A
martial arts technique involving the use of the
jo, a short
staff (approx. 1.2m long) made from hard wood, such as oak, which was invented in the seventeenth century by
Muso Gonnosuke.
After discovering that the
bo staff was not effective enough when facing an opponent armed with a
sword, he invented a different technique.
Legend tells that it was by using jo-jutsu that he was able to overcome
Miyamoto Musashi in combat, giving him the only
defeat of his life.
The Shindo Muso-Ryu
school was founded by Muso Gonnosuke, and taught sixty-four basic jo
movements, designed to
incapacitate or
disarm rather than
kill.
In 1955, a stripped down version of 12
movements were
codified and jo-jutsu became jodo (
the Way of the short staff).
One who practices jo-jutsu/jodo is called a Shijo, and generally wears a
haori and a
hakama.