Jo Staff

Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu

The Pinnacle of Precision

This incredible art offers challenging obstacles for personal growth, improved physical fitness, and deeper understanding of oneself. The martial skills and mental stamina developed are unmatched.

Training is comprised of basic techniques called Kihon, and several sets of two person drills (Kata). These Kata are practiced in pairs: One wields the wooden sword called a bokken, and the other wields the jo staff.

The student is first shown basic postures and movements with the kihon (basics) set of jojutsu techniques. Then after a period of time the sword is introduced with Kata (forms) already familiar from the curriculum in sword classes. Then the student is introduced to the more complex Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu kata.

The initial Jo staff techniques were developed in the early 17th century, by Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi , a renowned warrior who is believed to have dueled with and defeated the famous Miyamoto Musashi. Initially, he was defeated by Miyamoto Musashi, and withdrew to Kamado Shinto Shrine to train. He developed the jo techniques, and was victorious in a later Duel with Miyamoto.

Jo training has since evolved into a modern art used still today by many schools of the arts. Aikido, Kempo/Jujutsu and even Japan’s police forces. Our club seeks to maintain the preservation of the teachings of the late Masayuki Shimabukuro through the Academy to new generations of Martial Art Students in order to preserve these arts.