Kaze Arashi Ryu Jo Jutsu

The Art of the Staff is very old - at least as old as the Art of Archery, if not older. There are two distinct arts involving the use of the staff: the Okinawan art of the BO, which uses a 6 foot staff, and the Japanese JO JUTSU, which uses staffs of varying lengths - two, four or five feet long.

In both Medieval Japan and Okinawa under Japanese domination, only Samurai were permitted to wear swords. Peasants and other commoners had to find other ways of defending themselves against bandits or, all too often, against Samurai armed with their razor sharp swords. As a result, many farming tools were converted into weapons - in fact weapons which people usually associate with the Martial Arts such as the Bo, Sai, Nunchaku and Tonfa originated as farming tools. The art of the staff was also used and refined by Buddhist monks who were forbidden to shed blood, but who were often victims of attacks by marauding bandits or rapacious noblemen. Many monasteries and shrines became famous for training with the staff.

Samurai, too, trained with the staff. Many schools used the staff for training with the Yari (spear) and Naginata ( a spear whose tip was a long blade, used for slashing as well as stabbing) , since the staff was considerably less dangerous for practice. In time, the arts of using the staff became so well developed that skilled warriors could use them very effectively in combat.

The Kaze Arashi Ryu system covers all staffs and staff-like weapons under Jo Jutsu. Jo, Yari, and Naginata are all used in a similar manner with minor adjustments to technique to reflect the individual nature of each weapon. For example with the Naginata sweeping/slashing movements are more emphasised, while with the Yari thrusting movements are more often used.

In Kaze Arashi Ryu the Jo is used in its most basic form as a blocking and striking weapon. The next level of sophistication is to use the Jo to apply arm locks, throws and constrictions. Following this the Jo's use in conjunction with other weapons is taught, for instance when the Jo is held in the left hand while a sword is in the right.

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