Shōmen Uchi – Ikkyō Ura Variation (Inside Two-Atemi Shihō Nage Entry)

This sequence uses the same entry as Nishio Sensei’s Shihō Nage. As Uke attacks with Shōmen Uchi on Tori’s rear-leg side, Tori first delivers an Atemi to the face before parrying. Nishio Sensei emphasizes that taking this initiative is important: if Tori only blocks the Shōmen Uchi in order to execute the classical Ikkyō—blocking the strike and stepping behind Uke for an immediate Ikkyō Ura—Uke can counter with a tsuki from the rear hand.
To enter and deliver the preemptive strike, Tori adjusts his footwork: if his feet are on the same line, he moves the front foot slightly inwards to position himself better; if the feet are wider apart, he steps the front foot back to align nearly with the rear foot, then takes the same inward step.
After the initial Atemi, as he lowers Uke's arm with the same hand, without grabbing it, Tori delivers a second vertical descending Atemi (similar to Shōmen Uchi). However, instead of grabbing Uke’s arm to continue into Shihō Nage, Tori raises the arm once more and steps behind Uke to perform Ikkyō Ura.