Proving Why the Jō (Japanese Staff) is So Strong

*The content of our videos is based on the teachings of Asayama Ichiden Ryu and personal studies/experience | There is no intention of denying other Ryuha styles, theories, and cultural aspects

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❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style
❺ You can receive OFFICIAL DAN RANKS by taking exams online (and opening a DOJO in the future)

🧐Frequently Asked Questions About Our Online Lessons:
Q❓: I have no experience with katana. Will I still be able to catch up?
A💡: You don’t need any previous katana martial arts experience to participate in our lessons.

Seki Sensei, the instructor of the online lessons, will carefully instruct you on how to handle the katana regardless of your level. You will also be able to access all the videos of the past lessons so you can watch what every other student has learned. You can also send us videos of your progress, and Seki Sensei will be happy to give you feedback.

Q❓: What is the right length of the Iaito (zinc alloy training katana) I should use?
A💡: Please purchase an Iaitō at least two blocks longer than the standard length.

The standard length for Seki Sensei is about 177cm, so he should use a 2.45 Shaku long katana. However, he uses a 2.6 Shaku-long katana that is supposed to be used by someone 190cm tall. If the katana is too short, it becomes too easy to draw, which is not good for training.

Q❓: Can I join even if I belong to a different Ryuha style?
A💡: Yes, it’s not a problem at all.

The Seki Sensei himself has trained in more than five styles and various other weapons. If you don’t want others to know that you are participating, you can join the online lessons with your camera off. To have the Sensei check your progress, you can send us a video of you practicing.

🗡️Join the Online Iaido Training with Seki Sensei🗡️

Interested in taking Iaido lessons directly from the 8th Dan Iaido Master with 40 years of experience in Musō Shinden Ryu, Seki sensei? Sign up to learn authentic samurai skills with perfect English interpretation from Let’s ask Shogo.
❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style

💻Seki Sensei's Official Website💻

🎵Original Opening Theme Song "Hyakuren"🎵
Performance: Hanafugetsu (Singer/Suzuhana Yuko, Shakuhachi/Kaminaga Daisuke, Koto/Ibukuro Kiyoshi)
Compositions & Arrangements: Suzuhana Yuko
Mixing & Mastering: Watabiki Yuta

❓What is Asayama Ichiden Ryu? / Who is Seki sensei?❓

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*Please ask us questions through the DM here

#katana #iaido #kenjutsu #kobudo #asayamaichidenryu

[letsasksekisensei]

⚔Join the Online Kobudo Training with Seki Sensei⚔

❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style
❺ You can receive OFFICIAL DAN RANKS by taking exams online (and opening a DOJO in the future)


🧐Frequently Asked Questions About Our Online Lessons:
Q❓: I have no experience with katana. Will I still be able to catch up?
A💡: You don’t need any previous katana martial arts experience to participate in our lessons.

Seki Sensei, the instructor of the online lessons, will carefully instruct you on how to handle the katana regardless of your level. You will also be able to access all the videos of the past lessons so you can watch what every other student has learned. You can also send us videos of your progress, and Seki Sensei will be happy to give you feedback.

Q❓: What is the right length of the Iaito (zinc alloy training katana) I should use?
A💡: Please purchase an Iaitō at least two blocks longer than the standard length.

The standard length for Seki Sensei is about 177cm, so he should use a 2.45 Shaku long katana. However, he uses a 2.6 Shaku-long katana that is supposed to be used by someone 190cm tall. If the katana is too short, it becomes too easy to draw, which is not good for training.

Q❓: Can I join even if I belong to a different Ryuha style?
A💡: Yes, it’s not a problem at all.

The Seki Sensei himself has trained in more than five styles and various other weapons. If you don’t want others to know that you are participating, you can join the online lessons with your camera off. To have the Sensei check your progress, you can send us a video of you practicing.

🗡Join the Online Iaido Training with Seki Sensei🗡

Interested in taking Iaido lessons directly from the 8th Dan Iaido Master with 40 years of experience in Musō Shinden Ryu, Seki sensei? Sign up to learn authentic samurai skills with perfect English interpretation from Let’s ask Shogo.
❶ No previous martial arts experience is required; you can catch up anytime
❷ Every lesson will be RECORDED and will be available to rewatch anytime
❸ You can ask Seki Sensei questions about the techniques and samurai culture/history
❹ You can join even if you belong to another Ryuha style

💻Seki Sensei's Official Website💻

🎵Original Opening Theme Song "Hyakuren"🎵
Performance: Hanafugetsu (Singer/Suzuhana Yuko, Shakuhachi/Kaminaga Daisuke, Koto/Ibukuro Kiyoshi)
Compositions & Arrangements: Suzuhana Yuko
Mixing & Mastering: Watabiki Yuta

❓What is Asayama Ichiden Ryu? / Who is Seki sensei?❓

📱Instagram📱
*Please ask us questions through the DM here

#katana #iaido #kenjutsu #kobudo #asayamaichidenryu

[Yama_no_Kitsune]

I love the fact that they took the time to mention: "this are our techniques, there are other styles, older, different, but this are ours." It is a good mark of a school not to preach "ours is the one and only truth." :)

[margodphd]

My 11 year old self was very proud of "inventing" broomstick fighting style. I feel slightly validated in many techniques, this video is like a very educational, warm hug.

