Shinto Muso-ryu

Shintō Musō-ryū, or Shindō Musō-ryū, most commonly known as Jodo, is a koryu (old school) of jojutsu, teaching the art of handling the Japanese quarterstaff jo. It was founded by samurai Musō Gonnosuke Katsukichi (夢想權之助勝吉) in the early 1600s and, according to legend, first put to use in a duel with Miyamoto Musashi. The original art created by Muso Gonnosuke has evolved and been added upon ever since it's ineption and up to modern times. The art was brought outside of Japan and popularized mainly by Shimizu Takaji, considered the 25th Shihanke, and spread further in the world by his students and their continued cooperation with the Kendo community first intiated by Shimizu Takaji. Although the number of jodoka today are small, and the art itself is rare even by Japanese standards, SMR has spread to all the corners of the world and is slowly growing beyond it's original Fukuoka domain.

History and evolution of Shinto Muso-ryu

Muso Gonnosuke

Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (from the Buko Hyakunin Isshu).

The Sengoku Jidai-period, the Age of War between 1467-1615, that had scarred Japan for almost 150 years came to an end with the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate, or Tokugawa Bakufu (徳川幕府), which in turn ushered in an era of peace that would last for over 260 years and ended with the overthrow of the Shogunate in 1867. The relative peaceful Edo period, sometimes referred to as the Pax Tokugawa, took away the means of the samurai to fully develop and test their skills in actual battlefield combat. The role of the Samurai would eventually change from being warriors, fighting battles for their liege lord almost constantly, into the role of providing internal security and doing increasingly more bureaucratic duties. Instead of fighting the frequent wars and battles of the old days, with the exception of the Osaka Campaign of 1615 and the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637, many samurai resorted to duelling other samurai and some would go on the road as a wandering swordsman to test their skills against other swordsmen, such as bandits and ronin, and train in far away schools to hone their skill.

One of those men who went on such a warrior pilgramage was Muso Gonnosuke, a samurai who had trained in the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū and Kashima Shinto-ryu, two renowned schools of swordsmanship both of which active to this day. His experiences which would climax in his duels with the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, led him to create a set of techniques for the Jo which would eventually be named Shintō Musō-ryū. Gonnosuke used his training in kenjutsu, naginatajutsu, sojutsu and bojutsu, which he acquired from Katori Shinto-ryu and Kashima Shinto-ryu (or Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu depending on tradition), in order to develop new techniques with the jo. Gonnosuke developed techniques, (five according to some sources), for the Jo that were to be used against an opponent armed with a sword, partially by using the Jo's superior length to keep the swordman at distance and thus at a disadvantage. The legend states that Muso Gonnosuke fought two duels with Miyamoto Musashi and was defeated in the first but victorious in the second, using his newly developed jojutsu techniques to either defeat Musashi or force the duel into a draw.

After the creation of his jo-techniques and his establishment as a skilled jojtusu-practitioner he was invited by the Kuroda-clan of Fukuoka, northern Kyushu, to teach his jojutsu to their warriors. Gonnosuke accepted the invitation and settled down, and in the course of his life Gonnosuke would award teaching licenses, (menkyo), to more than ten of these warriors.

The Kuroda-period 1603(?)-1871

After Gonnosukes death, his art of jojutsu would become a closely guarded secret by the Kuroda-clan, or oteme-waza, and forbidden to be taught anywhere but within its halls and only to specially selected people. This was not an unusual practice in the Edo-period. One example is the Kage-ryu battojutsu, in which the swords used were longer than the length permitted by the new Tokugawa shogunate and thus technically outlawed. Kage-ryu went "underground" and kept their art alive in strict secrecy until the Meiji-restoration lifted the restrictions of swords.

Over time there would arise at least five different lineages from the main Muso-ryu system. These are collectivly known as Kuroda no Jô (the Stick of Kuroda). Of these five (known) styles of jojutsu, only two would survive the fall of the Shogunate and beyond to be merged into a single line that is today the modern Shinto Muso-ryu system.

The first split in the SMR occurred after the death of the fourth Shihanke Higuchi Han'emon. The split was the result of one of his menkyo-students, Harada Heizo Nobusada, breaking away to establish the New just (or Kansai-ryu) jo, while another menkyo of Higuchi Han'emon continued the original True path-line (later Moroki-ryu) jo.

