Ashisabaki (足捌き) is a standard Japanese budō term meaning “footwork.” It refers to the coordinated, efficient movement of the feet used to: maintain balance, control maai (間合い, distance), generate power, evade attacks, enter or turn smoothly (irimi/tenkan).
It is one of the three major sabaki in traditional arts: Taisabaki (体捌き) – body movement; Ashisabaki (足捌き) – foot movement; Tesabaki (手捌き) – hand movement. Together, they create integrated whole-body motion.
The term is widely used in Kendo, Aikido, Judo, Karate, Iaido, Kenjutsu, and many koryū systems and appears in official Japanese budō literature.
Ashisabaki (足捌き) List
- Ayumi-ashi (歩み足) – Normal stepping. One foot passes the other. Used in karate, aikidōAikidō is a Japanese martial art that blends with an opponent’s force to control and throw them without relying on strength. More, kenjutsu, iaidō, and jūdō.
- Fumikomi-ashi (踏み込み足) – Stamping step — explosive forward stomp step (kendō). Used to add power and kiai to a forward attack.
- Fumi-kaeri / Fumi-kaeshi (踏み替え / 踏み返し) – Switch-step — quickly changing lead foot mid-movement. Seen in jōdō and some classical ryūha.
- Hassō-ashi (八相足) – Footwork entering/exiting from hassō-no-kamae.
- Hiraki-ashi (開き足) – Opening step — diagonal retreat or sidestep. Seen in AikidōAikidō is a Japanese martial art that blends with an opponent’s force to control and throw them without relying on strength. More, Yoshinkan, Kodokan Judo’s taisabaki.
- Irimi (入り身) – Entering step — forward diagonal entry. Core of aikidōAikidō is a Japanese martial art that blends with an opponent’s force to control and throw them without relying on strength. More, kenjutsu, Tenjin Shinyō-ryū, Daitō-ryū.
- Irimi-tenkan (入り身転換) – Combined entering-and-turning pattern.
- Irimi-tenkan-hankai – Half-circle entry/turn.
- Jōdan-ashi (上段足) – Foot positioning for jōdan stance entries.
- Kaiten (回転) – Rotational stepping — spinning movement around an axis. Used in aikidōAikidō is a Japanese martial art that blends with an opponent’s force to control and throw them without relying on strength. More, some koryū kenjutsu.
- Kibadachi Tsugi-ashi – Shuffle step in horse stance.
- Kōtai / Hōtai (後退 / 後退歩) – Retreating step backward while maintaining stance.
- Ko-tai / Shin-tai (後退 / 進退) — advance and retreat cycles.
- Kumi-ashi (組足) — crossing step or tangled-step (used sparingly, dangerous if misapplied).
- Mawari-ashi (回り足) — circling step.
- Naname-ashi (斜め足) — diagonal stepping.
- Okuri-ashi (送り足) – “Sending/receiving step.” Front foot moves first; back foot follows. Primary movement in kendō and jojutsu.
- Sashi-ashi (差し足) — stealthy, creeping step used in battlefield arts.
- Sugata-kaeri (姿勢返り) – Posture-returning step used in iai and kenjutsu when realigning.
- Suri-ashi (摺り足) – Sliding feet kept low to the floor. Used in kendo, iaido, kyudo, and many koryū.
- Tai-no-henka (体の変化) – Body-change step, but explicitly includes footwork.
- Tai-sabaki naname (斜め体捌き) – Diagonal evasive step.
- Tenkan (転換) – Pivot/turning step — large circular turn on one foot. AikidōAikidō is a Japanese martial art that blends with an opponent’s force to control and throw them without relying on strength. More and classical jūjutsu; also in sword evasion.
- Tsugi-ashi (継ぎ足) – Shuffle step — back foot “chases” the front foot. Core of kendo and many sword schools.
- Tsugi-kaeshi (継ぎ返し) – Reverse shuffle or recovery step.
- Waki-ashi (脇足) – Movement from waki-no-kamae.
- Yori-ashi (寄り足) – Pressing-in footwork — advancing without lifting feet. Used in kendō and koryū kenjutsu.
- Zenkutsu Ayumi-ashi – Forward stepping in front stance.
Translation
足(ashi)– foot, leg
捌き (sabaki) – handling, management, skillful movement
足捌き (ashisabaki) – foot handling or footwork
