As the first "advanced" kata beyond the fundamentals in the Tomiki system, ichikata is designed to provide variations in timing, spacing, and fundamental techniques.
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The techniques seen in ichikata are almost all immediately identifiable as ideas that the student has already worked on in junana and in owaza. The techniques in this kata include oshitaoshi, tenkai kotehineri, kotegaeshi, maeotoshi, shihonage, iriminage (aikinage), tenchinage (guruma), kataotoshi, and shizumiotoshi - all things found in junana and owaza.
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The kata is divided into four sections:
- suwariwaza (variations on timing and spacing and mobility)
- variations on release #1 (yonkata #3)
- variations on release #2 (yonkata #5)
- variations on ryotedori and morotedori
So, because of its predominantly fundamental techniques and its emphasis on variation of the first two wrist release techniques that you learn at white belt, ichikata makes a pretty good first try at building upon the foundations of the system.
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Patrick Parker