For several years these two separate lines existed side-by-side. The New Just-line was upheld until after the death of it's headmaster, Nagatomi Koshiro Hisatomo (d.1772), and the New Just were split into two separate lines. The person responsible for the split, eventhough indirectly, was a man named Kuroda Nagamasa, who in late 1700s took over the leadership of the Chikuzen fief and constructed a new castle to house some of his samurai and ashigaru. The ashigaru foot soldiers and the kashi (junior officers) were relocated to two separate areas with the result of two different jojutsu training-groups being formed out of necessity under their own respective head-instructor. The new conditions would enable the "New Just"-line to split into two separate lines, now called Haruyoshi-ryu, led by Ono Kyusaku, and Jigyo-ryu led by Komori Seibei, named after the two respective areas of the new castle. It was also during these times in the late 1700's that the lines of the Kuroda-no-jo, by now mainly an Ashigaru martial art, were starting to be called "Shindo Muso-ryu".

The two new lines of Jigyo and Haruyoshi were a reality by the early 1800's, but eventhough separate, all three lines appear to have been very similar in terms of techniques. This is best demonstrated when the Jigyo-line was broken with the death of its head instructor Fujimoto Heikichi (d.1815). Without a successor from within its own students the line would have died out. But Hatae Kyuhei, who was trained in the Haruyoshi-line, would eventually revive the jigyo-ryu and it continued into the Meiji-era (1868-1912).

The Kansai-ryu had also fallen onto dark times as the line died out with the death of Inoue Ryosuke (d.1831). Again the similarities between the various lines of Kuroda-no-jo are made obvious when the same above-mentioned Hatae Kyuhei reestablishes the Kansai-ryu. The Kansai-ryu would, however, die out for good in the Bakumatsu-era (1850-1867)

It was not until the 1872 that the ban of teaching outside the Kuroda-han was lifted and the Kuroda-period of Shinto Muso-ryu history ended. At that time there were only two dojos teaching Shinto Muso-ryu in all of Japan.

During this period the art of the "Stick of Kuroda" was taught to both samurai and ashigaru, the latter being the footsoldier that made up the bulk of the samurai-armies.

Post Kuroda-period and Shiraishi Hanjiro - 1871-1927

With the abolishment of the shogunate and easing of bureaucratic restrictions, Shinto Muso-ryu (and many more martial arts) was allowed to be taught outside the traditional family lands. It also meant that the numerous benefits of the traditional clan-system was abolished along with it, and the numerous menkyo-holders of SMR, who had lived, worked and trained with the financial support of the Daimyo (aristocratic land-owners), would scatter and many stopped teaching alltogether. By the end of the Meiji-era, (1912), only Shiraishi Hanjiro Shigeaki was still active as a fully qualified and dedicated SMR-teacher. His peer, Uchida Ryogoro, was selected to travel to Tokyo and teach and expand the art there while his Shiraishi stayed in the designated Shinto Muso-ryu headquarters in Fukuoka. Shiraishi would teach Shinto Muso-ryu in Fukuoka until his death in 1927(1921?).

In the early 1900's Ryogoro arrived in Tokyo and set up shop, teaching jojutsu to such noticeable students as Nakayama Hakudo, founder of Muso Shinden-ryu and Komita Takayoshi, founder of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. During this time they also cooperated with Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo and a dedicated promoter of the classical arts, who let the SMR-teachers teach and demonstrate Jojutsu at his Tokyo-dojo. Jigoro Kano was also on occasion invited to the Fukuoka-dojo. Ryogoro also taught at the Naval Officers Club and later at the Shiba Koen park. Ryogoro's son, Uchida Ryôhei, joined him in Tokyo and studied under his father there and were instrumental in developing his fathers Tanjojutsu-art into a working set of techniques. Uchida Ryogoro died in 1921

Shinto Muso-ryu and Shimizu Takaji - 1927-1978

Shimizu Takaji was the head Shihan of Shinto Muso-ryu after the death of his sensei Shiraishi Hanjiro, and was together with Takayama Kiroku and Otofuji Ichizo one of the three most prominent students of Shiraishi. Shimizu, as had Shiraishi before him, has been described as a SMR Headmaster, although neither Shiraishi or Shimizu received official appointment to such a position. Shimizu would complete Shinto Muso-ryu's transition from a localized bugei-ryu to a national martial art and become the arts greatest popularizer.

Shimizu was born in 1897 and came from humble origins, his family heralding from a line of village headmen and minor officials. In the aftermath of the abolishment of the samurai-caste, Shimizu's father would manage a small general store while Shimizu, after graduating from elementary school, taking employment in a small factory at Hakata. Shimizu started his training at the age of 17 and quickly rose in the ranks, receiving the mokuroku-scroll in 1918 and the license of full transmission (menkyo) in 1920 at the age of 23.

