The jo staff (杖:じょう, “jō”) is a type of Japanese wooden staff used as a weapon. It was originally designed for use by samurai in medieval Japan. A jo fighter can confidently face an opponent with a katana. In fact, this was the primary reason the jo staff was developed in the first place. Jōdō or jōjutsu is the martial art of the jō, and along with aikido, they make frequent use of this staff. Jo is still in use by some Japanese police departments today.
The jo staff is roughly 4 shaku (4 ft; 120 cm) in length and is central to the practice of this Japanese martial art. Currently, jo is most commonly used in the context of the jodo. However, before the Edo period (1603–1867), the term “jo” referred to a staff that was one “jo” in length, which was roughly 10 shaku (10 ft; 3 m) or 7 shaku 5 sun (28 ft; 8.5 m) in older Japanese units of measurement.
Origin of the Jo Staff
The name “jodo” was first used by Takaji Shimizu in 1940. The jo was developed as a true samurai weapon, unlike the bo, sai, and tonfa of the kobudō weapons, and its use was taught in formal martial arts schools (ko-ryū).
Legend has it that in the early Edo period, Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (夢想 權之助 勝吉) created the jo after attacking a skilled samurai named Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645, 宮本 武蔵). Katsuyoshi used a wooden sword but got struck down by Musashi with a newly crafted small Bo which was thrown next to him.
Katsuyoshi was so moved by the experience that he departed to establish his own school (Shintō Musō-ryū) for teaching staff versus sword combat in the early 17th century.
According to this legend, that is why jodo is still practiced with a staff against a wooden sword today. This duel, conducted around 1605–1610, is mentioned in the Nitenki (二天記), written in 1776.
Katsuyoshi then challenged Musashi again. Due to the use of oral customs to pass on knowledge, it is unknown if and how the second challenge actually occurred. According to legend, this was the only time Musashi lost a fight. Other accounts claim that he never tasted loss.
Using the Jo Staff
As a weapon, the Jo staff calls for dexterity, quickness, and accuracy rather than brute force. Jo strikes are typically directed at soft spots, like the temples. While the jo is lengthier than the Bokken (wooden sword), it still takes a high level of ability to battle with the jo against a sword due to the sword being faster. The Jo staff, in contrast to swords and knives, can be carried in virtually any position, greatly expanding the range of potential strikes.
In Aikido
The Jo staff has three primary functions in Aikido:
- Jo dori is a style of Japanese martial arts in which the Nage (the practitioner of the skill) does not have any kind of tool and the Uke (the assailant) uses a staff. The Nage faces a variety of threats, including a stabbing to the midsection, a punch to the side of the head, and a punch to the front of the head, all of which he must fight against.
- Juji Nage: The Uke grabs the Nage’s staff, and the Nage must either throw or lock the Oke. The Oke has a wide variety of options for grabbing the Nage’s jo, and the latter has just as many ways to protect against being grabbed.
- Jogi – The Jogi is a staff-based technique that mimics a battle between a lone combatant wielding a jo and a group of assailants wielding swords. There are no attackers in reality and the kata (‘form’) is done alone. The Jogi checks the accuracy and power of the Aikidoka’s (master practitioner) blows. Jogi 1 is the beginner level, Jogi 2 is intermediate, and Jogi 3 is advanced in Aikido.
In Jodo
There are two distinct applications for jodo. Jogi comes first which is another series of strikes used against swordsmen. It’s worth noting that there are 12 distinct katas (‘forms’) in jodo, just like there are in Aikido.
Another application of jodo is in law enforcement. Due to the fact that martial arts have always had close ties to law enforcement, students of the art can expect to learn pertinent information such as the various ways in which the jo can be used to control an opponent, hold them in place, or even tie them to their companion.
What Is Jo Staff Made of?
Pinewood (nowadays, primarily Taiwanese pine) is often used to make the jo staff. Other sources of material are bamboo, red oak, and white Japanese oak (Shirakashi).
A jo staff can be fashioned from a brush handle for solo training, but an oak staff is favored for partner exercises. Sticks with weak handles break readily when subjected to contact training, are easily splintered by impacts, and can deform when exposed to changes in humidity.
The Jo Staff’s Length
The original length of the Muso Gonnosuke staff was 4 shaku, 2 sun, and 1 bu, or 50.22 inches (127.56 cm). All jo staffs used to be 50 inches (128 cm) in length, regardless of the user’s height or build. Today, they vary.
The length of the jo varies depending on the user. Typically, a jo is 50 to 56 inches (128 to 142 cm) long. This is because a jo must ascend from the floor as high as the underarm of the holder.
The jo’s width ranges from 0.95 to 1.20 inches (24 to 30 mm), which provides the optimal combination of power, longevity, usability, and portability. In order to preserve its precision in combat, the jo must be straight along its entire length. A straight jo staff will roll well on the floor.
Jo Staff vs. Bo Staff
Compared to the heavier and lengthier bo staff (6 feet), the jo staff (4 feet) is much easier to use and maneuver. With a jo staff, you only need a small amount of room to perform a technique.
Jo techniques are less demanding on physical power and offer greater agility and versatility than bo. Although they share some similarities, the lengths and methods of use of the bo and jo staffs are quite different.
Muso Gonnosuke, the swordsman who lost to Miyamoto Musashi, is said to have invented the jo because he wanted a weapon with a substantial extension edge over the sword that was still more agile than the spear (yari) or bo.
