Five

If you have not
Linked yourself
To true emptiness,
You will never understand
The Art of Peace.

"The Art of Peace" by Morihei Ueshiba

Jyodo

The art of the 50" staff

Prerequisites: Because the Jyo and Bokken are DANGEROUS WEAPONS in their own right, normally it is required that a student be at least a green belt in Aikido. Exceptions can be made on an individual basis, but will still require that the prospective student be a participant in one or more of the following arts: Judo, Ju Jitsu, Iaido, or ARMA. The minimum age for participation is 18.

Class time and cost: Jyodo class is Saturday afternoon from 4:00 until 5:30 pm. The cost is $20/month.

Techniques and Katas

The student, (shidachi), first performs a series of basic strikes alone, without a partner. Then he(she) executes the same strikes with a partner (uke, or uchidachi), who attacks with a bokken, (wooden sword). Lastly, shidachi and uchidachi work together to learn the 12 basic, (Kihon), katas. It is important that the student learn both the shidachi and uchidachi roles, and especially that the basic strikes be carried out as correctly in the katas as they are done in solo and paired strike practice. Listed below are a series of positions (Kamae), names of the strikes, and the names of the 12 Kihon Katas.

Positions (Stances)

  • Sage Jyo - Neutral Position, Jyo by right side, point down under armpit
  • Tsune no Kamae - Ready Position, Jyo by right side, tip in front of belt knot
  • Honte no Kamae - Normal Strike Position
    • Gyakute no Kamae - Reverse Strike PositionHiki Otoshi no Kamae - Strike Down PositionHissage no Kamae - Side PositionIchi Monji no Kamae - Overhead PositionMonomi no Kamae - Resting Jyo PositionKasumi no Kamae - Upward Jyo Position

Strikes

  • Honte Uchi - Normal (overhead) Strike
  • Gyakute Uchi - Reverse (Diagonal) Strike
  • Hiki Otoshi - Downward (pushing) Strike
  • Kaeshi Tsuke - Low Thrust
  • Gyakute Tsuke - High Thrust
  • Maki Otoshi - Diagonal Block and Throw
  • Kuri Tsuke - Overhead Block and stick to Bokken
  • Kuri Hanashi - Overhead Block and Throw
  • Tai Atari - Overhead Block and Crush
  • Tsuki Hazushi Uchi - Deflect Thrust and Strike Down
  • Do Bari Uchi - Low Block and Sweeping Strike
  • Tai Hazushi Uchi - Put-away Strike

Kihon Katas

  • Tsukisue - Push-away and Overhead Strike
  • Tsuigetsu - Thrust to Solar Plexus then Hiki Otoshi
  • Hissage - Fall back then Kuri Tsuke
  • Shaman - Diagonal Strike to temple, then Kaishi Tsuke
  • Sakan - Avoid Sword thrust
  • Monomi - "Lazy" Samurai
  • Kazumi - Sun in the Eyes
  • Tachi Otoshi - "Make the Sword Drop"
  • Raiuchi - Thunderbolt Strike
  • Seigan - In the Eyes
  • Midaredome - Stopping Disorder
  • Ranai - Chaos to Order

About the Sensei

Tim Cleghorn began the study of Jyodo in 1992 as a member of Clear Lake/NASA Aikikai, which was a member dojo of the Fugakukai International, Karl Geis Shihan. He attended a 4-day Jyodo seminar presented by Ms. Tsunaku Miyake at the Fugakukai main dojo in Houston, Texas. He was awarded 4th Dan in Jyodo in June, 2000.