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stratcat
19th July 2001, 06:20
I have a question, and it's probably more appropriate for the Koryu bu-jutsu forums, but I thought I'd try here first:

Recently I saw reference (never mind where:p) to an art as Hojo-jutsu, or the Art of Tying :confused:. Now I thought this looked interesting, and asking my sensei, he said he'd never heard of the name, but he somewhat knew to what I was refering, particularly in relation to Ju-jutsu (his main art). Further, a Sempai in my dojo has also heard of this art in general (not the name though), but in reference to how samurai would the sageo of a ken's saya to tie up an adversary.

So basically, what I'm asking is whether or not anyone else out there has heard of this Art, what is it's actual name, history, particulars, and where I could possibly fiond more information on it? I would be much obliged if you could point me in the right direction:smilejapa.

A.

red_fists
19th July 2001, 06:39
Good news and bad News.

The Art is called "Shokai Hojo Jutsu" in full, at the moment there is only 1 Book in print by the looks of it and is called:

Shokai Hojo Jutsu by Mizugoshi Hiro.

Bad News it is in Japanese.
It apears to be a fairly well known art, but not sure if it still taught.
If it is taught I would guess you would struggle to learn it outside of Japan.

Hope this helps.

red_fists
19th July 2001, 06:53
Here are some links to EZ-Board another online Forum.

Looks like those guys are kina familiar with the skill:

1.) Hojo Jutsu as an Art:
http://pub16.ezboard.com/fsamuraibujutsuauxiliaryarts.showMessage?topicID=2.topic

2.) Hojo Jutsu Techniques:
http://pub16.ezboard.com/fsamuraibujutsuauxiliaryarts.showMessage?topicID=9.topic

Looks also like I was wrong about there only being 1 Book. :eek:

MarkF
19th July 2001, 07:47
Hojo jutsu, or tai ho jutsu more commonly known as "arresting and subduing" techniques art has a modern application. It was formerly the official arrest techniuqes used by police in the UK.

If you do a search (at the bottom of the page, click on search) for "taiho jutsu" particularly in the judo and aikido forums, or for the names Tim Burton and Stephen Sweetlove there have been a number of threads on the subject here

The art, though now replaced in the UK by another style, the British Taiho jutsu Association is alive and well.

Made up of judo and shodokan ryu aikido, it seems to be florishing once more.

As to the older forms of hojo jutsu, you may want to go into the book forum and ask there (Don Cunningham has given seminars on the subject and has a book out on old koryu jujutsu techniques with weapons).

Mark

Mark Brecht
19th July 2001, 12:38
Originally posted by red_fists
Good news and bad News.

The Art is called "Shokai Hojo Jutsu" in full...

No that is simply the name of the book...


:D and only good news. "Shokai Hojojutsu" and also the rare out-of-print book by Fujita Seiko "Zukai Hojojutsu" are available from Japanese Treasures (http://204.95.207.136/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=35) right here on ebudo. Both books are in Japanese, however both features hunderds of pics (drawings in the Fujita book), which makes it easy to learn the techniques, etc...

Here is a pic from the "Zukai Hojojutsu" by Fujita Seiko:

TomW
20th July 2001, 05:30
If you go to bugei.com (http://), in their video section you will find two tapes featuring Don Angier on the subject of hojo jitsu.

I have seen them and they are excelent.

Regards,
Tom Wharton

matthew kelly
20th July 2001, 05:37
i may be stepping out on a limb here (due to being very open to new ideas and applications of concepts rather than techniques), but couldn't this broad concept of binding/subduing the enemy also be related to using a weapon like jo or bo to disarm, topple, and then lock the enemy down, so to speak?

stratcat
20th July 2001, 06:19
First of all, thanks for your quick and earnest replies. There's a lot more to this Art than I thought. I guess it's to be expected, considering its tradition (used by feudal era japanese cops, no less!!!) :D . However, the techniques I've seen seem to be more about SECURING an assilant, AFTER he's been subdued. Please don't get me wrong, it looks extremely interesting, and I'm sure to look into it at length (I work with law enforcement, sort of:p). But what originally piqued my interest was the use of the rope to actually subdue, throw, pin, etc. an opponent. Would this still fall under the purview of Hojo- Jutsu? Or is it something else altogether?

In my opinion, I figure it must still be an aspect of Hojo- Jutsu, and, agreeing with Kelly-sama, I originally thought (and still do) that Hojo- Jutsu is a Weapon based Koryu Bujutsu. After all, if a stick can be a weapon (Jo-Jutsu), or a big knife (Kenjutsu:p), why not a rope? :smilejapa

In any case, Domo Arigato.

A.

MarkF
20th July 2001, 10:44
You're right, it is a part of some older era koryu, and the little I know, it is just as you said (the imagination has no limits if you let it of its leash once in a while), but as anything old, it evolves and can undo a whole other system based on tying one's shoes with laces and buttonhook.

Since it is the body tied up, why not a newer more advanced manner of doing the same thing, only using newer and more practical modalities, thus taiho jutsu.

Since the British police don't carry guns (or didn't), taiho jutsu found a new market and it was put into use and was apparently very effective. The market to the police may have dried up a bit so it forms into something called the "British Taiho jutsu Association" maintaining the tradition by organizing, searching, and holding tournaments.

