Inasu
What is Inasu?
- Inasu = “to sidestep,” “to evade,” or “to let pass.”
- The essence is not to resist, but to slip away from the attack’s line while remaining close enough to counter.
How it works
Unlike Nagasu, which flows and guides the attack, Inasu is often a sharp, efficient redirection:
- Use minimal body movement—just enough to make the strike miss.
- Angle yourself so the attack loses power and balance.
- From there, you can counter without clashing force against force.
Examples
- In Karate (Wado-Ryu): stepping slightly offline when a punch comes straight in, letting it pass by your shoulder, then countering with your own strike.
- In Aikido: moving off the centerline just enough so a grab or strike fails, while setting up a throw.
- In Kenjutsu: a small body shift that makes the opponent’s cut miss entirely, wasting their energy.
The essence
If Nagasu is about blending and flowing, Inasu is about slipping and neutralizing—making the opponent’s effort meaningless with the least possible movement.
Related Article: Wado-Ryu Karate: The Way of Peace and Harmony - A Complete Guide to Japan's Unique Martial Art
I use my understanding of jiu jitsu as a road map to learn other activities. I look for the similarities between the two, and use jiu jitsu as an allegory for whatever my new practice may be. I truly believe once you have learned one thing, you have learned all things because you have learned how to learn.
Chris Matakas