Shinto Muso Ryu Jodo - Koryu Bujutsu
The art of Shinto Musō-ryū Jodo was developed in the early Tokugawa Period, around 1610, by Musō Gonnosuke. As a martial art founded prior to 1876 Shindo Muso Ryu is classified as a koryu bujutsu, or classical martial art.
According to legend, Muso Gonnosuke fought a duel with the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, which ended in defeat for Gonnosuke. Gonnosuke, shocked by his loss, retired to a cave on Mount Homan for a period of meditation. During this period of reflection, he is said to have had a revelation leading to the development of a new system for utilizing the jo against the sword. In a rematch with Musashi, Gonnosuke used this new system, Shindo Muso Ryu, to fight Musashi to a draw, the only time he is believed to have been defeated. For the next 300 years the Ryu remained an exclusive art of the Kuroda Samurai. Only in the 1900’s did the teachings of the Ryu become more wide spread, beginning with military and police forces in Japan, and eventually being taught to westerners for the first time in the 1950s.
The curriculum contains approximately 64 kata for using the Jo against either one or two swords (Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo), 12 kata for using a walking stick vs. sword (Uchida Ryu Tanjo Jutsu), 12 ken justsu kata (sword on sword), known as Kasumi Shinto Ryu Ken Jutsu, 24 kata for jutte vs. sword (Ikkaku Ryu Jutte Jutsu) and 24 kata for using kusarigama vs. sword (Isshin Ryu Kusarigama Jutsu).
Today Shindo Muso Ryu is practiced by small groups located throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Instructor: Jeff Jones studied Shindo Muso Ryu for the past 14 years under Dr. David Hall in the Washington D.C. area, and holds the classical rank of Sho-mokuroku. Dr. Hall was a direct student of the martial arts pioneer Donn F. Draeger and the last headmaster of Shindo Muso Ryu, Takaji Shimizu. More recently he has authored the Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts, which was published in 2013.
If interested, please contact Jeff Jones.
According to legend, Muso Gonnosuke fought a duel with the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, which ended in defeat for Gonnosuke. Gonnosuke, shocked by his loss, retired to a cave on Mount Homan for a period of meditation. During this period of reflection, he is said to have had a revelation leading to the development of a new system for utilizing the jo against the sword. In a rematch with Musashi, Gonnosuke used this new system, Shindo Muso Ryu, to fight Musashi to a draw, the only time he is believed to have been defeated. For the next 300 years the Ryu remained an exclusive art of the Kuroda Samurai. Only in the 1900’s did the teachings of the Ryu become more wide spread, beginning with military and police forces in Japan, and eventually being taught to westerners for the first time in the 1950s.
The curriculum contains approximately 64 kata for using the Jo against either one or two swords (Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo), 12 kata for using a walking stick vs. sword (Uchida Ryu Tanjo Jutsu), 12 ken justsu kata (sword on sword), known as Kasumi Shinto Ryu Ken Jutsu, 24 kata for jutte vs. sword (Ikkaku Ryu Jutte Jutsu) and 24 kata for using kusarigama vs. sword (Isshin Ryu Kusarigama Jutsu).
Today Shindo Muso Ryu is practiced by small groups located throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Instructor: Jeff Jones studied Shindo Muso Ryu for the past 14 years under Dr. David Hall in the Washington D.C. area, and holds the classical rank of Sho-mokuroku. Dr. Hall was a direct student of the martial arts pioneer Donn F. Draeger and the last headmaster of Shindo Muso Ryu, Takaji Shimizu. More recently he has authored the Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts, which was published in 2013.
If interested, please contact Jeff Jones.