As a life long judoka, it sounded very interesting and seems to have, perhaps, what the gendai community was looking for.

I'm interested enough to go to England and check it out, at least I hope to.

MarkF

MarkF
20th July 2001, 10:47
BTW: Andy, seems I've seen your username before. Do you play a stratcat (stratocaster by Fender) or am I upping my meds and just now realized it?

Mark

matthew kelly
20th July 2001, 20:10
after doing some reading i think there's also some ninpo ryu-ha that used a lot of rope and fishnets (or whatever else was handy) for, say, wrapping an arm that extended outward in attack and then binding the attacker starting at the arm.

surely this skill is highly developed... i wish i could say more about it. maybe kusarifundo would be related as well, since you can strike and then entangle the enemy with the chain?

ah, the possibilities.

stratcat
21st July 2001, 10:21
Well, I've just come back from class (and the requisite drinks at the local watering hole, it being friday and all), and today our sensei actually took me up on my request for some rope techniques. Interestingly, for him it's a straight weapons application of Ju- Jutsu, and not a different Art. To be honest, the techniques he showed us don't lend themselves well to actually TYING UP a prisioner, they were more like Ju-Jutsu pins and throws with a rope (and I got a nasty rope burn on my neck, I just hope my girlfriend doesn't think it's a hickie or something:shot: ).

Honestly, this has me a bit more confused than when I started, which, in a way, is a good thing, as it urges me to explore more. But I'm still left with a jones for more techniques in this Art. Too bad I don't have the cash to go to England (yet!) and check out a British Taiho Jutsu Dojo! Sound like fun!

I'm not too sure about Kusarifundo (which was that one again?:p), but it certainly could be related to what we saw today in class: although here there is no strike per se, and instead of a chain, rope is used to entangle the opponent, starting at his oustreched attacking arm, it certainly sounds similar doesn't it?

What sorts of techniques have you heard about and/ or seen?
:smilejapa

A.

BTW, Mark-sama, I do indeed play a Fender Stratocaster (standard), crimson metallic red with a one piece maple neck, and swear by them absolutely. Although I like playing other types of guitars, I always wind up going back to strat style guit- fiddles.
You might have seen my nickname at the Aikiweb forum, since that is my main Art, although I fiddle with Ju- Jutsu a little.

:D :D :D :p

matthew kelly
21st July 2001, 20:37
ah, kusarifundo is a weighted chain about 16 inches long or so, and the basic practise of it seems to be angled strikes - vertical, downward, left and right, diagonal left and right. but the benefit of a chain is being able to entangle anything the enemy puts into your immediate circle of motion, right?

i don't know a lot about it, and the first time i saw it was in masaaki hatsumi's "ninjutsu history and tradition", but the concept of striking the enemy for a stunning, painful distraction and then binding up his/her arm to snap or break it with the same weapon and immobilize him/her really intrigues me.

maybe that's just 'cause i'm a sick pup. :D

joe yang
22nd July 2001, 00:36
My research on medieval Japanese street theater references hojo jistsu as a tying art. The inference is it is not a weapon art, or a fighting system, but a way to use a short length of rope to restrain a prisoner. This in itself makes hojo jitsu very special, because the whole concept of taking a prisoner is foriegn to the Japanes idea of warfare. Typically, the Japanese warrior fought to the death, and in defeat, expected to be killed, and not taken prisoner. Still there where times when it was advantageous to take prisoners for questioning. Then hojo jitsu provided a way to restrain a warrior safely, preventing excape, assualt or self inflicted injury. My reading indicates that hojo jitsu was further developed as an art for the rope restraint of condemend criminals and in uniquely Japanese fashion, the restraints were regulated by class. Ladies were gently restrained. Samurai were restrained in a "manly" fashion. Condemend criminals were cruely and painfully restrained. As a side note, and for a fact, the Tokyo police only abandoned rope ties, in favor of handcuffs, following WWII. Finally, hojo jitsu survives today in uniquely Japanes theate of escapes related to kembu, involving swords, and magic, such as that popularized by the old "Ten Ichi" troupe.

Kyukage
22nd July 2001, 03:44
One art that teaches the actual subdual of an assailant using a rope or cord, is Motsure Kote Bujutsu ("War Techniques to Entangle the Sleeve").

Along with a great deal of open handed work, this art utilizes an available cord (the sageo does quite nicely) or length of chain (manrikigusari or kusarigama, preferrably) to entangle an opponent as he attacks. The techniques work equally well against armed and unarmed opponents, and was employed extensively from the Heian period through to the Meiji Restoration, where it fell out of favor. It nearly died out, but remained a staple art in certain schools, clans, families, and societies. It is rare to find today, but is there, none the less.

I should say that the style is startlingly effective at not only subduing an opponent regardless of his level of agression, but it is also very well suited to restraining an apprehended person.

In any case, there is my 2 cents

Martin H
25th July 2001, 12:58
There is an article on hojojutsu in the latest edition of the current edition of the onlinemag "martial art news" at:
http://www.man-magazine.com/uk/traditional/view.php3?sid=79

(note that ebudo will probaly cut up the link)

Martin Hultgren