Old pic of your's truly doing a ShobuDo Waza at BuShiKan DoJo.Ju Jitsu or Ju Jutsu or Jiu Jitsu or Jiu Jutsu, no matter how you spell it, means The Art Of yielding, or Soft Methodology. The original way it was spelled in the west is Jiu Jitsu or Ju Jitsu. Later when a more standardized Romanization of Nihon Go = Japanese language was established, JuJutsu became known as the standard.
Some think that Jitsu would be the more modern systems and Jutsu the old school, and at times this is the case, however not the rule.
I choose to use the Romanization Jitsu because that is the way that I was taught. It is "our" tradition.
Another kanji that is pronounced Jitsu, means truth. I find that also appropriate.Shobu means confrontation, or contest or combat. It can also be translated as Victory "which is funny, because my Dad's name was Victor", and also Martial excellence, or to excel in battle.
Do of course means Path or Way.
The two best ways that I have heard the principle of Ju or yielding or soft or gentle, be explained are:
1.: Picture a large thick tree, with large thick branches being covered with snow. As the snow accumulates the branches will break under the weight of the snow.
Picture a young thin tree being snowed upon. As the snow accumulates, the branches bend, giving way to the weight of the snow, and then spring back up to their original state.
Picture the same two trees in a hurricane.
The Large thick tree will blow down, while the young thin tree will give in to the wind and spring back to its original state.
2.: Water takes the shape of whatever holds it. If you strike it, it moves around you. If you throw it up against the wall, it takes the shape of the wall, and regroups where gravity takes it.
The seizing techniques of Ju Jitsu originally came from the Chinese arts of Chin Na.
These techniques where used by Samurai during their service, and later passed on throughout the particular schools of thought that various Samurai started.
ShobuDo Ryu JuJitsu is indigenous to the island of Hakkaido Japan, it's techniques were brought there by a BuShi who retired and became a farmer. His civilian name became Tenamura. He passed his knowledge down through his family and friends.
The Ju Jitsu that we do, is greatly influenced by the AiKi Ju Jitsu Master yoshida Kotaro, pictured here with Hanshi Richard Kim. You see, he not only was one of the teachers of Tenamura of ShobuDo Ryu, but he also taught Sosai, Masutatsu Oyama, and Hanshi Richard Kim, who where 2 of Grand Master Urban's teachers. Small world indeed..
