Sode Tsurikomi Goshi – Toshihiko Koga Signature Variation (Koga Sode Tsurikomi Goshi)

Koga Sode Tsurikomi Goshi is a variation of Sode Tsurikomi Goshi invented by Toshihiko Koga. In the classic Tsurikomi Goshi, Tori off-balances Uke forward and slightly to the side, raising the hands in front while stepping in close, positioning the hips under Uke’s center of gravity, and then raising the hips as the sleeves pull Uke forward and downward, projecting Uke perpendicular to Tori’s feet, directly in front of Uke.
In the Koga variation, the entry is the same as in classic Sode Tsurikomi Goshi, but the hands lower more to the side rather than directly in front, which changes the fall direction: Uke is carried between Tori’s hips and lower back and thrown in a direction closer to the line of Tori’s feet and hips, rather than directly forward. This variation can be compared to the classic Aikidō Koshi Nage, but in Aikidō, Tori places the hips perpendicular to Uke’s feet in a T-shape, and the throw is performed along Tori’s hips, with Uke floating rather than being carried.