We warmed up with walking drills. As we approach an opponent we evade and roll as he punches. Then we added koho kaiten to this. We finished the warmup walking into jodan or gedan uke.
I began class with 行違 yuki chigai. This starts from a walk up. You brush past while picking up his wrist. This should be the lightest capture. It should feel to the opponent like maybe he snagged his clothing while walking by. As in the Buddhist saying, Sodé no furi-awasé mo tashô no en. “Even the touching of sleeves in passing is caused by some relation in a former life.”
When he turns to address this, we swing back the other way. Strike with your elbow to 脇ツボ or 脇壷 waki tsubo. Then we turn back again to すくい上げ sukuiage.
The throw should happen without much effort. I learned a way of doing this from Oguri Sensei many years ago in the old Bujinkan Honbu Dojo. Instead of picking up the wrist, he moved the elbow. I shared the lightness of his method with my students. You can even throw the opponent with one finger!
From the elbow it is natural to slide down the arm. This causes dynamic force vectors which are difficult for the opponent to resist. If he responds with tension, just slip to another point of control.
One of these points of control can come in a take ori. Then you point the opponent’s elbow where you would like him to fall. Finish with a knee pinning the the shoulder and side together.
Hatsumi Sensei showed henka in this kata where you check the opponent’s weapon hand. You impede his draw. Or discover his weapons in passing.
Of course you may have your own knife, shuriken, or teppan hidden in your hand. Now as I pass, I lock it to my opponent. He will likely not see it, nor will any witnesses. By the time I use the weapon on him, he cannot defend.
Of Note: Care package