[Theorof]

The idea of maintaining contact and pressure is really important in many unarmed martial arts like judo and karate. The fact that Seki sensei mentioned it really informs us that it's very practical.

[vivianevans]

I love this channel not least because of the visual beauty all the katas with the different weapons convey - like beautiful, lethals dances. But above all I love watching Seki Sensei showing his joy in demonstrating the different katas. Please keep this channel going!

[travissmith]

The humble stick. A staff has been used by many cultures around the globe even when more shiny and more devastating weapons became available. Not only were they still used, but could hold their own. Even today the baton is a common enough weapon and it is nothing more than a rather short staff.

This is almost the kind of class I'd recommend many, but particularly young women take. The same techniques can to a large degree be used with a folded umbrella allowing for self defense without needing a weapon as such.

[quintork]

as a child i was drawn to the martial arts, itried wu shu, but felt more at home with japanese styles, i joined a karate dojo in london spent three years training, one day a man came to the dojo and started training kendo within a year i decided to just train sword, sensei mansfield will always be the closest i had to a father.when kendo became an olympic sport he stopped teaching kendo!his sensei in japan was getting old so he moved there for ten years, to learn as much as he could!and when he returned he just taught jo and iai, the jo is a truly universal weapon, way, art this simple stick is so powerful, i am so lucky to have been brought up with the values of budo within a wreckless, teeenagers mind and body, bless!great channel thank you x uk

[madbug]

On nice thing about the jo is that you don't have to worry about cutting yourself with it unlike a sword. You can focus all your attention on different ways to defend and attack.

[fablerh]

Very interesting and confirms my opinion about the short staff. Cool thing is: that’s one of the few “weapons” you can carry in public because you can disguise it as a cane. Learning how to wield a sword is cool, but for self defense in the street the Jo staff has a lot more to offer.

[Milkman]

I love the Jo. The Jo never lies. It will show you weakness/holes in your technique.

[TsurugiLover]

I actually spent a summer learning aiki jo techniques and I absolutely fell in love with the jo staff. It's always so cool to learn about other techniques with it. Thanks for the video!

[russellnolan]

To western folks who might not be familiar with bamboo sticks, they can be very tough, and of course, it grows very quickly.
I see the practicality of where it came into being, but it must be practiced!
Thank you masters and presenter.

[killzinshadows]

I'm not shure if this would be possible with Japan's sword laws. But I would love to see Sensei Seki be given a European long sword for a month, and see his thoughts and what katas and techniques he could come up with for the unfamiliar weapon. I understand Japan has very particular laws on swords so it may not be possible, but I feel alot of people would be very interested in this .

[Mrgreenman]

Yeah, the simple jo staff is a serious weapon IRL, not only is it basically a walking-stick, but you can augment it and basically make it a mace if you need it and conceal it to carry it almost anywhere...and there are SO MANY techniques for both...

[chriss]

It's great how you all put the weapons and techniques into historical and cultural contexts.

[jjs]

These demonstrations, explanations and techniques are brilliant. Paired with positive and ego free attitudes make this a pleasure to watch.

[zoranhome]

Seki sensei has such simple, gentle way of explaining things, and you can feel the love and passion for his art in every word and move. I may not ever train in this beautiful skill, but I truly enjoy every video. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[gaius_enceladus]

Yep, never underestimate the staff! Simple but very effective.

[wesleylee]

I respect the "Practicle, " no flashy, energy wasting. A long fight is very dangerous as there are more chances of injuries.

[raymondsosnowski]

As a long time student of Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo (originating in the early Edo Period), there are a lot of similar principles here - also taught in SMR is Uchida Ryu Tanjo-jutsu (post Meiji origins), which is approximately the same length as your short Jo. (the SMR Jo is of an intermediate length at 4.21 shaku - in the old days, this was about the height from the ground to the armpit, and is about 2 palm-spans longer than the standard bokuto used in training.) We have just been introduced to Tendo Ryu Jo-jutsu, and it does represent an e-bu whose blade has been broken off the naginata. Originally the same length, 5 shaku, as your Jo, our Jo are now fitted to one's height - effectively, I actually use a rokushaku 'bo' for my TR Jo training. It is very enjoyable for me to have this change to compare & contrast these weapons arts. Keep up the good work!