Staff Weapons

• Referring to: Bô (Bôjutsu), Jô (Jôjutsu), Hanbô (Hanbôjutsu)
• Description: Any staff weapon over 5 feet can be considered a Bô; lesser lengths ranging between 5 to 4 feet are Jô. A stick of 3 feet, considered half the size of a Bô, would be called Hanbô.

Origin

Protohistoric times

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It is believed that in protohistoric times, the Bô and the Jô were already being used. Ishi-Jô ("stone-sticks"), which measured about 40 inches in length, have been found in the past. It's unclear if they were being used as weapons or as farm implements. No longer lengths (Bô-like stone objects) are thought to have existed as they would have been too heavy and susceptible to breakage. There is no evidence of any Bôjutsu or Jôjutsu techniques (although prototypes) in Japan prior to the 6th centruy A.D.

Emergence

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The warrior class never gave the same amount of importance to the staff weapons as they gave the sword. It was nevertheless important for them to understand these techniques. Among the first systematizers were the Sô-hei (warrior-priests) of the Kamakura Period. From there, it's possible to see the Chinese influence; the large number of Japanese priests, who had studied in China, made up a vast portion of the Sô-hei intellectuals. But they were not content with only borrowing the Chinese methods; they adapted and modified the techniques to suit their time and culture.

From that point, we have to wait until the late Kamakura or early Muromachi Period to see a systematic of Bôjutsu and Jôjutsu techniques. Iizasa Ienao, founder of Katori ryû, brought a Bôjutsu form which is supposely now the root of all functional staff weapons system in Japan.

References

• Donn F. Draeger & Robert W. Smith, Asian Fighting Arts, Kodansha, edition 1980.

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