Practical Martial Arts Association

The above sequence is the end of the Jodo Kata 'Ranai'.  The Jo having missed and touched the ground, strikes away the sword on the way back up and then strikes the suigetsu from the side. This is a nice combination but I always wonder how good the final hit can be, given the angle. I can say one thing for sure - it would be far more convincing if there was a 20cm right angle blade at the end, as is the case with the Nagae Kusarigama. On observing the use of the Type 4 Kusarigama, being the long handle variant, one cannot help but notice how this weapon encapsulates the features of several weapons in one.  Most obviously, there is the types of Kusarigama, however is also encapsulates the methods of the Jo. On considering the use of the Jo in Jodo in general and Shinto Muso Ryu in particular, I must confess that in my limited experience I would still have selected the sword over the Jo if given the choice. On observance of the companion method of Kenjutsu, Kasumi Shinto Ryu, we...

I do not have much information on if this is a survivor, is recreated or belongs to a particular group however it is a rare example of the long-handled Type 4.  The picture below from Kaminoda's book on Isshin Ryu shows the practice weapon. An imporatnt point is that it means the Ryu had the idea of a flail type as well - it must have beena case of choosing to keep the chain and sickle type seen in Isshin Ryu rather than converting to a smaller flail type. I like the look of this weapon! The weight is in motion. Weight downwards at hands. Block with the blade. Rake down between the hands. To show length.  Miss, hit the ground. Come back up between hands. Right hand away. Single off-hand stab. Entanglement. Weight hit downwards. Maki otoshi style catch. Rake the front arm. Release hand. Single hand cut. Maki otoshi style catch. Rake the other arm. Jump the sweep. Continue sweep, high. Foot entanglement. They perform a level change. Attack with other foot. Hard downwar...

On close observation of the Kusarigama kata of Isshin Ryu, you can notice something quite startling - there are some movements where the Kusarigama effectively mimics a Jo. I found this a little startling when I first noticed it - even though it should probably come as no surprise.  Isshin Ryu was originally a comprehensive martial art, however the Kusarigama was subsumed in to Shinto Muso Ryu. On first thought you may think that it would be ported across unchanged, however this would make little sense - it does however mean it is hard to draw conclusions about Isshin Ryu as it is to my mind  obviously adapted. I often look at blocking a sword cut with the chain and flinch, and then try to come up with ideas about how this may work - are they attacking the arms in reality, are they smothering etc? Blocking in this manner may of course make a lot of sense with the Jo. If I look at the following items I can clearly see an Shinto Muso Ryu influence - I therefore wonder if they sh...