(work in progress)

Shinto Muso-ryu post Shimizu-period 1978-

Leaders of Shinto Muso-ryu lineages to the present

Original Line - Founded 1596-1614
* 1. Muso Gonnosuke - Traditional founder of Shinto Muso-ryu
* 2. Okubi Mogozaemon
* 3. Matsuzaki Kinu'emon Tsunekatsu - Credited with creating and adding two new separate arts to the SMR-system.
* 4. Higashi Han'emon - The last Shihanke of a unified SMR, separate lineages of jojutsu appear, headed by menkyo-holders.

The New Just-line:* 5. Menkyo Harada Heizo, (d.1733), of Higashi Han'emon creates the "new just"-line or "kansai-ryu":* 6. Hara Shiuemon Ujisada:* 7. Nagatomi Koshiro Hisatomo, (1717-1772), last Shihanke of "kansai-ryu" - Two new lines of jojutsu appear headed by students of Nagatomi Koshiro.

The True Path-line, the original line of SMR:* 5. Menkyo Yokata Hanzaburo of Higashi Han'emon continues original "true path" (Moriki-ryu):* 6. Menkyo Moriki Keichi renames it into "Moriki-ryu" :* 7. Inoue Ryosuke, (d. 1831), - Line broken with at his death:* 8. Hatae Kyuhei - Line reestablished.:* 9. Yamazaki Koji - Last Shihanke of "shujo-ryu" - Line broken in the Bakumatsu-era, (1850-1867), never reestablished.

Haruyoshi-line::* 8. Menkyo Ono Kyusaku "Haruyoshi", (d. 1807), of Nagatomi Koshiro establishes Haruyoshi-line. ::* 9. Hatae Kyuhei::* 10. Hirano Kichizo::* 11. Yoshikawa Wataru::* 12. Hirano Saburo - Last Shihanke of the Haruyoshi line - Line merged by Shiriashi Hanjiro with the "Jigyo" line to form the present SMR.

Jigyo-line::* 8. Menkyo Komori Seibei "Jigyo", (d. 1815), of Nagatomi Koshiro establishes Jigyo-line ::* 9. Fujimoto Heikichi - Line broken with his death in 1815.::* 10. Hatae Kyuhei - Line reestablished::* 11. Yoshimura Hanjiro - Last Shihanke of "Jigyo-ryu"-line - Line merged with the "Haruyoshi" line by Shiriashi Hanjiro to form the present SMR.

Shinto Muso-ryu Modern-day system:::* 24. Menkyo Shiriashi Hanjiro - Was a student of both the Haruyoshi and Jigyo-line. - Reunites the two largest lineages of the Kuroda-jo.:::* 25. Menkyo Shimzu Takaji - Is considered by some to be the 25th headmaster of Shinto Muso-ryu, but was never officially appointed by Shiraiashi Hanjiro. Shimizu died in 1978 without naming a successor.:::* 26. The 26th headmaster has never been formally appointed.

Notes
*Menkyo=A holder of a license of total transmission with complete authority to teach and/or modify the existing system.
*Two other lines existed but have not yet been included in the article: "Ten'ami-ryu Heijo and the Shin-Chigiriki"

Modern-day Shinto Muso-ryu

Kihon and Kata - Basic training and advanced training

All students begin by learning the twelve basic techniques and then progressing into doing kata. There are approx 64 jo-kata in the modern SMR-system. The integrated arts hold their own set of kata with their respective weapons.

As SMR does not have a sparring-system such as in karate, judo or kendo, the training session is usually very coherent with the senior student commanding the pace and direction of the session with the entire group often training as one, especially during warmup and drill. A normal session, (albeit heavily dependent on the dojo you train in), usually begins with a repetition of kihon for all students. Sometimes drills are added to further sharpen the kihon-techniques. Drills and kata involving newer students are often performed with a more senior student taking on the role of uchidachi. Kata-practice is usually done under the supervision of a senior student.

In all kata and paired techniques, there is always a Shidachi, (defender using the Jo), and Uchidachi, (attacker using the sword). When applicable, the uchidachi is always the senior to the shidachi in terms of experience. This is done as a way to develop the younger shidachi's skill by having him face a more experienced and confident swordsman and thus heighten the combative feeling.

