Harai-goshi (sweeping hip throw) is a hip throw from the second group of the gokyo. Tori loads uke onto the hip, then sweeps the outside of uke's thigh with a straight leg. It is a favorite of tall judoka and high grips. It is powerful when the forward kuzushi is clear and very easy to counter when it is not.
Where harai-goshi comes from and which family it belongs to
The Kodokan classifies it as koshi-waza, the hip techniques of the nage-waza. Kodokan tradition presents it as an evolution of uki-goshi. Partners were learning to step around the hip, so a sweeping leg was added to block that step. It is part of the Kodokan gokyo and of the nage-no-kata, as one of the three hip techniques.
Keep the idea in mind. The hip carries, and the leg stops uke from escaping. If you sweep without loading first, it is no longer harai-goshi. It is a kick at thin air.
Kuzushi: put uke on the toes
For a right-hander, the kuzushi goes to uke's front right corner. The left hand (hikite) holds the sleeve at the elbow and pulls up and toward your left temple, as if checking your watch. The right hand (tsurite) holds the lapel or reaches over the shoulder to grip the back. A back grip controls the upper body better, but it also warns uke that an attack is coming.
The good sign is uke up on the toes with the weight on the right leg. If uke's heels are still on the mat, do not go in. The principle is covered in detail in our piece on kuzushi, tsukuri and kake.
Entry and throw, step by step
- Your right foot steps in front of uke's right foot, toes turned in.
- Your left foot pivots back and lands between uke's feet, slightly forward. This is your supporting leg, knee slightly bent.
- Your right hip makes contact with uke's stomach. No gap between you.
- Your straight right leg sweeps the outside of uke's right thigh, upward and back.
- The hands keep turning to the left and your head turns the same way. Uke goes over the hip.
The back of the thigh and the calf do the sweeping, not the foot. The sweep comes once uke is already loaded. It finishes the throw. It does not start it.
Mistakes you see in every class
- Supporting foot too far out. The left foot stays outside uke's line, the hip never touches and tori sweeps air.
- Bent sweeping leg. You end up with a poor hane-goshi, missing the spring that makes it work.
- Eyes on the mat. The body follows the head, tori falls forward and uke just lets it happen.
- Sweeping too low, at the ankle. It drifts toward a foot sweep and the hip stops doing anything.
Counters and combinations
Harai-goshi is easy to counter when the hip is in the wrong place. Uke drops the hips, blocks with the stomach and lifts tori, which gives utsuri-goshi or ushiro-goshi. An uke who feels the entry coming can also put a leg behind your heels and drop into tani-otoshi. So never stay half committed.
Two combinations deserve your time. First, o-uchi-gari: uke pulls the attacked leg back and leans forward to resist, and you go straight into harai-goshi. Second, a blocked harai-goshi with uke leaning back: switch legs for ko-uchi-gari. Tall players also switch to uchi-mata when uke widens the stance to defend. And if uke steps around your leg, hane-goshi or a makikomi takes over.
When to use it in a match
Harai-goshi works well in opposite stance (right-hander against left-hander), when you have a high grip and uke bends forward to break the distance. In same-side stance it needs more hand work to clear space. It suits you poorly against a much shorter opponent, who slips under your hip with no effort. Use foot techniques there instead.
In competition, many harai-goshi attempts turn into makikomi because tori lets go of the lapel and wraps in. It scores sometimes. More often it shows the kuzushi failed.
Drills to learn it
Start with static uchi-komi that stops at hip contact, no sweep, to check foot placement. Then add a slow sweep with uke staying on their feet. A third partner can hold uke's belt from behind so tori can load fully without throwing.
The drill that builds the most skill is moving uchi-komi. Uke steps back, tori follows and enters as uke's foot lands. Once the position is stable, move to nage-komi on a crash mat. One habit worth building: ten clean entries on your weak side every session. Few judoka do it, and that is often the side that catches people in randori.