jo tori

Budo (1938) – Jo dori rokkyo

rokkyoIn 1938 Master Morihei Ueshiba, the Founder of Aikido, finalised the 2nd of his 3 technical texts.  Titled “Budo“, the text contains a sampling of techniques from a wide range of attacks, including grabs, strikes and attacks from different weapons.  “Budo” is an important reference point for our practice at the dojo.

The below video features a photographic demonstration of jo tori rokkyo (Technique 41) as it appears in “Budo“.  Rokkyo is an Aikido arm bar technique and is commonly used to disarm a uke who has a weapon (in this case a wooden staff referred to as a jo).   Also included in the video is a demonstration of the technique by Morihiro Saito Sensei who was a direct student of the Founder for more than 20 years.

 

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • Jo dori rokkyo –  Key principles for application 

In the below video, Peter Brady Shihan (7th Dan Aikikai) provides instruction on jo tori rokkyo consistent with that shown in the “Budo” text.  While Brady Sensei is not part of our school, his method of application is the same as that practised in our dojo.

Have a great weekend.

Ian Grant
Dojo Cho
Aikido Warrior Dojo

 

Jo dori and jo nage – O’sensei style

osensei-saitoTraining in the use of a wooden staff (a jo) for self defence purposes (jo nage) is an integral part of the syllabus for most  schools of Aikido.  Aikido practice also typically includes training in disarming techniques (called jo dori or jo tori) where the attacker (uke) is the one armed with the jo.  

Interestingly, O’Sensei’s technical manuals do not refer to jo nage or jo tori.  However, the 1936 manual Budo does include broadly comparable weapons such as the bayonet and spear. Those of us interested in O’sensei’s approach to jo nage and jo tori fortunately have access to the extensively recorded works of Morihiro Saito Sensei (9th Dan). Saito Sensei  (1928 -2002) dedicated his life to preserving O’Sensei’s Aikido as taught to him (much of it as a one on one student) over a 23 year period in Iwama, Japan.

In the below video recorded in 1986 and made publicly available by Aikido Journal, Saito Sensei Sensei provides detailed instruction on jo nage  and jo dori as directly taught to him by the Founder of Aikido. The instruction covers a wide variety of techniques (with a heavy emphasis on kokyu ho forms).  As is typical of Saito Sensei, his instruction is candid, insightful and martially focussed.  Some of the key differences between the Aikido practised by its creator and later ‘less -martial” incantations are also touched on.

Have a great weekend

Ian Grant
Dojo Cho
Aikido Warrior Dojo