Etiquette and traditions in the dojo

A typical Shinto Muso-ryu dojo, as with many other dojos dedicated to Japanese martial arts, hold a great emphasis on etiquette and tradition. In most dojos, Japanese verbal commands are used to guide the training session from start to finish.

The traditional Japanese bowing in and out is generally practiced in all Japanese & western dojos. Not all dojos, however, uses the exact same routine but generally holds true to a certain set of principles. One example taken from a European Jodo-Dojo: When the training session start, the students line up in seniority facing the wall where the traditional shrine is placed, (eldest student with the most experience to the far right, youngest to the far left). They then bow in under the guidance of the senior student present who utters the phrases "Shomen ni rei" (bow to the shrine) and "Sensei ni rei" (bow to the sensei).At the end of a session an identical procedure is performed with the added final phrase "arigato-gozaimashita" by the senior students as a way to thank them for the session. Individual dojos may have different customs and traditions, such as sitting in seizan during the initial bow and/or holding the jo in a certain way during bow.

During drills and/or kata involving shidachi and uchidachi, certain rules of behaviour are applied when switching weapons and even training-partners. This is done as a way to have an orderly training seesion and also to reflect how the samurai behaved in court and/or in his lords presence where strict rules of behaviour regarding movement, weapons and manners were enforced. The students bow before and after performing a kata, drill or any other exercise. The switching of weapons is, by tradition and experience, a very serious matter and thus the rules has evolved during the years as a way to minimize any threatining apparence & manner thus showing respect for their training partner. During the switch the weapons are held in a neutral manner, again this is done for safety and also as a show of respect mirroring how the actual samurai trainee's would act. Similar strict weapon-etiquette is also present in Iaido among other arts.

Kamae - Stances

In SMR there are a number of kamae (stances), for both sword and jo, used in the execution of kata and basic techniques. A few of the more common kamae are mentioned below.

Kamae for Jo
* 1. Tsune no Kamae
* 2. Honte no Kamae
* 3. Gyakute no Kamae
* 4. Hikiotoshi no Kamae

Kamae for Ken
* 1. Seigan no Kamae
* 2. Jodan no Kamae
* 3. Hasso no Kamae
* 4. Waki no Kamae

Note: The various Kamae found in SMR are not necessarily identical to Kamae found in other traditional arts eventhough they might share the same name.

Kihon - Basic techniques

The Kihon no Uchi Tsuki Waza, or basic techniques, is a system of twelve techniques drawn from the existing jo-kata (with minor modifications from the original kata) and used as a way to better introduce a new student to jodo. The kihon techniques were not originally part of the Shinto Muso-ryu but were a later addition. The kihon was systemized mainly by Shimizu Takaji at his Tokyo-dojo in his strive to make jodo more appealing to new students and easing their introduction to kata-training. Shimizu's peer Takayama Kiroku would bring the kihon techniques back to Fukuoka where it was formally adopted into SMR. Shimizu also removed and/or modified some of the more dangerous techniques and early kata as not to cause injuries to newer students.

Kihon can be done individually tandoku dosa or in pairs sotai dosa. New students normally begin with tandoku dosa, learning the jo first and later switching to the sword, and then finally learn the entire technique with a training partner. The techniques are normally trainined in sequence. Again, this is heavily dependant on the routines of the individual dojo.

List of kihon techniques.
* 1. Honte Uchi
* 2. Gyakute Uchi
* 3. Hikiotoshi Uchi
* 4. Kaeshi Tsuki
* 5. Gyakute Tsuki
* 6. Maki Otoshi
* 7. Kuritsuke
* 8. Kurihanashi
* 9. Taiatari
* 10. Tsuki Hazushi Uchi
* 11. Dobarai Uchi
* 12. Tai Hazushi Uchi Migi / Tai Hazushi Uchi Hidari (left and right)

The twelve kihon-techniques are used in both Shinto Muso-ryu and in the Seitei Jodo of the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei, although the latter uses a slightly modified version of Kihon. The Seitei Jodo kata were developed in part by Shimizu Takaji and presented to the All Japan Kendo Federation in the 1960's.

Kata - Training Sequences

Kata is used in many modern and koryu martial arts as a way of teaching advanced techniques and manouvers using a series of scripted movements and actions. The Shinto Muso-ryu system holds approx. 64 jojutsu-kata divided into a number of series. As a comparison, the compact Seitei-Jodo created by Shimizu Takaji contains 12 kata. Ten of these kata are drawn from the existing SMR-kata with minor modifications, and 2 other kata created specifically for Seitei-Jodo. The two specific Seitei-jodo are taught in various SMR-dojos outside the main series of Kata.

