What is kukan datotsu?

by Jorge Villarán
(Perú)

I have tried to find the correct translation to “kukan datotsu” and I have found that means "Striking an imaginary opponent". Does this means all tandoku dosa strikes are kukan datotsu? If I do men suburi and then the same but with a receiving partner, can the later one be called kukan datotsu too?

Thank you very much

Answer: Kukan datotsu and suburi are similar. However Kukan datotsu, to me, has a wider definition, compared to suburi.

If you strike a men, kote, do and tsuki of your imaginary opponent with fumikomi, it is not called “suburi” but “kukan datotsu”, I think.

It is simply because the movements involve actual striking movements (i.e. it involves datotsu (striking an (imaginary) opponent). Maybe I could conclude that if suburi involves fumikomi it is "kukan datotsu".

So tandoku dosa is "kukan datotsu" or "suburi". Most of them do not involve fumikomi so they are suburi. However, if they involve fumikomi, then they are kukan datotsu. And yes if you have a receiving partner, called motodachi, then it is not “kukan datotsu”.