Introduction
The jo is a stout wooden stave fashioned from Japanese oak which was originally used as a substitute for the long sword and the short spear. The jo is typically 50 to 54 inches in length and approximately one inch in diameter. It may be round or have beveled edges. The principle use for the jo is as a weapon to counter and attack other aggressors who are armed with similar weapons or as a weapon to neutralise an unarmed attacker. Use of the jo is also a very good method of achieving co-ordination of body, limbs and mind, and to this end, many exercises have been developed using it.
Jo Kata
These practices were developed by a number of different instructors, and have been compiled and presented here. Each of the following six kata should be practised carefully and with feeling. Breathing is very important and you should inhale before you start the movements, allowing your breath to pass out of your lungs as you perform the kata, and exhaling sharply as you finish the final thrust or strike of the kata. Always check your posture at the beginning and end of each kata to ensure that you have started and finished correctly. Good posture before and after performance goes a long way towards correct posture during the kata. It is also important to practice these kata both right and left handed (hanmi), facing in a number of different directions, and both alone and in a group. Another way to practice the kata is with a partner, in combinations of facing towards each other or standing side-by-side, each holding the jo in the same side hand or in different hands. Click on the following to jump to a particular Jo Kata, or just scroll down.
This is the simplest of the jo kata. It is usually the first jo kata students learn, and is relatively easily mastered.
You may view the Five Count Jo Kata on line in one of two forms: either RealPlayer (rm) or Windows Media (wmv). If you have a really fast Internet connection you can view and/or download a full screen, high-quality version of this kata: either at regular speed (approximately 7Mb, mpg) or at half speed (approximately 13Mb, mpg).
The thirteen count jo kata intoduces a number of very interesting movements.
You may view the Thirteen Count Jo Kata on line in one of two forms: either RealPlayer (rm) or Windows Media (wmv). If you have a really fast Internet connection you can view and/or download a full screen, high-quality version of this kata: either at regular speed (approximately 11Mb, mpg) or at half speed (approximately 22Mb, mpg).
This kata really has twenty movements, although it is called the eighteen count jo kata because the first four movements are counted "1-and-2-and" instead of "1-2-3-4" like in other kata.
You may view the Eighteen Count Jo Kata on line in one of two forms: either RealPlayer (rm) or Windows Media (wmv). If you have a really fast Internet connection you can view and/or download a full screen, high-quality version of this kata: either at regular speed (approximately 15Mb, mpg) or at half speed (approximately 30Mb, mpg).
The twenty-one count jo kata can be thought of as a combination of two different kata: an eight count kata (that is repeated twice in opposite directions), followed by a five count kata.
You may view the Twenty-One Count Jo Kata on line in one of two forms: either RealPlayer (rm) or Windows Media (wmv). If you have a really fast Internet connection you can view and/or download a full screen, high-quality version of this kata: either at regular speed (approximately 16Mb, mpg) or at half speed (approximately 31Mb, mpg).
5. Thirty-One Count Jo Kata (Riverside Method)
The Riverside Method thirty-one count jo kata starts in a way very similar to the twenty-one count jo kata, and end with a dramatic jo spinning and circular turning movement intended to clear attackers far from the person.
You may view the Thirty-One Count Jo Kata (Riverside Method) on line in one of two forms: either RealPlayer (rm) or Windows Media (wmv). If you have a really fast Internet connection you can view and/or download a full screen, high-quality version of this kata: either at regular speed (approximately 29Mb, mpg) or at half speed (approximately 57Mb, mpg).
6. Thirty-One Count Jo Kata (Saito Sensei Method)
The Saito Sensei method thirty-one count jo kata utilizes many of the jo suburi movements codified by Saito Sensei.
You may view the Thirty-One Count Jo Kata (Saito Sensei Method) on line in one of two forms: either RealPlayer (rm) or Windows Media (wmv). If you have a really fast Internet connection you can view and/or download a full screen, high-quality version of this kata: either at regular speed (approximately 21Mb, mpg) or at half speed (approximately 41Mb, mpg).