All kata are normally taught in sequence. In some SMR dojos, new students begin their kata-training by learning two kata from the Seitei-jodo due to its (relative) technical simplicity.

=Omote

=The first series of kata taught to students. The two Seitei-Jodo kata is in some dojos taught before Tachi Otoshi, although not always. Tzuki Zue is also sometimes used as a first kata taught to new students.
* (1) Tsuki Zue (In some dojo's)
* (2) Suigetsu (In some dojo's)
* (3) Shamen (In some dojo's)
* 1. Tachi Otoshi - First kata of the Omote Series.
* 2. Tsuba wari
* 3. Tsuki Zue
* 4. Hissage
* 5. Sakan
* 6. Ukan
* 7. Kasumi
* 8. Monomi
* 9. Kasa no shita
* 10. Ichi rei
* 11. Neya no uchi
* 12. Hoso michi

=Chudan

=
* 1. Ichi riki
* 2. Oshi zume
* 3. Midare dome
* 4. Ushiro zue zen / Ushiro zue go
* 5. Taisha
* 6. Kengome - Uchidachi uses both long and short swords
* 7. Kiri kake
* 8. Shin shin
* 9. Rai uchi
* 10. Yokogiri dome
* 11. Harai dome
* 12. Seigan

=Ran ai

= Created and added in bakumatsu-period (1850-1867)
* 1. Ran ai odachi - (longsword)
* 2. Ran ai kodachi - (shortsword)

=Kage

=Holds the same names as the omote-series.
* 1. Tachi otoshi
* 2. Tsuba wari
* 3. Tsuki zue
* 4. Hissage
* 5. Sakan
* 6. Ukan
* 7. Kasumi
* 8. Monomi
* 9. Kasa no shita
* 10. Ichi rei
* 11. Neya no uchi
* 12. Hoso michi

=Samidare

=
* 1. Ichi monji / Ju monji
* 2. Kodachi otoshi
* 3. Mijin zen / Mijin go
* 4. Gan tsubushi

=Gohon no midare

=Created and added by Shimizu Takaji in around 1939
* 1. Tachi otoshi no midare
* 2. Sakan no midare
* 3. Kengome no midare
* 4. Kasumi no midare
* 5. Shamen no midare

=Okuden

=
* 1. Sengachi
* 2. Tsuki dashi
* 3. Uchi tsuke
* 4. Kote dome
* 5. Hiki tsute
* 6. Kote garami
* 7. Jutte
* 8. Mikaeri
* 9. Aun
* 10. Uchiwake
* 11. Suigetsu
* 12. Sayu dome

Grades - basic and classical

SMR in the European Jodo Federation incorporates three separate grade-systems.
* 1. The dan/kyu-system used in the majority of modern Japanese martial arts today.
* 2. The "Shoden, Chûden and Kuden" system put into effect by Donn F. Draeger
* 3. The classical system of giving licenses of transmission: "Oku-iri", "Shomokuroku", "Gomokuroku", "Menkyo" and "Menkyo Kaiden"

The Seitei Jodo system has a dan/kyu system but due to different grade-demands, and the fact that seitei-jodo has a modified way of doing kihon and kata, the Seitei-jo rank is not valid as a SMR-rank. As an example:

Qualification for the 5th kyu of Shinto Muso-ryu, a student must adequatly demonstrate the entire set of twelve basic techniques, (jo-side only), for a small group of qualified jodo-teachers. In Seitei-jodo, the qualification for the 5th kyu is the adequate presentation of the first three techniques of Kihon.

The highest rank available in Shinto Muso-ryu is the scroll of complete transmission of the teachings of the system, or Menkyo kaiden, and includes all the technical as well as oral teachings. This rank is used in many koryu martial arts of Japan. The student considered for MK must first attain the separate rank of Menkyo, a process that will take many years depending on the skill and dedication of the student. Shimizu Takaji himself was issued his MK very early in his life in comparison to western standards. The student is then taught the last series comprising of five Jo-kata, shown and taught only to other MK and prospective students of MK respectivly. Once the Menkyo has learned these five kata, and is approved, he/she is issued the complete scroll of transmission by his/her Sensei.

