Jitte - 十手
Jitte (or Jutte) means “Ten Hands”. Mastery of the kata is supposed to imply that the karateka is able to perform the actions of ten men, further inferring that one has the ability to fight off ten armed opponents. Even within the Shotokan style, this kata has many variations. The JKA version consists of 24 moves. Jitte is a very robust and “heavy” kata, having many powerful techniques. Even the slow movements are executed with a certain vigour and tension. Although Jitte does not have any really complex movements, some of the hip motions require a lot of practice to develop proper kime. It is essential that the karateka demonstrate true budo spirit in each attack and defence, and every movement should be completed with absolute confidence and destructive power.
Many of the applications for Jitte focus on defences against stick (bo) attacks; Jitte offers some new and unique techniques to that end such as bo-tsukami-uke, followed by bo-toriage, followed by bo-oshimodoshi. The zenwan-uchi-barai is likewise only found in this kata. Tekubi-osae-uke/tekubi-kake-uke occur in several other advanced kata, but are usually learned first in Jitte. The “stick defence” applications of Jitte usually work equally well against an opponent’s arm, providing many arm-breaking techniques.
| Kyodo | Technique | Translation | Stance | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | tekubi-osae-uke (haishu-osae-uke) |
wrist pressing block (backhand pressing block) |
zenkutsu-dachi | chudan | slow speed |
| 2 | teisho-oshiage-uke/ teisho-osae-uke |
palm-heel pushing-rising/ palm-heel pressing block |
zenkutsu-dachi | chudan/ chudan |
slow speed |
| 3 | osae-uke | pressing block | zenkutsu-dachi | chudan | |
| 4 | (haishu)-tekubi-kake-uke (maki-otoshi-uke) |
wrist hooking block (rolling dropping block) |
kiba-dachi | chudan | yori-ashi |
| 5 | teisho-yoko-uke | palm-heel sideways strike | kiba-dachi | chudan | |
| 6 | teisho-yoko-uke | palm-heel sideways strike | kiba-dachi | chudan | |
| 7 | teisho-yoko-uke | palm-heel sideways strike | kiba-dachi | chudan | |
| 8 | ryoken-kosa-uke (ryoken-juji-uke) |
both fists cross block (both fists X-block) |
– | jodan | kosa-ashi |
| 9 | ryoken-ryogawa-gedan-barai (ryoken-kakiwake-uke) |
both fists both sides down block (both fists wedge block) |
kiba-dachi | gedan | yori-ashi |
| 10 | yama-gamae (kakiwake-uke) |
mountain posture (wedge block) |
kiba-dachi | jodan | yori-ashi |
| 11 | fumikomi/ zenwan-uchi-harai |
foot stomp/ forearm sweeping strike |
kiba-dachi | jodan | |
| 12 | fumikomi/ zenwan-uchi-harai |
foot stomp/ forearm sweeping strike |
kiba-dachi | jodan | |
| 13* | fumikomi/ zenwan-uchi-harai |
foot stomp/ forearm sweeping strike |
kiba-dachi | jodan | |
| 14 | ryoken-kakiwake-uke | both fists wedge block | hachiji-dachi | gedan | slow speed |
| 15 | tsukami-uke (koko-uke) |
grasping block (tiger-mouth block) |
zenkutsu-dachi | chudan | jodan-shuto-uke variation |
| 16 | ryote-bo-tsukami-uke (tate-bo-uke) |
both hands stick grasping block (vertical stick block) |
zenkutsu-dachi | – | |
| 17 | bo-toriage & bo-oshimodoshi |
stick grab (rising) & stick repel |
ashi-dachi zenkutsu-dachi |
– | bo-dori slow speed yori-ashi |
| 18 | bo-toriage & bo-oshimodoshi |
stick grab (rising) & stick repel |
ashi-dachi zenkutsu-dachi |
– | bo-dori slow speed yori-ashi |
| 19 | uchi-uke / gedan-uke (manji-uke) |
inside block / down block (swirling block) |
kokutsu-dachi | jodan/ chudan |
|
| 20 | uchi-uke / gedan-uke (manji-uke) |
inside block / down block (swirling block) |
kokutsu-dachi | jodan/ chudan |
|
| 21 | age-uke | rising block | zenkutsu-dachi | jodan | |
| 22 | age-uke | rising block | zenkutsu-dachi | jodan | |
| 23 | age-uke | rising block | zenkutsu-dachi | jodan | |
| 24* | age-uke | rising block | zenkutsu-dachi | jodan | yori-ashi |