Jōdō

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Nihongo|Jōdō|杖道:じょうどう, meaning "the way of the "jō", or Nihongo|jōjutsu|杖術:じょうじゅつ is a Japanese martial art using short staffs called "jō". The art is similar to "bōjutsu", and is strongly focused upon defense against the Japanese sword. The "jō" is a short staff, usually about 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) long, about the average length of a walking stick. However, the art was not used, as one might fancifully imagine, by travelers to ward off aggressive bandits or swordsmen. The martial art of jōdō was the province of professional warriors.

Legendary origin of the first school of Jōjutsu

Shintō Musō-ryū jōjutsu (sometimes known as Shinto Muso-ryu jōdo), is reputed to have been invented by the great swordsman Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (夢想 權之助 勝吉, fl. c.1605, date of death unknown) about 400 years ago, after a bout won by the famous Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵, 1584–1645). According to this tradition, Gonnosuke challenged Musashi using a "bō", or long staff, a weapon he was said to wield with great skill. Although there are no records of the duel outside of the oral tradition of the Shintō Musō-ryū, it is believed that Musashi caught Gonnosuke's "bō" in a two sword "X" block ("jūji-dome"). Once in this position, Gonnosuke could not prevent Musashi from delivering a counterattack, and Musashi elected to spare his life.

Gonnosuke then withdrew to a Shinto shrine to meditate. After a period of purification, meditation, and training, Gonnosuke claimed to have received a divine vision. By shortening the length of the "bō" staff from roughly 185 cm to 128 cm (or, in the Japanese measurements, four "shaku", two "sun" and one "bu"), he could increase the versatility of the weapon, giving him the ability to use techniques created for the long staff, spear fighting and swordsmanship. The length of the new weapon was longer than the "tachi" (long sword) of the period, but short enough to allow the reversal of the striking end of the "jō" in much tighter quarters than the longer "bō". Gonnosuke could alter the techniques he used with the "jō" stick, depending on the opponent he faced, to provide himself with many different options of attack. He named his style Shintō Musō-ryū and challenged Musashi again. This time, when Musashi attempted to use the "jūji-dome" block on the "jō" staff, Gonnosuke was able to wheel around the other end of the staff (because of the reduced length), forcing Musashi into a position where he had to concede defeat. Returning the courtesy he received during their previous duel, Gonnosuke spared Musashi's life.

This may be a fabricated origin of the creation of jōjutsu, as the oral tradition of the Shintō Musō-ryū is the only mention of this duel, or for that matter, a person defeating Musashi in combat. Witness accounts of Musashi's life, as well as his own writings, insist he retired from dueling undefeated. What is known, however, is that Gonnosuke eventually became the martial arts instructor for the Kuroda clan of northern Kyūshū, where jōjutsu remained an exclusive art of the clan until the early 1900s, when the art form was taught to the general public.

Modern practice

The modern study of the "jō", known as jōdō (way of the "jō"), has essentially two branches. One is the "koryū", or "old school" jōdō, which also incorporates other arts and weapons, such as the short staff ("tanjō"), the chained sickle ("kusarigama"), the police truncheon ("jitte"), and a lesser-known art called "hojōjutsu", the art of tying up one's opponent after subduing him. All of these point to jōdō's strong connections to law-enforcement, which is probably what it was originally used for. The other branch is called Seitei Jōdō, which is practiced by the All Japan Kendo Federation (全日本剣道連盟 "Zen Nippon Kendō Renmei") in conjunction with kendo, the art of Japanese fencing, and "iaidō", the art of drawing and cutting with a real blade. Seitei Jōdō starts with 12 pre-arranged forms ("kata"), which are drawn from the "koryū" system. After mastering these 12 "kata" the student continues with the study of the "koryū".Today, jōjutsu has also been adapted for use in the Japanese police force, who refer to the art as "keijō-jutsu", or police stick art.

ee also

*Stick fighting
*Aikido - Martial art that incorporates "jō" training. Note that this is not the "jō" training practiced in jōdō.
*Shinto Muso-ryu
*Aiki-jō
*Shugijutsu

References

*Michael Finn: "The Way of the Stick" Paul H Crompton, 1984, ISBN 0-901764-72-8
*Pascal Krieger: "Jodô - la voie du bâton / The way of the stick" (bilingual French/English), Geneva (CH) 1989, ISBN 2-9503214-0-2
*Matsui: "Jodo Nyuumon" (Japanese, with illustration of all seitei gatas, kihon) Tokyo, 2002, ISBN 4-88458-018-4

Lists of martial arts that include Jodo/Jojutsu

* Aikido
* Hoten-ryu - "jojutsu"
* Jigen Ryu - "jojutsu"
* Keijojutsu - "jo for Japanese Riot Police"
* Kukishin-ryu
* Kumite-ryu Jujutsu—"The School of Survival"
* Muhi Muteki-ryu - "jojutsu"
* Owari Tenshin Koryu - "Jojutsu"
* Shinto Muso-ryu
* Sho Bu Do Bu Jitsu Ju Jitsu
* Suiō-ryū - Koryū whose curriculum includes "jojutsu"
* Takenouchi-ryu
* Taura Muso Ryu kobudo
* Tendo-ryu
* Toda-ha Buko-ryu
* Yamate-ryu

External links

* [http://www.fej.ch European Jodo Federation]
* [http://www.shindomusoryu.com Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo Website]
*http://ejmas.com/jnc/jncart_taylor_0900.htm
*http://koryu.com/library/wmuromoto1.html
* [http://www.fighttimes.com/magazine/magazine.asp?issue=5&article=191 Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi] article in Fight Times magazine
* [http://www.fighttimes.com/magazine/magazine.asp?issue=5&article=150 Jojutsu] article in Fight Times magazine
* [http://www.jikishin-kai.com/jodo.htm Jodo information] at Jikishin-kai Organization Website
* [http://www.takeda.ro/e_takeda_jo.htm Takeda Ryu Maroto Ha - Jodo and Shugi Jutsu]
* [http://www.takeda.ro/takeda_video.htm Some Jodo and Aikijo Clips - Romania Takeda Ryu]
* [http://www.yume-dojo.org/index.php?events=1 - Jojutsu Seminar]
* [http://www.archive.org/details/Nihon_Bugei_1988_DVD_trailer/ - Nihon Bugei Demo in 1988, Tokyo which includes also Jo demonstration from various Koryu]