Jujutsu — The Original Martial Art of the Samurai

Jujutsu (柔術, “gentle art” or “art of yielding”) is the classical unarmed combat system of the Japanese samurai — and one of the most influential martial arts in human history. From Jujutsu emerged Judo (Jigoro Kano, 1882), Aikido (Morihei Ueshiba), and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Gracie family). The core principle: Ju (柔, yielding) — the opponent’s strength is not blocked but absorbed and redirected. Developed for combat in full armor against armed opponents, Jujutsu encompasses throws, joint locks, chokes, strikes, and disarming techniques. The term “Jujutsu” first appears in the late 8th century; systematization as a warrior combat art began in the Kamakura period and reached its peak in the Sengoku era. Today hundreds of Jujutsu schools exist worldwide.

History and Founders

The historical roots reach back to the Nara period (710–794 AD). The term appears in this era but initially described a rough mixture of early Sumo and simple combat techniques without systematic school structure.

Systematization began in the Kamakura period (1185–1333), shaped by the rise of the samurai class. Samurai in full armor could not effectively strike — the armor absorbed blows. Instead, techniques were developed to throw, control, and wound armored opponents with short weapons in close quarters. Various terms circulated for these techniques: Yawara, Taijūtsu, Torite, Kogusoku — all later subsumed under the term Koryu Jujutsu.

The oldest documented schools:

Shinden Fudo-ryu (~1130) — one of the earliest documented Jujutsu lineages.

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu (~1447) — Iizasa Ienao called his unarmed techniques “Yawara” and integrated them into a comprehensive warrior combat system alongside Kenjutsu and Naginatajutsu.

Takenouchi-ryu (1532) — founded by Takenouchi Hisamori (竹内久盛) in Mimasaka Province. This is the oldest fully documented independent Jujutsu school. The tradition: Hisamori practiced 37 days in a temple and received the combat secrets from a Yamabushi mountain monk. The system encompassed locks, throws, chokes, small weapons, and the Koshi no Mawari (“hip methods”).

In the Sengoku era (1467–1603), Jujutsu schools proliferated massively. In the Edo period (1603–1868), an era of prolonged peace, Jujutsu transformed from pure war technique to physical and character cultivation.

Technical Foundations

Category	Term	Techniques
Throws	Nagewaza	Shoulder, hip, leg, and sacrifice throws
Joint locks	Kansetsuwaza	Elbow, shoulder, wrist, knee
Chokes	Shimewaza	Neck, arm, and leg chokes
Holds	Osaekomi	Ground control and pinning
Strikes	Atemi	Vital point strikes, often secretly transmitted
Disarming	Torite	Weapon removal from grip

The core principle Ju (柔):

“Softness overcomes hardness. Yielding defeats resistance.”

The attacker’s energy is not blocked but absorbed and redirected through levers, rotations, and throws — a principle drawn directly from the Chinese Tao Te Ching.

Core Techniques

Basic throws: Ogoshi (major hip throw) · Tani Otoshi (valley drop) · Tomoe Nage (circle throw)

Joint locks: Ude Garami (arm entanglement) · Ude Hishigi (arm crush) · Hiza Ude Garami (knee lock)

Chokes: Okuri Eri Jime (sliding collar choke) · Hadaka Jime (naked strangle)

Torite (捕手) — capture techniques for restraint: central to historical police and military applications, preserved for example in Edo-period Tori-te practice.

Atemi Waza — strikes to nerve points and vital body locations: part of the secret transmission in many Koryu schools, largely removed from modern Judo.

Philosophy

The concept of Ju (柔) is not merely technical but deeply philosophical. It draws on Taoist principles:

“The soft overcomes the hard. The flowing overcomes the rigid.” — Tao Te Ching (Laozi)

Not strength but efficiency and timing are decisive. Jujutsu teaches offering no resistance to resistance — a posture that extends far beyond combat.

Three levels of Jujutsu:

Jutsu (術) — Technical skill, combat effectiveness
Do (道) — Path of self-cultivation
Ri (理) — Understanding the deeper universal principles

Styles and Schools

School	Founded	Founder	Distinctive Feature
Takenouchi-ryu	1532	Takenouchi Hisamori	Oldest independent documented school
Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu	~1447	Iizasa Ienao	Oldest comprehensive school with Jujutsu
Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu	Edo (Takeda Sokaku)	Takeda Sokaku	Direct ancestor of Aikido
Kito-ryu	Edo period	—	Major influence on Jigoro Kano / Judo
Tenjin Shinyo-ryu	~1830	Iso Mataemon	Second major Judo precursor

Connections to Other Martial Arts

Judo — Jigoro Kano (1860–1938) synthesized Kito-ryu and Tenjin Shinyo-ryu into Judo; Jujutsu is its direct ancestor
Aikido — Morihei Ueshiba studied Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu under Sokaku Takeda; Aikido is spiritually deepened Jujutsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) — Mitsuyo Maeda (Kodokan expert) taught in Brazil; the Gracie family developed BJJ with its own ground-fighting emphasis
Kenjutsu — samurai learned Kenjutsu and Jujutsu as an inseparable unit; Jujutsu supplemented the sword in the closest combat range
Hapkido — Korean martial art also influenced by Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu (through Choi Yong-sul)

Today

Jujutsu exists today in three main forms:

Koryu Jujutsu — strictly traditional schools like Takenouchi-ryu that preserve original techniques in direct master lineages. Small, exclusive circle; access often by personal invitation.

Goshin Jujutsu — modern self-defense systems drawing from the tradition but adapted for contemporary contexts. Widespread in Europe and America.

Sport Jiu-Jitsu — competition-oriented system, partially influenced by BJJ. The JJIF (Ju-Jitsu International Federation) organizes world championships.

Criticism: The word “Jiu-Jitsu” / “Jujutsu” is today applied to very different systems — from historical Koryu to modern MMA submission wrestling. Purists of Koryu Jujutsu emphasize the fundamental difference between historical war art and modern sport interpretations.