Kime-no-kata (極の形, きめのかた).

About
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A kata is a prearranged form, performed with a partner to a set pattern, and it teaches the principle behind a technique rather than how to win with it. Gradings ask for them, and not only for the dan grades.

What is here, and what is not
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The sets below and the order of their items are as the Kodokan's own kata textbook lists them. How each is performed, and the photographs that show it, are the Kodokan's and are not reproduced here: the textbook itself is linked below and is the authority.
Your federation's kata syllabus is the authority for what you will be asked to do.

At a glance
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Revised on July 7th, 1977.
Amended on June 1st, 2006.
Sets: Idori (Set 1), Tachiai (Set 2).
Recordings: 7.

Where it is asked for:
  4th Dan, Dan grades: Kime-no-kata, to BJA Level 1, examined separately from the skills assessment and not necessarily on the same day
  6th Dan, Dan grades: Nage-no-kata, Katame-no-kata, Ju-no-kata, Kime-no-kata, Kodokan Goshin-jutsu and Koshiki-no-kata, each to at least BJA Level 1
  4th Dan, Dan grades: Kime no kata
  4th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): proficient in Nage-no-kata or Ju-no-kata, plus Katame-no-kata, and either Kime-no-kata or Kodokan Goshin-jitsu.
  5th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): good proficiency in Nage-no-kata, Ju-no-kata, and Katame-no-kata, plus either Kime-no-kata or Kodokan Goshin-jitsu.
  6th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): superior proficiency in Nage-no-kata, Ju-no-kata, Katame-no-kata, Kime-no-kata, and Kodokan Goshin jitsu.
  7th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): excellent proficiency in Nage-no-kata, Ju-no-kata, Katame-no-kata, Kime-no-kata, Kodokan Goshin-jitsu, and either Itsutsu-no-kata, or Koshiki-no-kata.
  8th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): excellent knowledge and skills in Nage-no-kata, Ju-no-kata, Katame-no-kata, Kimenokata, Kodokan Goshin-jitsu, Itsutsu-no-kata, and Koshiki-no-kata.
  9th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): Practical and demonstrated theoretical knowledge of all kata: Nage No Kata – Katame No Kata – Kime No Kata – Ju No Kata – Koshiki No Kata- Kodokan Goshin Jitsu
  10th Dan, Dan grades (USA Judo): Practical and demonstrated theoretical knowledge of all kata: Nage No Kata – Katame No Kata – Kime No Kata – Ju No Kata – Koshiki No Kata- Kodokan Goshin Jitsu
  Sandan (3rd Dan), Dan grades (USJF): Non- Competitor – Complete – Nage no Kata (Tori & Uke), Katame no Kata (Tori & Uke), Kime no Kata or Ju no Kata (Tori)
  Yodan (4th Dan), Dan grades (USJF): Non-competitor - Kime no Kata (Tori & Uke) or Kodokan Goshinjutsu (Tori & Uke), and Ju no Kata (Tori & Uke).
  Yodan (4th Dan), Dan grades (USJF): Competitor - Kime no Kata (Tori) or Kodokan Goshinjutsu (Tori).
  Godan (5th Dan), Dan grades (USJF): Competitor - Kime no kata – tori & uke, Kodokan Goshinjutsu - tori & uke
  Godan (5th Dan), Dan grades (USJF): Non-competitor – Kime no kata – tori and uke, Kodokan Goshinjutsu – tori & uke, Ju no kata – tori & uke
  BJA Kata Certification: 4th Dan - Kime-no-kata

The sets it is divided into
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Revised on July 7th, 1977. Amended on June 1st, 2006.

Idori (Set 1)
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  1. Ryote-dori
  2. Tsukkake
  3. Suri-age
  4. Yoko-uchi
  5. Ushiro-dori
  6. Tsukkomi
  7. Kiri-komi
  8. Yoko-tsuki

Tachiai (Set 2)
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  1. Ryote-dori
  2. Sode-tori
  3. Tsukkake
  4. Tsuki-age
  5. Suri-age
  6. Yoko-uchi
  7. Ke-age
  8. Ushiro-dori
  9. Tsukkomi
  10. Kiri-komi
  11. Nuki-gake
  12. Kiri-oroshi

Reference pages elsewhere
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Kime-no-kata: the Kodokan’s kata textbook (Kodokan Judo Institute): https://kdkjd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/kime_no_kata.pdf

Demonstrations
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Kodokan: 令和8年講道館鏡開式 極の形 / Kodokan Kagami Biraki ceremony 2026 Kime-no-Kata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Xd_kteMzc
Kodokan: 令和7年講道館鏡開式 極の形 / Kodokan Kagami Biraki ceremony 2025 Kime-no-Kata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRALigvtyVM
Kodokan: 令和6年講道館鏡開式 極の形 取 道場良久 八段 受 向井幹博 七段 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsvx-zNDEUo
Kodokan: Kime-no-Kata (English ver.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-YAOozPQNU
Kodokan: 極の形 日本語版 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdIW_dHJ2wA
Assorted: Judo: Kime-no-kata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN1Z8qKNfW8
Assorted: Kime no Kata 1000; IDORI; All Main Points https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87wK1UktrAY

Source: Kodokan KATA Textbook, official English translation, read 2026-08-30.
Sets and the order of the items within them, as the Kodokan’s own textbook lists them. Copyright in that textbook is the Kodokan Judo Institute’s and its instructions and photographs are not reproduced here.

From Waza Book: https://wazabook.com/kata/kime-no-kata/