OyataTe International
04-20-2026
Three Core Disciplines of OyataTe
Kyūsho Jutsu
(Excerpt from the book Kyūsho & Atemi Jutsu - Oyata’s Principles & Approach by Lee E. Richards - Published 2025)
Taika Seiyu Oyata is the person responsible for the Kyūsho/Atemi we study, which is outlined in this primer. Taika studied from two Bushi warriors in the time frame just after World War II, where he learned and then developed further Kyūsho/Atemi. The final chapter of this book has a more detailed history of this great man.
Let’s define what Kyūsho/Atemi is, as defined by Taika. But before we do, note that these definitions depend on a lot of variables and often blur the line between each other. Though the title of the book relates specifically to Kyūsho, you should note that Atemi is an integral part of its study. Oyata’s Open-Hand arts were tied to three sub-arts that all intertwined: Kyūsho, Atemi and Tuite. One important variable is the target’s tolerance to pain. One could argue that a person who is used to being struck and somewhat conditioned to this may not drop at the same exact level or threshold, angle, or attack as a person with no tolerance and highly sensitive nerves. What would pass as Kyūsho on one person may only end up Atemi on another, and vice-a-versa. Another important aspect is intent (Ito - 意図). You can strike the exact same spot on a person with different intents. If you strike it to cause a pause, it is Atemi. If you strike it in a manner intended to disrupt the opponent’s balance, spin their body, and end the encounter, it is Kyūsho. Both strikes were in the same location, but you struck in a completely different manner, using different principles, to accomplish different goals.
To Strike a Weakness Vital to the Completion of the Encounter
Kyūsho – As translated by many, means ‘Vital Strike’. Well, what is vital? To strike the neck of an opponent, you could say that it is vital to get their arms out of the way. Could a preliminary strike to the arm before striking the neck be Kyūsho? I believe so. This is my interpretation. Kyūsho can be one individual devastating strike that ends an encounter, or like the previously mentioned technique, a combination of strikes. Kyūsho should culminate at the end of an encounter. The combined attacks should be so devastating that the person cannot continue their fight. I would not normally classify death and breaks in this category. A death is debilitating ad nauseam, but the thing that makes Kyūsho cool is that it is typically recoverable. If you apply the coup de grâce while they are incapacitated, so be it. If you can live with the decision and the consequences, be my guest. Typical incapacitations that I would place in the category of Kyūsho are unconsciousness, inability to use a limb, as well as difficulty breathing. All of these should take the fight out of someone. The result is that continued aggression is impossible by the subject.
Of note, Kyūsho is not necessarily a silver bullet. It is not always the end-all, the only thing you need to win a fight. In the portion of the world that most of us live in, everyone wants to sit around and eat BBQ and chips all day with the 48oz sugar filled soda with an extra-large slice of cheesecake and just take a pill after to keep the fat off. That doesn’t exist in the dieting world, and it doesn’t exist in the life protection arts. It simply isn’t there. Winning a fight is a combination of many things. Taika’s art had three sub arts or specialties; Kyūsho, Atemi and Tuite, but the key is they are but pieces of a larger art. They must be used in conjunction with Taika’s other principles which sit above them. They are intertwined, conjoined and even symbiotic. You cannot learn just Kyūsho and expect to survive in a fight. Understand things like the Table Leg Principle, Perpetual Motion, Han Shin or Body Control, Force Efficiency, Economy of Motion and many more will get you to the point where you can be in position to hit at the angles you need, at the spot you need, to the level you need. There is no Kyūsho without the rest of the art.