The History of Jujitsu

The History of Shim's Way Jujitsu and Our Origin

The name Shim's Way was taken by Sensei Steve Pinfold from his instructor Mark Shimwell (6th Dan) when Sensei Shimwell moved away from the area in July 1999.  Sensei Shimwell taught us traditional Japanese Jujitsu as well as Small Circle Jujitsu.  The syllabus now taught at Shim's Way Jujitsu are those moves passed down by Sensei Shimwell have now been modified to increase the proficiency and effectiveness of the style.

Jujitsu is a pure self defense art, therefore students are taught to restrain, immobilise, and control their attacker in many different ways, rather than to harm an attacker. In other words, how to control the situation rather than become the victim.

Jujitsu teaches close quarter defense techniques such as joint locks, chokes, throws, holds and grappling.  However it also includes strikes (in particular striking to Atemi points of the body), kicks and blocks.  Jujitsu will give you efficient movement and numerous techniques to enable you to counter attackers.

An Introduction to Jujitsu

Jujitsu is a martial art that began with the training of Samurai warriors to defend themselves on the battlefields of feudal Japan. Using the sword (Katana) and other weapons, on foot and on horseback and dressed in full armour made from bamboo, the Samurai went to war.

Jujitsu today is based more on unarmed self-defense.  The weapon art is still practiced, however Jujitsu is geared more towards the street situations we may encounter in today’s sometimes violent world.  Students of Jujitsu are enabled to use the body to defend against attackers, with minimal effort and maximum effect against the perpetrators. A student with a good technique, skill and knowledge of Jujitsu would, in nearly all cases be able to subdue any untrained aggressor no matter how strong or vicious they may be.  Jujitsu depends not on brute strength but on psychology, knowledge of the anatomy and the skills that students learn.

Historical links

The first inception of what we now know as Jujitsu can be dated back as far as 22 BC.  In 1100 AD, a very famous Samurai named Shinra Suburo Yoshimitsu, devised an art from the wrestling type of Jujitsu (1st used in 22 BC) and called it Daitoryu-Aiki-Ju-Jitsu.  Yoshimitsu had taken this so-called sport and devised a system of unarmed self-defense. It proved so successful in combat that, for centuries, it was kept secret and taught only to the Minamoto family of which Yoshimitsu was a general.

There are many different Ryus, or styles of Jujitsu. It is said that there are as many as forty-four Ryus; some use weapons and some without.  One of the first Ryus that used Jujitsu as a primary art was founded in 1532 by Takenouche Hisamori. Legend has it that while on a pilgrimage, Takenouche collapsed from exhaustion after training and mediating for several days!  In his delirium he received a vision from a phantom warrior.  The warrior taught him five techniques of immobilization, and the advantages of using short weapons over long ones.

Prior to the foundation of the Takenouch-ryu, openhanded combat techniques existed solely as a subordinate art to a major weapons system. Most modern Jujitsu ryu can trace their lineage directly back to Takenouch, in the early 16th century, Hideyoshi Toyotomi introduced the Chinese art of Ch-an Fa (punching and nerve striking) to Japan.  Ch-an Fa was adopted by Jujitsu.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), under the Tokugawa military government, Japan became a more peaceful area. Weapons less styles began to replace the weakened forms of Old.  During the Edo period, it is believed that more than 700 systems of Jujitsu existed.

During the Meiji restoration, the power of Japan shifted from the Shogun back to the Emperor.  Since the Samurai had supported the Shogun, an imperial edit was set forth, making it a crime to practice the martial arts of the Samurai.  Many of the practitioners became bone-setters, as they were well practiced from the injuries sustained in the Dojo.  Unfortunately, many more used their skills to put on fake wrestling shows for public amusement, or became gangsters. Some masters to the art went 'underground' or practice in another country until the ban was lifted in the mid-twentieth century.

Jujitsu is the father of some fairly new martial arts. In 1882, Jigaro Kano developed the art of Judo using Jujitsu as the model. In the 1920's Useshiba Morihei developed Aikido which is based on Jujitsu. I n modern times, true classical Jujitsu is restricted to a very few.  It is taught to police and special operation military forces, but there are few opportunities for the general populace to learn this ancient art of feudal Japan, as it was meant to be taught.