is a traditional school ('' koryū'') of the

Japanese martial art 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 ...

of ''

hojōjutsu , or just is the traditional Japanese martial art of restraining a person using cord or rope (called in Japanese), as a precursor to modern-day handcuffs. Encompassing many different materials, techniques and methods from many different school ...

''. Today, Ittatsu-ryū has been assimilated into the traditional school of

Shintō Musō-ryū , most commonly known by its practice of ''jōdō'', is a traditional school ('' koryū'') of the Japanese martial art of '' jōjutsu'', or the art of wielding the short staff ('' jō''). The technical purpose of the art is to learn how to defeat ...

. This particular school of ''hojōjutsu'' was created in the late 17th century by Matsuzaki Kinueimon Shigekatsu, the third Shintō Musō-ryū headmaster.: Krieger, Pascal – ''Jodô – la voie du bâton / The way of the stick'' (bilingual French/English), Geneva (CH) 1989, The modern Ittatsu-ryū system comprises 24 training-forms (''

kata ''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practiced in Japanese martial arts ...

''), grouped into 3 different series.

History

Hojōjutsu (捕縄術) or Nawajutsu, (縄術) is the traditional Japanese martial skill of restraining a person using cord or rope (''Hojō''). It found use on both on and off the battlefield in up to 125 individual martial arts schools. It was used in particular by the various police-forces of the

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

-period and remains in use to this day with the Tokyo police force. In the warring-era (1467–1615) it was not uncommon for warriors carrying a rope for use as a tool or as a restraint for prisoners of war when on campaign. The rope is to be used on an opponent after he or she has been subdued using restraining methods (''torite'') such as the methods found in the ''Ikkaku-ryū juttejutsu'' system. Ittatsu-ryū Hojōjutsu was created in the 17th century by Matsuzaki Kin'ueimon Shigekatsu, the third ''shihanke'' of the Shintō Musō-ryū, who also created the Ikkaku-ryū, and later transmitted through the "New Just" (Shintō) Musō-ryū tradition as its main rope-art.Matsui, Kenji. 1993. ''The History of Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu'', translated by Hunter Armstrong (Kamuela,HI: International Hoplological Society) The rope used in Ittatsu-ryū is about 5 meters in length and a diameter of about 3.5 mm. Although

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 ...

have generally replaced the rope, there exists today a modern form of hojojutsu in the Tokyo policeforce. This system was derived mainly from the Ittatsu-ryū tradition and were taught by the Shintō Musō-ryū ''Shihanke''

Shimizu Takaji Shimizu may refer to: People * Shimizu (surname) (清水, "clear" or "pure water"), a common Japanese surname Places Japan *Shimizu, Fukui -chō, town, Fukui Prefecture *Shimizu, Shizuoka -chō, town, Shizuoka Prefecture *Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka ...

in his formal duty as a police force instructor in the mid 20th century.

Hojō methods

In the strict social-system of the Tokugawa-era (1603–1868) there was a high emphasis on treating each individual according to what class the individual belonged to. Each of the Ittatsu-ryu form(''kata'')-series is adapted to deal with the social status of the individual being restrained. A samurai-lord, (if being arrested for a crime), would have to be restrained in a way that enables the individual to retain his or her dignity. Women, priests (of either

shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

faith),

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 ...

, and commoners (considered to be near bottom of the class-system) would have to be restrained in a way that represented their position in the class-hierarchy without disgracing them.

Training

The hojō-methods are for the most part taught only to advanced students who have achieved a high level of proficiency in the Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo forms, though the level required is not standardized and different Jodo-organisations have different requirements.

List of Ittatsu-ryū Hojōjutsu forms

The modern-day Ittatsu-ryū system comprises 24 forms of rope-tying divided between 3 series called ''Ge'', ''Chû'' and ''Jô''. Ge (''inferior'') series # Ichimonji haya nawa (一文字早繩) # Hane tsuki haya nawa (翅付繩) # Hitoe bishi nawa (一重菱繩) # Shin no hane tsuki nawa (眞翅付繩) # Ya hazu nawa (矢筈繩) # Sumi chigai nawa (角違繩) # Shin no tombô nawa (眞蜻蛉繩) # Happô garami nawa (八方搦繩) # Yagura bishi nawa (櫓菱繩) Chû (''middle'') series # Hishi haya nawa (菱早繩) # Hishi nawa (菱繩) # Jûmonji nawa (十文字繩) # Bajô hane tsuki nawa (馬上翅付繩) # Tombô nawa (蜻蛉繩) # Shin no futae bishi nawa (眞二重菱繩) # Shin no kikô nawa (眞龜甲繩) # Yagura bishi nawa (櫓菱繩) Jô (''higher'') series # Jûmonji haya nawa (十文字早繩) # Jûmonji nawa (十文字繩) # Futae bishi nawa (二重菱繩) # Kikô nawa (龜甲繩) # Age maki nawa (揚卷繩) # Shin no hane tsuki nawa (眞翅付繩) # Munewari hitoe bishi nawa (胸割一重菱繩) # Kiri nawa (切繩)

External links

European Jôdô Federation

References