Hassō-no-kamae is used by uchidachi in the 4th kendo kata, opposite shidachi's waki-gamae. When cutting, the sword is raised above the head, as in jōdan. The blade should slope slightly to the rear. In hassō-no-kamae, the left foot is forward, and the sword is held pointing upright with the hilt in front of the right shoulder. Waki and hassō are not commonly used in modern kendo, except in kata. It is an offensive stance, named for one's ability to respond to a situation in any direction. Hassō-no- kamae ( 八相（八双）の構, 'all (eight) directions'), frequently shortened simply to hassō and occasionally called hassō-gamae, is one of the five stances in kendo: jōdan, chūdan, gedan, hassō, and waki.
