Starting at the eight-step distance, both sides assume gedan no kamae and advance three large steps. Upon reaching ma-ai, both sides raise their kensen into seigan while judging each other’s composure. Sensing no weakness in shidachi, uchidachi steps back with the right foot and brings the sword into naname-gedan (i.e. wakigamae).
[!NOTE] Shidachi needs to step forwards in okuri-ashi here to maintain the distance and project seme towards uchidachi. It is not explicitly stated in the manual, but is clearly discernible from the photo.
With the kiai “yah!”, uchidachi steps forwards again with the right foot and tries to cut shidachi’s right leg. Shidachi pulls the left foot in behind the right and blocks the cut by dropping the kensen in front of the right leg with the kiai “toh!”.
[!NOTE] This block also occurs in Shintō Munen-ryū. When pulling the left foot in behind the right, the left foot moves forwards and to the right, so the body angles towards the incoming cut. As the blade drops down in front to protect the leg, the palm of the right hand opens up to receive the cut with the shinogi.
Immediately following up by sweeping uchidachi’s sword aside in suriharai as the right foot is brought around to the right to step back, shidachi brings the sword into jōdan. As shidachi is pulling the left foot back next to the right, uchidachi raises the kensen into seigan and follows shidachi with a small step. Shidachi steps forwards with the left foot in furikaburi intending to make a downwards vertical cut, but uchidachi retreats with the left foot. Immediately, shidachi takes another step with the right foot and cuts shōmen with the kiai “yah!”. Uchidachi has no choice but to step back with the right foot and block horizontally with the tsuka to the right and arms crossed.
[!NOTE] Again, this technique appears in Shintō Munen-ryū, and nearly the whole kata from shidachi’s initial block onwards is copied from the third kata of the Goka-gogyō (五加五形) set. The suriharai is performed by bringing the sword from the block up in front of the face, around and down to the left to strike with the back ridge of the sword (the mine-shinogi) in a sweeping circular motion as the right foot is brought around and back, and letting the sword continue up into jōdan as the left foot follows.
Returning to awase in the centre with kensen touching, both sides sink down into sonkyo and put their swords away. Standing up, both perform a mutual standing bow to conclude the set.