Jodo and Other Weapons

[SMJodo]

I was just wondering if anyone received training in other weapon systems in addition to Jo/Bokken as part of their Jodo training. I know my Sensei has slipped in a Tanjo technique or two - but nothing formal. Has anyone learned any tanjo, yawara, or the like?

[gmlc123]

Hi Greg

In the ZNKR Seitei Jodo, which is based on the Koryu version of SMR Jodo... most teachers learn additonal Koryu forms, and maybe weapons like Tanjo and only after they've been doing it for some time. I'm not sure of the ZNKR requirements, perhaps a ZNKR ranked Jodoka can explain more in that area?

In regards to SMR, as in the traditional Iemoto system the, additional weapons are only meant to be taught by a licensed teacher ie. Menkyo Kaiden. Well supposed to be anyway, always some rules to execptions like in life.

As far as Kenjutsu, and it will depend on the specific teacher, your location many other things, it's taught at the end of Omote. Other weapons, are usually introduced following the end of Jo Kata. Again, there's probably no true definitive answer... and I don't really know myself.

I hope what, at least I think I know, helps

Cheers
Greg

Originally posted by SMJodo
I was just wondering if anyone received training in other weapon systems in addition to Jo/Bokken as part of their Jodo training. I know my Sensei has slipped in a Tanjo technique or two - but nothing formal. Has anyone learned any tanjo, yawara, or the like?

[SMJodo]

Greg-

My Sensei told me that it is only taught to avanced students (black-belt) and higher. There is one guy in my dojo that has been doing Jodo for more than 10 years and he hasn't learned any tanjo - so you must have to be on the brink of old age before it's taught. Ha.

[gmlc123]

Hi Greg

Now I feel the pressure to put my birthdate and complete bio up.

But, yes.. you're right. It's a long journey.. a lot of people who do SMR forget that most of the important stuff ie. what you practice daily, weekly or the most part is the lower sets of Kata. There's so much in there, it overwhelms me some times... so the higher level stuff I'm yet to learn.

Greg

PS. I'm late thirties for the record

Originally posted by SMJodo
Greg-

My Sensei told me that it is only taught to avanced students (black-belt) and higher. There is one guy in my dojo that has been doing Jodo for more than 10 years and he hasn't learned any tanjo - so you must have to be on the brink of old age before it's taught. Ha.

[SMJodo]

Greg -

Don't feel bad - if you're in your late 30s you probably only have me by a year or two.

For the record, I'm finding out the same thing - there's a lot of stuff out there to learn. I suppose that I'm getting to the level that I'm looking for more information to satisfy my curiosity about the art. Sometimes it seems as though there's nothing - or that everything goes around in circle. Other times, I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface.

Jodo seems so simple to the uninitiated, but there's a lot more to it than a lot of people think. The more I stay on this message board, the more I find that to be true. Thanks.

[Jeff Hamacher]

ZNKR Jodo does not introduce any weapons other than jo and tachi. although the comment is slightly off-topic here, testing for various grades in the ZNKR Jodo system follows certain minimum timelines, e.g. a candidate has to wait at least one year from earning shodan before being allowed to test for nidan. selections from the 12 Seiteigata, as well as some koryu kata at the higher grades, are used for exam purposes, and the performance standards expected by the ajudicators rise quite sharply with increasing grade level. use of the term "black-belt" strikes me as odd in the context of jodo, since the belt colour doesn't change with grade as it does in some other arts. more often, i heard the terms yuudansha or "dan grade holder" and mudansha or "sub dan grade holder".

observations of my own group lead me to believe that, once a student has passed yondan in the ZNKR system and amassed a considerable amount of experience with SMR kata proper (along with a certificate or menjo), the teacher will suggest learning one of the ancillary weapon arts (referred to as heiden or "subsumed teaching"): jutte/tessen, kusarigama, tanjo, and kenjutsu. there doesn't appear to be a fixed order. students learn the ancillary weapons before they learn every single last one of the jo kata, but i'm not sure of the exact order.

[SMJodo]

Jeff,

There is not really a "belt" ranking system where I practice per-say. Basically, it is similar to how you described (dan vs. non-dan). I just kind of used the "shodan" rank as kind of a benchmark for myself. You are probably right in your assessment, because I know that nobody in our school has received training in other weapons (as part of Jodo). But then again, I don't think that anyone has reached Yodan either. Thanks.