A person issued with the MK has the right to teach the art to whoever he chooses and also holds the right to issue scrolls of transmissions to his students. The MK may also, if he so chooses, implement modifications in the SMR-system to techniques or kata. These changes will only be relevant to the MK's students and will not be universal. The SMR-system is unique in the fact that it doesn't not have a single headmaster to issue MK to prospective students. Instead every person who has been issued a MK can technically be described as teaching their own variation of the ryu, known as "ha". "Ha" is a varition of a marital arts system taught by a MK but is still a part of the main ryu. A student who's MK was issued by Shimizu Takaji and was a direct student of his for many years may be considered to be practicing and teaching "Shimizu-Ha" Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo. Although today the various -ha of SMR does not force its individuality the same way as other ryu do. If a MK decides to do radical changes to the system, adding/removing parts of the art, he/she will depart from belonging to a -ha and in effect be creating a new style.

A recent example is found in the Iaido-art Muso Shinden-ryu, created by Nakayama Hakudo. Nakayama trained in the Eishin-ryu iaijutsu and decided to radically modify what he had learned and would officially label it Muso Shinden-ryu thus creating a new style with no ties to Eishin-ryu.

Weapons and training gear

Jo - The staff of Shinto Muso-ryu

Essentially the Jo is a wooden staff approx 128 cm long, although just like with a sword the length was customized to suit the wielder, and is used in several seitei martial arts such as Aikido.

According to legend, Gonnosuke was inspired to create and use the Jo from a divine vision some time after he was defeated by Miyamoto Musashi in a duel. In this vision, a divine being in the form of a child appeared, brandishing a stick (or log in one version) and proclaiming "know the solar plexus [of your opponent] with a round stick". The jo, however, is known to have existed before Gonnosuke.

The jo, like it's larger sibling the long-staff Bo, was never an effective battlefield weapon in the traditional sense such as the sword, spear or bow (just to name a few). This is so, not only because the jo is mainly a non-lethal weapon with no cutting edges and not much use against a fully armoured warrior, but also because there were not many widespread dedicated schools of jojutsu in the warring Sengoku Jidai-period. The Jo would come into its own against non-armoured samurai and other opponents in the relative peaceful edo-period.

Various other martial arts also include elements of jojutsu not necessarily related to Shinto Muso-ryu. One of the most famous promoter of the jo outside of Shinto Muso-ryu in modern times, and indeed in the martial arts community as a whole, was the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba. Ueshiba trained in a variety of ryu including Yagyu swordsmanship, but is not known to have trained in Shinto Muso-ryu. It is generally believed that Ueshiba used his training in sojutsu (spear) to create a set of techniques for the jo. (Ueshiba also used the longstaff bo to perform the same techniques.)

Ken - The sword of Shinto Muso-ryu

The Japanese sword, with its long history and many variations has a prominent role in Shinto Muso-ryu. In the early Edo-period the katana and the shorter wakizashi was the weapons of choice for samurai during their regular duties. On the battlefield the slightly longer and more curved tachi would be used. In SMR the katana is the weapon used, but for training purposes a wooden-sword, orbokken, is used as to minimize risk of injuries. Every training-sequence (kata) starts with the swordsman, called Uchidachi, attacking the defender (shidachi) who in turn defeats his opponent. In addition to the longsword Katana, the shortsword kodachi or wakizashi is also used. In some of the jojutsu and kenjutsu-kata of SMR, the is used in tandem with the Kodachi and sometimes with just the short sword. In addition to the swordtraining provided in jojutsu-kata, an addition of sword-versus-sword kata were added during the course SMR-history in order for jodoka to further develop and sharpen their skill with the sword.

In several SMR-dojos today, and in many martial arts dojos in general, the practitioner is encouraged to train in the separate sword-art iaido, the way of drawing and handling the Japanese sword, as another way to increase the students skill with the sword for more effective use in Jodo.

Clothing

In the majority of dojos today, the jodoka essentially uses the same clothing as practicitioners of kendo minus the armour and other protective padding. A blue/indigo uwagi (jacket), an obi (belt, often the same type as used in iaido), a blue or black hakama (wide trousers used by samurai). The type of clothing worn is not universal for all SMR-dojos. In some dojos, which in addition to jodo also may also have aikido-practicitioners, the white keikogi and regular white trousers are allowed. All-white keikogi and hakama are also used in various dojos and/or on special occasions such as public demonstrations or competitions (Seitei-jodo).

Integrated arts in Shinto Muso-ryu

The modern 64 kata of jojutsu techniques is divided into a number of series that comprises the heart of modern Shinto Muso-ryu. During the course of the Kuroda and meiji-period, several other arts were attached to Shinto Muso-ryu to be trained alongside jojutsu. Those that survived to this day has their own separate kata and ryu-name, but is generally not taught outside the Shinto Muso-ryu system and is considered integrated.

