The evolution of the Yoko-Tomoe-Nage

Tomoe-nage is an iconic judo technique that has recently been thrust into the limelight because of Natsumi Tsunoda, Japan’s Olympic and triple World Champion who had used this technique almost exclusively, to win all her matches.

The variation that Tsunoda used was the classical version where tori falls on her back and uke goes flying over the top. Although she has had tremendous success with this, the variation most commonly seen in competition is yoko-tomoe-nage, which entails a side entry into the technique (thus the word “yoko” which means “side” in Japanese).

The Japanese don’t use this phrase. To them, all forms of tomoe-nage is just tomoe-nage. But “yoko-tomoe-nage” is widely used in the West (in the USA and Canada, and throughout Europe). Ironically, it was a Japanese player who first popularised this technique. And this was some time back.

Yoko-tomoe-nage can trace its origins to Japan’s World and Olympic Champion Takao Kawaguchi. Tomoe-nage was his favorite technique but unlike other tomoe specialists of his time, Kawaguchi would use a side entry for his throw.

Holding right-handed, Kawaguchi would fall towards his opponent’s right side and throw with his left leg. Although this is the standard way to do yoko-tomoe-nage today, back then it was rather unusual.

Most yoko-tomoe-nage players who held right, would throw with the left leg. Kawaguchi, for example, was right handed, and he threw with his left leg. So did Neil Adams, who gripped right-handed and threw to the left.

However, Adams’s compatriot quadruple World Champion Karen Briggs bucked this trend. Although she was a right-hander, Briggs would throw with her right leg. This is incredibly uncommon. But she made it work superbly. It was her best throw.

Yoko-tomoe-nage is usually done off a kenka-yotsu stance, for example, right vs left. It’s very hard to do yoko-tomoe in an ai-yotsu situation (e.g. right vs right). But Russia’s Ekaternia Valkova was one who could do yoko-tomoe from an ai-yotsu situation.

Over the years, yoko-tomoe-nage has evolved, with many players putting their own spin on the technique. One major innovator was World Champion Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki who invented his own variation which he called “Furiko” (Pendulum) tomo-nage, because he would make a pendulum-like swing as a set-up for the technique.

Yoko-tomoe-nage calls for a side drop entry into the technique but some players go beyond that and do an almost circular entry. Japan’s double Olympic and triple World Champion Shohei Ono is an example of someone who utilizes the circular entry.

Kawaguchi was a lightweight player and many yoko-tomoe proponents are indeed lightweight, but some heavyweights are known to have done yoko-tomoe-nage. The most famous one would be David Moura of Brazil, who also does a somewhat circular motion for his yoko-tomoe. What makes him stand out is that he is a rather big player doing essentially a small player’s technique.

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