Ittatsu-ryū

Hojōjutsu (捕縄術) or Nawajutsu, (縄術) is the traditional Japanese martial skill of restraining a person using cord or rope (Hojō). It found use on both on and off the battlefield in up to 125 individual martial arts schools. The rope used in Ittatsu-ryū is about 5 meters in length and a diameter of about 3.5 mm. Although handcuffs have generally replaced the rope, there exists today a modern form of hojojutsu in the Tokyo policeforce. This system was derived mainly from the Ittatsu-ryū tradition and were taught by the Shintō Musō-ryū Shihanke Shimizu Takaji in his formal duty as a police force instructor in the mid 20th century. ==Hojō methods==

In the strict social-system of the Tokugawa-era (1603–1868) there was a high emphasis on treating each individual according to what class the individual belonged to. Each of the Ittatsu-ryu form(kata)-series is adapted to deal with the social status of the individual being restrained. A samurai-lord, (if being arrested for a crime), would have to be restrained in a way that enables the individual to retain his or her dignity. Women, priests (of either shinto or Buddhist faith), samurai, and commoners (considered to be near bottom of the class-system) would have to be restrained in a way that represented their position in the class-hierarchy without disgracing them. ==Training==

The hojō-methods are for the most part taught only to advanced students who have achieved a high level of proficiency in the Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo forms, though the level required is not standardized and different Jodo-organisations have different requirements. ==List of Ittatsu-ryū Hojōjutsu forms==

The modern-day Ittatsu-ryū system comprises 24 forms of rope-tying divided between 3 series called Ge, Chû and Jô. 'Ge (inferior) series ' • Ichimonji haya nawa (一文字早繩) • Hane tsuki haya nawa (翅付繩) • Hitoe bishi nawa (一重菱繩) • Shin no hane tsuki nawa (眞翅付繩) • Ya hazu nawa (矢筈繩) • Sumi chigai nawa (角違繩) • Shin no tombô nawa (眞蜻蛉繩) • Happô garami nawa (八方搦繩) • Yagura bishi nawa (櫓菱繩) 'Chû (middle) series' • Hishi haya nawa (菱早繩) • Hishi nawa (菱繩) • Jûmonji nawa (十文字繩) • Bajô hane tsuki nawa (馬上翅付繩) • Tombô nawa (蜻蛉繩) • Shin no futae bishi nawa (眞二重菱繩) • Shin no kikô nawa (眞龜甲繩) • Yagura bishi nawa (櫓菱繩) 'Jô (higher) series' • Jûmonji haya nawa (十文字早繩) • Jûmonji nawa (十文字繩) • Futae bishi nawa (二重菱繩) • Kikô nawa (龜甲繩) • Age maki nawa (揚卷繩) • Shin no hane tsuki nawa (眞翅付繩) • Munewari hitoe bishi nawa (胸割一重菱繩) • Kiri nawa (切繩) ==See also==