The following text is a compilation of different texts taken from different home pages (as stated in the reference further on) and notes from the IJF 4th Meetings and Seminars.

Kito-ryu

Kito-ryu emphasizes many esoteric elements, including aiki. Aiki is the joining of internal or life energies. Kito teaches that there are three types of energy: Ryoku or Riki Ki, and Shin The ki in aiki refers to the second of these. Kito teaches that "When two minds are united, the stronger controls the weaker..." Kito is also based upon the principles of wa (harmony, accord, fluidity) and ju (suppleness, softness, gentleness). In application on the battlefield, the system incorporates a complex amalgam of strategies, many calling back to the Chinese master strategist Sun Tzu.

Kito addresses the pursuit of loftier ideals, including spiritual and self-actualization interests, in a similar way, teaching that one should harmonize the Self with the Universe. It is so complex in terms of its theory as to be nearly impenetrable to analysis from the "outside." Chinese Taoist elements have been imported wholesale.

This should not be surprising given the origins of the art. The pivotal point in the formalization of Kito Ryu is the arrival of an almost legendary Chinese figure, Master Chen Yuan-Ping (also known variously as Chen Tsu U, Gin Chin Pin, and Gempin by the Japanese). Master Chen came to Japan first in 1621, and came back to stay in 1638. He was a scholar who had apparently held some positions in the Chinese court. He taught Taoism's Lao Tzu and T'ung K'ao, and a Chinese martial art based upon ju. Three wandering, masterless samurai (ronin) found him at Kokusei Monastery, where he taught them "secret arts." The names of these samurai were Fukuno, Isogai, and Miura. Fukuno, after going on to master Yagyu Shingan Ryu, met a samurai named Terada. Fukuno and Terada founded Kito Ryu, and passed the art on to Yoshimura and Takenada.

Kito means rising and falling, with the rising being synonymous with Yo (Yang) and the falling being the In (Yin). This is the blend between strength and suppleness or gentleness. Kito Ryu taught that when the enemy shows strength you defeat them with suppleness, when the enemy shows suppleness you defeat them with strength. But never rely on strength, rather discard strength to harmonize with the universal spirit, Ki. Thus Ki allows you to overcome an enemy by rebounding his own strength against him. The essence of this is simply gentleness overcomes strength. These are the teachings of Kito Ryu.

The techniques of Kito Ryu are fast, fluid, subtle, and direct. The techniques exploit centered action and the projection of internal energies. Kito emphasizes projective throwing methods, and kokyu (kuki) techniques, and is considered a form of aiki-jujutsu.

Information on Koshiki no Kata

Since Koshiki no Kata were intended for the "Kumiuchi", the grappling, of armored warriors in the feudal ages, it is essential to perform the movements imagining that you are clad in heavy armor. It is also of importance that the movements should be slow. The opponent's balance should be broken very well.

When Kano learned Kito Ryu, he was impressed by the system of kuzushi (breaking opponent´s balance). That's why Kano put so much weight on kuzushi - tsukuri - kake. Kano wanted to preserve the system of Kito-ryu, and therefore there is almost no change from Kito-ryu to Koshiki no Kata. Koshiki (Ko-shiki) means "antique style", but several meanings exist. Not only "antique", but also "tradition".

Before, there were different styles of Koshiki no Kata, but Kodokan standardized it in 1990.

The nage-waza that are used in Koshiki no Kata is yoko wakare, but ma-sutemi-waza (in the Omote section ). In the Ura section yoko-sutemi-waza is used.

Koshiki no Kata is a very lofty form. It has a lot of ethereal context. It's a very meaningful form that focuses on very high form art. The participants at this point are thought to be above push-pull, grab here, using leverage, momentum and so on, and they move to a point in which they are expressing themselves through the technique and they are applying the techniques based on concepts of rhythm and motion and feeling and that sort of thing.

Each movement is named by a poetic definition: In a dream...heavy shower at night...The used terms to define the evoced actions are:

The water...
The willow...
The snow...
The wave...
The rock...

Beginning of the Kata

Tori turns towards Shômen, in shizen-hontai. He takes 2 steps forward: left foot, right foot. Then he brings his left foot forward to the same line as his right foot. His feet are a bit more close than in Shizen-hontai. He pauses a moment. After a short pause, Tori takes another step forward: left foot, then right foot to the same line as the left foot. In this step, Tori imagines someone is pushing him in his back.

Omote (front)

The front section is composed of 14 techniques which are grouped in seven series of two with every second technique being the complement for the one before. This reflects the concept of paired and complementary techniques and illustrates tori's intuitive response to the problem of the first technique failing (due to uke's attempted counter). As the first technique fails, the set up or the opportunity for the answer manifests itself. By blending with uke and not resisting the force(s), tori is able to flow without resistance into the complementary response or counter.

The omote is demonstrated as if both tori and uke are wearing heavy armor. Each technique therefore is done in a very slow and deliberate fashion with each moment and pause (between techniques) being well defined.

Technique	Description	Kanji
Tai	Ready posture
Yumi no Uchi	Dreaming
Ryokuhi	Strength dodging
Mizu-guruma	Water Wheel
Mizu-nagare	Water Flow
Hikiotoshi	Draw Drop
Ko-daore	Log Fall
Uchikudaki	Smashing
Tani-otoshi	Valley Drop
Kuruma-daoshi	Wheel Throw
Shikoro-dori	Grabbing the Neckplates
Shikoro-gaeshi	Twisting the Neckplates
Yudachi	Shower
Taki-otoshi	Waterfall Drop

Ura (back)

The ura is demonstrated as if the armor has been broken and thrown off and both tori and uke are now only wearing their undergarments. The last 7 movements are therefore done more dynamically.

Technique	Description	Kanji
Mi-kudaki	Body Smashing
Kuruma-gaeshi	Wheel Throw
Mizu-iri	Water Plunge
Ryusetsu	Willow Snow
Saka-otoshi	Headlong Fall
Yukiore	Snowbreak
Iwa-nami	Wave on the Rocks

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