Bojutsu

     Bōjutsu (棒術, Bōjutsu?), translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the military staff fighting system using a bō which simply means "long stick". Staffs are thought to be one of the earliest weapons used by man. They have showed up throughout history in Eastern Asia. Techniques can involve slashing, swinging, projecting, immobilizing and stabbing an opponent with the staff.

    The Bo is an important weapon for the martial arts practitioner to learn. This is not simply because the Bo is an effective weapon in its own right, but because the principles learned apply equally to the use of other long weapons such as Yari (spear) and Naginata (halberd). Use of the Bo will improve body movement and effective use of all other weapons and unarmed arts as well.

    In Ancient times Samurai Arts instructors taught Bojutsu to longer term students who  already had high degree of proficiency in Aikijutsu and/or Kenjutsu due to war always being on the horizon. Now it is one of the first to be taught due to the safety factor, balance applications, and lack of wars.

    Bojutsu, like all other applications of Nito Shin So Ryu, is another extension of the throwing and striking arts. Made of throws (Nage Waza) , locks (Kansetsu Waza) and pressure point striking (Kyusho Waza) techniques hidden within it's kata that is revealed during effective randori (Free Play). The Bo like any extension of the body can work for or against its practitioner depending even to 1 degree in the change of his or her balance. There for a wielder of the Bo must never practice just to get his form and technique right, but until it is never wrong. 

    Bojutsu can be thought of broadly as deriving from either warrior long-arms combat, or from Edo-period police arresting methods. One theory towards battlefield origins of staff combat suggests warriors engaging with spear (yari), halberd (naginata) or similar long-arms (collectively referred to as nagamono) might have had the blade of the weapon cut off during combat against a sword-wielding opponent (kenshi). In such a situation, the combatant’s spirit was strong and achieved their goal, continuing to down their opponent with the shaft (tsuka) of their pole arm, using it as a staff (Bo). This accounts for the use of the staff as a battlefield or warrior weapon, and is supported by the lore of systems such as and Muhen Yougan Ryu, Yagyu Shingan Ryu, Tendo Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, and the Nito Shin SO Ryu.

  

."To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace." - General George Washington

"Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is the true warrior who can master both....and surpass the result." - Tien T'ai