4
« on: January 05, 2006, 01:37:16 AM »
A related art to Kendo would be Jodo. Which is explicitly a Japanese stick art using a short staff (if one tip of the staff is on the ground the other comes to your solar plexus or your armpit . . . usually about 50-inches for Americans.) The most common system (Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo) is a hybrid blend of sword, long staff, halberd and spear techniques.
That system has an interesting history. Muso was a bo-staff fighter who lost a challenge match against Japan's greatest known swordsman Myamoto Musashi. Afterward, Muso was distraught and prayed and meditated extensively. During his prayers, he struck upon the idea of cutting his Bo down to Jo size so he could use it with both sword and long staff techniques. He developed the system and became the only fighter to ever defeat Myamoto Musashi in a challenge (stick vs. bokken) sparring match.
It's fairly rare to find a Shindo Muso Ryu class alone in the US but they are out there. Often (oddly) you find them with Aikido schools. When Aikidoka teach Jodo, you often see them emphasizing the footwork and get-off-the-line-of-attack movements.
This is a fun thread and my first DB forum posting. I'll look forward to reading more on this.
Chuck