight-phase” position. The weapon is held next to the shoulder of Uke-jo/tachi, and is perpendicular to the ground.
Jo	杖	Stick or short staff roughly four to four and a half feet in length
Jo-awase	杖合わせ	Paired exercises in which basic use of the jo is emphasized
Jodan-gaeshi	上段返し	Upper level sweep
Kaeshi-zuki	返し突き	Returning/Sweeping thrust
Ken-awase	剣合わせ	Paired exercises in which basic use of the sword is emphasized
Ki-musubi-no-tachi	気結びの太刀	A paired ki-blending exercise done with swords
Kiri-kaeshi	切り返し	“Returning cut,” a defensive position in which the blade is used to cover the Uke-tachi’s head and then is the position used to counterattack with a yokomen-uchi
Kumi-jo	組杖	Extended paired kata with jo, in which defenses and counter attacks with the weapon are practiced
Kumi-tachi	組太刀	Extended paired kata with sword, in which defenses and counter attacks with the weapon are practiced
Shiho-giri	四方切り	Four direction cut
Tachi	太刀	Sword, used only in the names of certain exercises or techniques (and not to refer to a wooden sword per se)
Tanto	短刀	Short sword; a wooden dagger used for practicing knife takeaways
Ushiro-zuki	後突き	Rear thrust with a jo

Aikido Ranking System

Below is a basic chart of the most widely accepted form of the Aikido ranking system. Like most modern Budo, Aikido uses the “kyu/dan” system rather than the traditional “menkyo” or license system of the koryu (Classical martial arts). This is the system used by the Aikikai Foundation and the USAF. All ranks are generally list from lowest to highest.

Yukyusha and Mudansha	有級者 or 無段者	“One with a class ranking” and “One without a black belt.” These terms are interchangeable and usage depends on the dojo, organization or individual.
Yudansha	有段者	“One with a degree rank” or a black belt. In the USAF, all yudansha are registered with the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Shinjuku, Tokyo, carry and International Yudansha Card, and are allowed to wear hakama.
Gokyu	五級	“Fifth class,” the lowest of all Aikido ranks in the USAF and the first rank a student tests for. While some are considered roku-kyu or “sixth class” in some dojo and organizations, this is no the generally accepted practice.
Yonkyu	四級	“Fourth class”
Sankyu	参級	“Third class”
Nikyu	弐級	“Second class”
Ikkyu	壱級	“First class”
Shodan	初段	“First degree,” the first level of black belt. Technically, the rank doesn’t mean “the first” but rather “the beginning.”
Nidan	弐段	“Second degree”
Sandan	参段	“Third degree”
Yondan	四段	“Fourth degree”
Godan	五段	“Fifth degree”
Rokudan	六段	“Six degree”
Nanadan	七段	“Seventh degree”
Hachidan	八段	“Eight degree”
Fuku-shidoin	副指導員	Lowest Instructor’s title. An assistant instructor. Usually a lower level yudansha but above shodan. Minimally a 2nd degree black belt, but usually higher.
Shidoin	指導員	Certified Instructor. A shidoin is generally a veteran yudansha and the head of their own dojo. Minimally a 4th degree black belt, but usually a 5th degree or higher.
Shihan	師範	Top Instructor’s title. "master" in Japanese. An official rank presented by the Aikikai to individuals who hold the rank of 6th degree black belt and above, who generally teach Aikido professionally, either at the Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, or in one of the Aikikai's affiliate organizations in Japan or abroad.
Doshu	道主	The Headmaster or Master of the Way. The first doshu was O-sensei, and has traditionally been a direct descendant of O-sensei. The current doshu is the grandson of O-sensei.

Hombu International Regulations, Ch. 3, Art. 6, Sec. 2 lists that dan rankings be from one to eight. While one may hear of there being ninth and tenth degrees, we may assume that these ranks are no longer being issued by the Aikikai. At 2005, there are several ninth degree black belts extant. We are unsure about any living tenth degrees at this time.

The original glossary was compiled in 2002 as part of the Harvard Aikikai's website by Jeffery Bayliss and Daryl Muranaka to reflect general Aikido terms and some terms particular to their respective raining histories. Harvard Aikikai is proud to share this expanded version of the glossary with the MIT Aikido Club so that it may be posted on both websites.