​The Waza of Suio Ryu

A plaque from the Suio Ryu honbu with various waza

Suio Ryu has many waza (技), only a portion of which are listed in the plaque to the left. These waza fall into several sets:

Goyo (初伝五陽之形) – Basic offensive waza from seiza (5 waza)
Goin (中伝五陰之形) – Basic defensive waza from seiza (5 waza)
Tachi-iai (小目録立居合之形) – Fundamental standing waza (9 waza)
Kuyo (大目録九曜之形) – Advanced seiza waza (9 waza)
Kumi-iai (準免許組居合) – Paired standing waza (9 waza)
Kage-waza (影) – "Shadow techniques" that counter the above (27 waza)
Yami (闇) – A set of waza that are both offensive and defensive, intended for use in near or total darkness. (3 waza)

In addition to these sets of waza, the Suio Ryu encompasses several other forms of combat, including: 

Kempo – Battlefield sword techniques.
Wakizashi – Short sword fighting techniques. 
Naginata-jutsu – Halberd techniques, bot against the sword and naginata against naginata. 
Jo-jutsu – Short staff techniques, both jo against sword and jo against jo.
Kogusoku – Paired, semi-armoured grappling techniques. 
Kusarigama-jutsu – Chain and sickle techniques for combat against long and short swords.

The fascinating thing about Suio Ryu techniques is that virtually every form, from the basic goin and goyo to the more advanced kage, can be paired with other waza to form two-person sets. This allows practitioners of the Suio Ryu to develop a good sense of timing and distance by practicing each form with a partner, thus helping to develop realistic, practical techniques for combat.

五陽 Go-yo

No.	初伝五陽之形   Goyo
1	一文字   Ichimonji   Straight Line
2	清月   Suigetsu Clear Moon
3	霞   Kasumi Mist
4	円連   Enren Continuous Circles
5	岩砕   Iwakudaki Rock Breaker

五陰 Go-in

No.	中伝五陰之形   Goin
1	流水   Ryusui   Flowing Water
2	燕回   Enkai Swallow Turn
3	逆風   Gyakufu Reverse Wind
4	浦風   Urakaze Sea Breeze
5	草露   Soro Dew on the Grass

立居合 Tachi-iai

No.	小目録立居合之形 Tachi-iai
1	松風   Matzukaze   The sound of wind through pine trees
2	寄浪   Yosurenami Approaching Wave
3	浪返   Namigaeshi Returning Wave
4	石火   Sekka Flint Flash
5 (o)	虎流   Koryu (Omote) Flowing Tiger
5 (u)	虎流   Koryu (Ura) Flowing Tiger
6 (o)	漣波   Sazanami (Omote) Calm Wave
6 (u)	漣波   Sazanami (Ura) Calm Wave
7	虎乱 Koran Wild Tiger
8	表   Ukifune Floating Boat
9 (o)	心剣   Shinken (Omote) Soul Blade
9 (u)	心剣   Shinken (Ura) Soul Blade

立居合影 Tachi-iai kage

No.	小目録立居合之形 Tachi-iai Kage
Note	小目録立居合之形 (影之形) These kata are the kage, "shadow," forms that counter tachi-iai, the standing forms.
1	風鐸   Futaku Wind Chimes in Temple Towers
2	柳葉   Ryuyo Willow Leaf
3	枯葉変   Koyohen Dead Leaf Falling
4	如電  Nyoden Like Lightening
5	虎流変   Koryuhen Flowing Tiger Change
6	蓮月   Rengetsu Lotus Moon
7	破軍   Hagun Destroying Army
8	漂葉   Hyoyo Drifting Leaves
9	朝風   Asakaze Morning Breeze

九曜 Kuyo

No.	大目録九曜之形 Kuyo
1 (o)	立浪   Tasunami (Omote) Standing Wave
1 (u)	立浪   Tasunami (Ura) Standing Wave
2	荒浪   Aranami Raging Wave
3	半月   Hangestu Half Moon
4	鉄破   Teppa Iron Breaker
5	稲妻   Inazuma Lightning Flash
6	月影   Tsukikage Moon's Shadow
7	獅子乱刀   Shishiranto Wild Lion Sword
8	磯波   Isonami Shoreline Wave
9	盤石   Banjaku Solid Rock

九曜影 Kuyo kage

No.	大目録九曜之形 Kuyo Kage
1	逆浪   Gyakunami Reverse Wave
2	水返   Mizugaeshi Returning Water
3	磯千鳥   Isochidori Beach Plover Steps
4	破月   Hagetsu Moon Breaker
5	雷   Ikazuchi Thunder
6	上弦   Jogen Crescent Moon
7	虎乱入   Korannyu Trespassing Tiger
8	磯風   Isokaze Seashore Wind
9	落花   Rakka Falling Petals

準免許組居合 Kumi-iai

No.	準免許組居合 Kumi-iai
1	水勢   Suisei Strong River Current
2	明月   Meigetsu Full Moon
3	乱雲   Ra'un Wild Cloud
4	風勢   Fusei Forceful Wind
5	千鳥   Chidori Plover
6	山陰   Yamakage Mountain Shadow
7	大陰剱   Dai'inken Great "Receiving" Blade
8	大雄剱​   Daiyuken Great "Male Strength" Blade
9	大極剱   Daikyokuken Great "Finishing" Blade

剣法 Kempo

No.	剣法 Kempo
1	開合   Kaigo Opening Join
2	燕回   Enkai Turning Swallow
3	谷水   Tanimizu Valley Water
4	野分   Nowake Parting Field
5	左開   Sakai Left-side Open
6	捨身   Shashin Risking One's Life
7 (o)	萩露   Shuro (Omote) Bush Clover Dew
7 (u)	萩露   Shuro (Ura) Bush Clover Dew
8 (o)	刀合   Togo (Omote) Joined Swords
8 (u)	刀合   Togo (Ura) Joined Swords
9	右廻   Ukai Right-side Resolve
10 (o)	円連   Enren (Omote) Joined Circles
10 (u)	円連   Enren (Ura) Joined Circles
11	円相   Enso Circles Together
12	水月   Suigetsu Water Moon
13	竜尾   Ryubi Dragon Tail
14	十文字   Jumonji Cross Shape
15	夢想返   Musogaeshi Reoccurring Dream

脇差 Wakazashi

No.	脇差 Wakazashi
1	水月   Suigetsu Water Moon
2	引倒   Hikitaoshi Pulling Down
3	八筈  Yahazu Arrow Nock
4	野分   Nowake Parting Field
5	腕がらみ   Udegarami    Arm Entwine
6	すれ違い   Surechigai Passing Each Other
7	電光   Denko Lightening Flash
8	柳風   Ryufu Wind in the Willows
9	逆風  Gyakufu Reverse Wind
10	星影  Hoshikage Starlight Shadow
11	受止​  Ukedome Receiving Stop
12	抱き留   Dakidome Detaining Hug
13	逆刀   Gyakuto Reverse Blade

Photo: Suio Ryu students practice various waza at the USA Shibu 2019 Gasshuku © Martin Nobida 2019