Sode Dōri – Sokumen Irimi Nage as a Katana Draw/Cut

Uke grips Tori’s sleeve (Sode Dōri) to prevent him from drawing his Katana. As Tori brings his legs together, he slightly rotates his body so that he lifts his arm not directly against Uke, but along a line perpendicular to Uke’s feet; rather than clashing force against force, he redirects Uke’s pressure inward and then upward. He then enters to the outside with his lead leg. At the same time, he draws his Katana upward, raising his arm toward Uke’s face. Without pause, Tori strikes down, using the downward cutting action and forward body movement to execute Sokumen Irimi Nage. Uke does not fall merely from being unbalanced; he falls because he attempts to remain in contact with Tori’s arm—if space is created, he will be cut—so his effort to stay connected carries him into the throw.
This sequence demonstrates how unarmed Aikidō techniques derive directly from weapons movements.