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Nicolas Soames writes: 'There is no denying the effectiveness of shimewaza. Almost everyone in their judo career knows what it is like to be on the brink of consciousness when in the hands of a shimewaza specialist, and everyone treats shimewaza with the greatest of respect. And rightly so. Strangles may be more difficult to learn and to apply than armlocks or osaekomi, but when they work they can do so with devastating abruptness. Most people who have done newaza with Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki will have had experience of shimewaza.

The relentless, irresistible attack of those long fingers working their way steadily under the jawline towards the carotid artery is an unforgettable feeling. It is also a good lesson in panic control.

I have a particular memory of his shimewaza. I was uke for Kashiwazaki during a demonstration he gave at a school in England where I taught. He explained and demonstrated a variety of his techniques, including tomoe-nage and obi-tori-gaeshi into tate-shiho-gatame, and then went into shimewaza. He turned me over with the sankaku-jime roll, and propped himself up on one elbow to explain to his audience - my pupils - about strangling. However, it was quite early on in his days in England, and English was quite an effort for him. As he was searching for words and grammar, the tension translated itself into his body, and, without realizing it, he tightened his legs.

Reality, for me, began to recede into the distance. A great peace descended upon my consciousness. I heard vaguely his description, as if through cotton wool, but I had lost the will or the capability to tap. I just remember thinking that I hoped he found the words he was looking for quickly.

It was not a demonstration that the pupils forgot for a long time, nor did I. And when it became time for the Judo Masterclass series to issue a book on shimewaza, I knew just the man to write it.'

Tom Castino's Big Bad Afterword:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I like the man called Kashiwazaki. We'll be seeing lots more of him around here in future updates, and I for one can hardly wait. After all, it's guys like this who restore judo's tarnished reputation a method of carnal fulfillment.

And who prove that the sun ain't the only thing to Rise in the land of Japan...

Web Links:

MatBattle.com Article: Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki - Master of Tate-Shiho-Gatame

MatBattle.com Article: The Beauty of Blackout - Tom Castino on Sexual Chokes

Buy Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki's 'Shimewaza' at Ippon-USA

Buy Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki's 'Osaekomi' at Ippon-USA

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