The third headmaster of Shinto Muso-ryu, a man named Matsuzaki Kinueumon Tsunekatsu, integrated the first two arts into the Shinto Muso-ryu system. Over the years several lineages of Gonnosukes original art have added or withdrawn other arts into their system. In the majority of the SMR-dojos, the assimilated arts are not normally taught to a student until he/she has reached a designated level of experience & expertice with kihon and a certain level of proficiency in the jodo-kata.

Ittatsu-ryu Hojojutsu

A ryu of restraining a person using cord or rope for use by police-forces of the Edo period and up to modern times. The Ittatsu-ryu was created by the third SMR Shihanke, Matsuzaki Kinu'emon Tsunekatsu, and added to the main SMR system.

Ikkaku-ryu juttejutsu

The ryu of using the edo-period police weapon known as jutte in tandem with the tessen against a swordsman. Ikkaku-ryu was created by the third SMR Shihanke, Matsuzaki Kinu'emon Tsunekatsu, and added to the main SMR system.

Isshin-ryu kusarigamajutsu

The integrated ryu of handling the chain and sickle weapon. It was added to Shinto Muso-ryu by Shiraishi Hanjiro

Kasumi Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu

A collection of 12 sword-versus-sword kata. Used as a further way of developing skill with the sword. Please Note: The name "Kasumi" Shinto-ryu is not yet the universal way of naming the 12 sword-kata. The discovery of the name "Kasumi" was made from recent research into the history of Shinto Muso-ryu but is yet to be confirmed. The most common and older way of naming the 12 sword-kata in SMR is "Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu" or the longer "Shinto Muso-ryu Kenjutsu".

Uchida Ryu Tanjojutsu - (Sutekki-jutsu)

The art of using the tanjo, (a 90 cm walking-stick), created by SMR menkyo Uchida Ryogoro in the late 1880's. It was further developed by his son Uchida Royhei, who used his fathers work and turned it into the 12 modern day kata. (the art was also known as Sutekki-Jutsu) The art was formally adopted into SMR to be taught alongside the other arts.

Weapons for integrated arts

Just like with the Jo, the weapons found in the integrated arts were not inventions of Shinto Muso-ryu headmasters but had been created and used long before the above ryu were added to the main Shinto Muso-ryu system. (The tanjo of Tanjojutsu were also a half-staff known has hanbo in other martial arts of the Edo-period)

Jutte(jitte) and tessen

The jutte(or jitte) was a widespread Edo period police weapon used to control, disarm and subdue a criminal who would most likely be armed with a sword, without killing him, (unless in extreme situations). There exists at least 200 known variations of the jutte. The jutte used in SMR is approx 46 cm in length. In the integrated art of Ikkaku-ryu juttejutsu, the tessen, or war-fan approx 30 cm in length, is used in tandem with the jutte in some of the kata.

Kusarigama

The Kusarigama is a chain-and-sickle weapon. The weapon is used in several ryu and the design varies from school to school. The kusarigama used in Isshin-ryu has a straight, double-edged 30 cm blade with a wooden shaft approx 36 cm long with an iron guard to protect the hand. The Kusari (chain) has a heavy iron/stone-weight and is attached to the kama (sickle). The chain is 12 shaku long (3.6 meters) and the attached weight can be thrown against an opponents weapon or hands, either disarming him or otherwise preventing him from properly defending himself against the kama. In some kata, the iron-weight is thrown at the attackers body causing injury or at minimum stunning the opponent. The kusarigama also has non-lethal kata designed to trap and apprehand a swordsman using the long chain as a restraint. A famous user of the kusarigama outside of Shinto Muso-ryu was Shishido Baiken, who was killed in a duel with the legendary Miyamoto Musashi. During kata-practice a safer, all-wooden version, (except the metal handguard), is used with softer materials replacing the chain and weight.

The kusarigama is featured in several classical martial arts. For more information see the main Kusarigama-article.

Tanjo

The tanjo is a 90 cm short-staff used in the assimilated art Uchida Ryu Tanjojutsu. Although of the same length, the tanjo should not to be confused with the hanbo which is used in other martial arts.The modern tanjo holds the same width as a standard jo and is usually created from an old retired jo. The tanjo of the Meiji-era were thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, as was the design of the walking-stick at the time. The original inspiration for the tanjo was the western walking-stick which soon found a practical use in self-defense in the Meiji-era. In the modern era, where walking-sticks are not frequently used, Tanjojutsu has adapted accordingly with a less martial approach to tanjojutsu than in the meiji-period.

