Hojōjutsu
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, or just is the traditional Japanese martial art of restraining a person using cord or
rope A rope is a group of yarns, Plying, plies, fibres, or strands that are plying, twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have high tensile strength and can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger ...
(called in Japanese), as a precursor to modern-day
handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
. Encompassing many different materials, techniques and methods from many different schools, hojōjutsu is a quintessentially Japanese art that is a unique product of Japanese history and culture. As a
martial art Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the pres ...
s practice, hojōjutsu is seldom if ever taught on its own but as part of a curriculum under the aegis of the body of study encompassed by a larger school of
bugei Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts. The usage ...
or
budō is a Japanese language, Japanese term describing modern Japanese martial arts. It is commonly translated as "Martial Way", or the "Way of Martial Arts". Etymology is a compound of the root ( or ; ), meaning "war" or "martial"; and ( or ; ), ...
, often as an advanced study in
jujutsu Jujutsu ( , or ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu (both ), is a Japanese martial art and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponent ...
. Regardless of the source, hojōjutsu techniques and methods are seldom demonstrated outside Japan.


Techniques and methods

Generally speaking, hojōjutsu can be divided into two broad categories. The first is the capture and restraint of a prisoner that was effected with strong, thin cord (usually 3–4 millimeters in diameter) called a , and sometimes the sageo carried by
samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
on the sword-sheaths was used. In law enforcement, this cord was carried by constables who secreted the rope in a small bundle that fed cord from one end. This '' torinawa'' ("capture-rope") was coiled so that the cord would pay out from one end as the bundled cord was passed around the prisoner's body, neck and arms as they were tied. This was usually accomplished by one constable in the course of performing an arrest while the prisoner was actively resisting and had to be accomplished quickly. Even at this stage, attention was still paid to visual and aesthetic concerns in the tying method as well as to the cultural needs of Japanese society. According to experts, an accused but not convicted prisoner would be tied using methods which allowed the prisoner to be securely restrained but which contained no knots to save the prisoner the shame of being publicly bound. Instead of securing the tie with knots, the constable held on to the free end of the rope and walked behind the prisoner to keep him or her under control as the prisoner was taken for an interrogation, which could involve the application of one or more forms of
judicial torture The prohibition of torture is a peremptory norm in public international lawmeaning that it is forbidden under all circumstancesas well as being forbidden by international treaties such as the United Nations Convention Against Torture . It is gen ...
to elicit a confession. The second category utilized with one or occasionally two "main ropes" or 'honnawa' which, like the ''hayanawa'', could be any one of many different lengths, but was usually hemp in material. The thickness of this rope averaged at six or more millimeters in diameter, while the length could be as much as 25 meters long. This was used to provide a more secure, long-term binding than is possible with the ''hayanawa'' for transportation to a place of incarceration, restraint at legal proceedings, and—in the case of particularly severe crimes—for the public display of the prisoner prior to execution by such methods as beheading, crucifixion (i.e., the prisoner was displayed tied to a cross before spears were driven through the body), or, in arson convictions, death by fire. ''Honnawa'' ties were applied by a group of people, usually not less than four, whose presence allowed the use of more intricate and ornate patterns than was the case with the hayanawa. Both forms combined effective restraint with a distinct visual aesthetic. In either form, the ''hojōjutsu'' ties known today display a shrewd understanding of human anatomy through several recurrent themes. This can include leverage removal (tying limbs in positions that decrease the force they can generate), rope placement to discourage struggling or to make it less effective by placing one or more loops of rope around the neck and constricting restraint around points on the upper arms where determined struggle puts pressure on blood vessels and nerves, numbing the extremities.


Persistence in modern times

''Hojōjutsu'' shows limited survival in the modern world, both in Japan and elsewhere. ''Torinawa'' techniques are taught as part of the curriculum learned by modern Japanese police officers and it remains an advanced topic within schools of jujutsu, following it and other Japanese traditional martial arts as they make their way around the world from Brazil to Eastern Europe. ''Yoshida ha Shidare Yanagi ryū'', art of the late Don Angier, contains an extensive ''hojōjutsu'' curriculum. Although the ''honnawa'' techniques have long been supplanted by handcuffs and leg-irons, some teachers of traditional martial arts in Japan work to continue to maintain the art form. The ''
sōke , pronounced , is a Japanese term that means "the head family ouse" In the realm of Japanese traditional arts, it is used synonymously with the term '' iemoto''. Thus, it is often used to indicate "headmaster" (or sometimes translated as "head o ...
'' (head of, and heir to the style) of Masaki-ryū, Nawa Yumio, has written several books on the subject and has worked as an historical consultant on matters dealing with law enforcement and Mizukoshi Hiro's recently reprinted book ''Torinawajutsu'' offers historical background followed by thorough, practical instruction in more than 25 traditional ties, including some recreated from rare and very old texts. The ''
ko-ryū is a Japanese term for any kind of Japanese school of traditional arts. The term literally translates as " old school" (''ko''—'old', '' ryū''—'school') or "traditional school". It is sometimes also translated as "old style". Martial ar ...
'' cited are Seigo Ryu Jujutsu, Seishin Ryu Jujutsu, Koden Enshin Ryu Iaijutsu, Nanbu Handen Hojo Jutsu, Kurokawa Ryu Ninjutsu, Kurama Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, Nagano Ryu Heihou, Mitsuo (Mippa) Muteki Ryu, Bo Ryu and Tenfu Muso Ryu.
Seiko Fujita was a prominent and highly respected member of Japan's martial arts community. An authority on Kobudō, the classical martial arts of Japan & the Ryukyu Islands, Fujita inherited Wada-ha Kōga-ryū Ninjutsu from his grandfather. Academically, he ...
's work ''Zukai Torinawajutsu'', which could be considered as the encyclopedia of this art, shows hundreds of ties from many different schools.


See also

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Notes


References

* Torinawajutsu (Hojo-jutsu)- Hiro Mizukoshi * Bugei Ryuha Daijiten


External links


An article by Richard Cleaver on Hojojutsu, translations from the 1964 works of Headmaster Nawa Yumio


* ttp://robertg.com/masakiryu.htm Masaki Ryū
The ancient art of Hojojutsu

Kokusai Hojojutsu Kenkyukai / International Hojojutsu Research Society
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hojojutsu Physical restraint Ropework Japanese martial arts Ko-ryū bujutsu