History of the Jo Staff
Jōdō (“the way of the jō“) is a staff technique developed by police officers as a means of both apprehending offenders and protecting themselves from attack. Those without access to swords in the community, such as farmers and urban dwellers, also turned to the jo staff as a means of self-defense.
However, some martial arts schools have shunned the word “staff” in favor of “jo” to differentiate their technique from the use of staff as apprehending tools. Similarly, some martial art schools also inherited the jo techniques for keeping a broken pole or naginata staff in use in combat. Their techniques incorporated aspects of the original jo staff’s art.
This allowed them to prepare for the inevitable moment when their bladed naginata breaks during the fight.
There are unique varieties of jo staff in addition to the typical ones, such as the “yundzue” jo (弓杖, a staff made by reshaping a broken bow into a whip-like form) and the “furidashizue” jo (振り出し杖, a staff fashioned from a tree limb that has been chopped off).
Jo Staff Today
The Japanese police force now uses a variant of a jo technique from the Shintō Musō-ryū school of jodo for their police batons. This technique has become famous as the jodo style of the All Japan Kendo Federation.
Moving on, Okinawan Shōrin-ryū Karate includes a distinct type of jo staff technique involving the use of shorter staffs (typically between 2.6 and 3.3 feet or 80 and 100 cm in length) that has its own set of forms and moves.
Weapons That Make Use of the Jo Staff
There are martial arts all over the world that make use of jo because they are a convenient implement that does not look out of place when held by the practitioner. The cane has become popular as a self-defense technique for gents, especially in Western societies where men commonly carry a walking cane.
There are strengthened walking poles intended for self-defense. “Brandistocks” were a type of weapon that was made even deadlier by having tiny barbs affixed to the tip or blades that came out like a hidden dagger.
“La canne” (French for “cane”) refers to a technique in savate (French boxing) that includes catching or using the end of a walking staff or jo staff like a sword. French people use jo staff in a competitive form of style named “canne de combat.” They are sometimes referred to as “cane (canne) techniques” or “Western jo techniques” to differentiate them from Japanese jodo.
Martial Art Schools That Use the Jo Staff
- Professional jo martial arts schools
- Shintō Musō-ryū
- Muhi-ryū (using a 5-shaku 5-sun; 5.5-foot staff)
- Muhi Muteki-ryū
- Daien-ryū
- Tai no Jō (a jō staff technique developed by the legendary aikidoist Sunao Hari)
- Martial arts schools that also include jo
- Imaeda-ryū
- Imaeda Shin-ryū
- Kenshin-ryū
- Shojitsu Kenri Kata Ichi-ryū
- Suiō-ryū
- Sento Isshin-ryū
- Fusen-ryū (originating from the Hokuso-ryū jojutsu)
- Bokuden-ryū
- Rikata ichi-ryū
- Rishin-ryū
- Yagyū Shingan-ryū
- Ryūgō-ryū (A form of martial art that evolved from naginata jutsu and jojutsu.)
- Aiki-jō (Martial arts utilizing the jō in accordance with aikido ideals)
- Shintaido jojutsu (a part of Shintaido)
- Gōjū-ryū (Both the kata and the kumite of Okinawa goju-ryū karate do are distinct from those of other styles.)
Jo Staff at a Glance
What is the Jo staff and its origin?
The Jo staff is a type of Japanese wooden staff that was originally developed for use by samurai in medieval Japan. It is roughly 4 feet (120 cm) in length and was designed for use against a sword. The name “jodo” was first used by Takaji Shimizu in 1940, and the Jo was developed as a true samurai weapon. Legend has it that Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi created the Jo after attacking Miyamoto Musashi with a wooden sword, which led to the establishment of his own school, Shintō Musō-ryū, in the early 17th century.
What are the primary functions of the Jo in Aikido?
The Jo staff has three primary functions in Aikido: Jo dori, Juji Nage, and Jogi. Jo dori is a style of Japanese martial arts in which the practitioner does not have any kind of tool, and the assailant uses a staff. Juji Nage involves the Uke grabbing the Nage’s staff, and the Nage must either throw or lock the Oke. Jogi is a staff-based technique that mimics a battle between a lone combatant wielding a Jo and a group of assailants wielding swords.
What are the materials used to make a Jo staff?
Pinewood (primarily Taiwanese pine), bamboo, red oak, and white Japanese oak (Shirakashi) are the most common materials used to make the Jo staff. An oak staff is favored for partner exercises as sticks with weak handles break readily when subjected to contact training and are easily splintered by impacts.
What are the two distinct applications for Jodo?
There are two distinct applications for Jodo. The first is Jogi, which is another series of strikes used against swordsmen. There are 12 distinct katas in Jodo, just like in Aikido. The second application of Jodo is in law enforcement. Students of the art can expect to learn pertinent information such as the various ways in which the Jo staff can be used to control an opponent, hold them in place, or even tie them to their companion.
How is the Jo staff used as a weapon?
As a weapon, the Jo staff calls for dexterity, quickness, and accuracy rather than brute force. Jo strikes are typically directed at soft spots, like the temples. While the Jo is lengthier than the Bokken (wooden sword), it still takes a high level of ability to battle with the Jo against a sword due to the sword being faster. The Jo can be carried in virtually any position, greatly expanding the range of potential strikes.
References
- Toshiro Suga: Jo, the pillar of Aikido (Jo le pilier de l’Aikido), 2007.
- Stick Fighting: Techniques of Self-Defense – Masaaki Hatsumi, Quentan Chambers – Google Books
- FEJ : European Jodo Federation – Archive.org – Archieved
- Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings – Kenji Tokitsu – Google Books