Organisations

After the death of the Shimizu Takaji, the considered 25th headmaster of Shinto Muso-ryu in 1978, SMR as a whole found itself without a frontman and with no appointed successor to take over. This led the SMR-dojos all over the world to slowly build up their own organisations to fill the void as best as possible.

Japan and the Pacific

All Japan Jodo Federation(located in Japan)International Jodo Federation(General Worldwide Headquarters located in Japan)

(work in progress)

Europe and Africa

Partially as a result of Shimizu's death, the "Association helvétique de Jodo" came to be in 1979 by SMR-student Pascal Krieger and other European Jodoka. Because of this new organisation's quick growth, it was necessary to create a larger entiy in which to contain the activities of the European jodoka. The AHJ would in 1983 evolve into what is today the European Jodo Federation, a member of the larger International Jodo Federation, originally headed by the famed martial artist Donn F. Draeger.(work in progress)

North and South America

USA Jodo Federation(located in Jacksonville, Florida)

Pan American Jo-do Federation(located in Woodinville, Washington) (work in progress)

Other Jodo-organisations

Notable Shinto Muso-ryu practitioner

* Donn F. Draeger (b.1922 - d.1982) - U.S. Menkyo of Katori Shinto-ryu and Menkyo of SMR (awarded posthumously) [1] - The first foreign student of Shimizu Takaji. The first ever foreign Menkyo of Katori Shinto-ryu.
* Hosho Shiokawa - Japanese Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji and Nakajima Asakichi - Head of Shiokawa-ha of SMR - 15th Soke of Mugai-ryu Iaihyodo.
* Kaminoda Tsunemori - Japanese Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji - Head of the Zoshokan temple dojo in Tokyo - Recognised headmaster of Isshin-ryu Kusarigamajutsu (within the SMR-system).
* Miura Takeyuki - Japanese Martial Artist - Student of Nakajima Asakichi - Is Hanshi 10th dan of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaijutsu.
* Nakayama Hakudo (b.1873 - d.1958) - Japanese Martial Artist - Student of Shiriashi Hanjiro - Founder of Muso Shinden-ryu iaido - Held Hanshi rank in SMR.
* Nishioka Tsuneo - Japanese Menkyo SMR - student of Shimizu Takaji, founder of the Shinto Muso-ryu group "Sei ryu kai", [2][3] - technical advisor to European Jodo Federation since 1994.
* Pascal Krieger - Swiss Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji - founder of the European Jodo Federation [4], president of the International Jodo Federation.
* Phil Relnick - US Menkyo SMR - Student of Nishioka Tsuneo and Shimizu Takaji - Pan-American Jo Federation. [5] [6]
* Shoji Nishio (b.1927 - d.2005) - Japanese aikidoka [7]- Traineé of SMR - Founder of the Aikido-style Nishio Aikido in which he used his knowledge of jodo in creating aiki-jo techniques.

* European Jôdô Federation
* Pan-American Jo Federation
* Koryu.com photo gallery of Shinto Muso-ryu and integrated arts in action
* Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in the USA
* Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo on the Net
* SMR-dojo in Stockholm, Sweden
* SMR in Switzerland
* SMR-dojo in Östersund, Sweden
* Shrine of Muso Gonnosuke
* Shrine of Muso Gonnosuke
* Seitei Jodo/Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in Spain
* Shinto Muso Ryu Demonstrated at Nagoya Castle
* Jo Dojo of Nishioka Tsuneo Sensei in Tokyo

References

* "A Brief History of ZNKR Jodo"
* Entry on SMR at koryu.com
* "Evolution of classical Jojutsu" by Dave Lowry
* Jodo Kai Australia
* KampaiBudokai article on SMR
* "Muso Gonnosuke and the Shinto Muso-ryu Jo" by Wayne Muromoto
* "Nishioka Tsuneo and the Pure Flow of the Jo" by Wayne Muromoto
*Pascal Krieger: Jodô - la voie du bâton / The way of the stick (bilingual French/English), Geneva (CH) 1989, ISBN 2-9503214-0-2
* Stockholm Jodokai with featured list of known Shinto Muso-ryu kata including assimilated arts.
* USA Jodo Federation (history-section)

Shinto Muso-ryu: Encyclopedia BETA

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