Gokyo
五教
Literally: fifth teaching
Also known as: gokajo, ude nobashi
Fifth teaching of aikido, similar to ikkyo but with a reversed wrist grip; commonly used for disarming against a knife.
Quick Facts
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Common mistakes: confusing the grip with ikkyo's, leading the arm outside the knife's line, and training without a weapon, which loses the whole point of the technique.
💡 Key Tip
The grip from above is not decoration — it is the only reason gokyo exists alongside ikkyo. Train it with a knife or it loses its point.
About
Gokyo (五教), literally "fifth teaching," is also called gokajo or ude nobashi ("arm extension"). In appearance it resembles ikkyo, but tori holds uke's wrist with a reversed grip, turns his arm and shoulder inward, and presses his elbow downward. It is commonly used when disarming against a knife or other weapons. Under the Aiki-LA club's grading syllabus, which follows Hombu Dojo, it is tested from 5th kyu. It has nothing to do with the similarly-sounding judo term gokyo no waza, which denotes the five official Kodokan throw groups; only the words go ("five") and kyo are shared. We have not been able to document who introduced the technique.