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 Jodo. Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo was created over 350 years ago by Muso
Gonosuke. In those days the arts of war began with the sword
and included the spear, staff, halberd, quick draw of the sword,
throwing knives, grappling and other arts of all kinds. Gonosuke
had first learned the secrets of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto
School. After earning his certification in this style he went
on to study the "one sword" of the Kashima Jikishinkage
School. He went to Edo (the old name for Tokyo) and had matches
with many famous swordsmen and was never defeated. Then, one
day in June 1606, he fought the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi.
One of the secrets of Musashi's Niten Ichi Style was the cross-block,
against which Gonosuke could do nothing and so he was defeated.
Gonosuke went on a pilgrimage traveling through various parts
of the country and suffering many hardships, always searching
for a means to defeat the cross-block of Musashi's Niten Ichi
Ryu. Several years later, in Chikuzen (modern Fukuoka Prefecture),
he came to the precincts of the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine.
 Climbing sacred Mount Homan
he retired to pray. After the 37th day and the fulfillment of
his vow, a boy came to him in a dream during the night and said,
"With a round stick know the solar plexus." Keeping
this divine message in mind, Gonosuke fashioned a white oak
stick of 128 cm. - 27 cm. longer than the average sword. Combining
the strong points of the spear, halberd, and sword with other
weapons he created Jojutusu. With this he was finally able,
in a return match, to frustrate the cross-block of Miyamoto
Musashi. Gonosuke was summoned to Kuroda (Fukuoka) where he
taught the use of the Jo to ten or so fencing instructors. After
this time Jojutsu was forbidden to be taught outside the Kuroda
domain. But, during the late 1800's when the feudal "han"
were restructured into modern "prefectures", it was
necessary to lift this rule and, for the first time, Jojutsu
was open to everyone. Then, following the period of confusion
after the Second World War, in 1955 came an opportunity to organize
the All Japan Jodo Federation. A year later Jodo became associated
with the All Japan Kendo Federation.
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