Yama arashi

• http://www.judo-ch.jp/english/dictionary/technique/nage/te/yamaarasi/

Summary

This is a Tachi-waza (Standing techniques) which combines the Kata (Form) for the Seoi-nage (Shoulder throw) and Harai-goshi (Hip sweep) Waza.

Features of this Waza

The Yama-arashi (Mountain storm throw) consists of grasping the opponent’s collar and sleeve (both on the same side), and then spinning as if to bring him onto your back while performing a foot sweep to throw him down.

Waza details

From the normal position, Tori (Player executing technique) normally grasps Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) left-side collar with his Tsurite (Lifting hand). When applying the Yama-arashi (Mountain storm throw) Waza, however, he grasps Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) right collar from its inner side, and he grasps Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) right sleeve with his left Hiki-te (Pulling hand). Both of Tori (Player executing technique) hands are then used to lift Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) and throw him toward the front corner.
To accomplish this, Tori (Player executing technique) first aggressively pushes Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) back, then when Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) pushes forward in retaliation, Tori (Player executing technique) relaxes his stance, and Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) pulls his upper body back, trying to maintain stability. In that moment, Tori (Player executing technique) uses both hands to further destabilize Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) while pivoting to the left and stepping between Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) legs to bring Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) onto his back. With his rear leg between Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) legs, he then sweeps Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) foot from the floor (with the calf of his own leg against Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) ankle), thus throwing Uke (Player receiving opponent’s attack) to the floor in a sudden motion.
This Yama-arashi (Mountain storm throw) Waza is described in the “The Genesis of Judo, Judo Souseiki” (by Tsuneo Tomita, also author of the novel, “Sugata Sanshiro”) as follows: “…like a sudden wind blowing down from a mountain top, the shoulder moves swiftly into the opponent, and the opponent’s right foot is swept off the floor at the ankle in the same manner as a Harai-goshi (Hip sweep)”
The novel, “Sugata Sanshiro” also portrayed the Yama-arashi (Mountain storm throw) as the “the coup de grace Waza perfected by Sanshiro”, and as a result, this Waza was temporarily removed from the Kodokan Waza canon, though it was reinstated in recent years.