The Japanese Art of Self-defence

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2279, 22 September 1899, Page 6

The Japanese Art of Self-defence

The "New York Herald" contains an interesting contribution on " Jiujutsu," the Japanese art of self-defence, from its Tokio correspondent. " The art of Jiujutsu." lie says. " is unquestionably one of profound interest, for by a thorough comprehension of its rules a 111:111 of greatly inferior physique may successfully cope with an opponent possessed of much strength, size, and combative skill. The whole teaching of Jiujutsu is summed up in two ideographs composing the name ; it is the • art of conquering by yielding.' or. literally, the "gentle art.' In so far as it is peculiarly adapted to those of less powerful physiques, and hence supposltitiously 'gentle.' the name is nor a misnomer, but in reality Jiujutsu teaches liow to encompass the complete overthrow of an enemy, including the quickest and surest modes of killing with the naked hands. It is thus one of the deadliest of all methods of self-defence. The ordinary course is one of three years, but he who wishes to learn the art thoroughly must give seven, or even more, years to its constant practice. For Jiujutsu is not one of those things that, once learned, are not readily forgotten ; a mere acquaintance with its intricate rules, its throws and counters, its attacks and foils, is by no means sufficient, although such knowledge is not without value. What is required is constant practice, whereby the muscles are hardened, the eye grows quick and keen, and each nerve, every fibre, makes instant response to the will. "To the onlooker a group of youths engaged in Jiujutsu contest is surprising in many ways. Each combatant is dressed in a thick, wadded cotton coat, with short, broad sleeves. The coat reaches half-way down to the knees. and is firmly kept in place by a stout girdle of cotton cloth, both this and the coat being of exceptionally strong make. Before beginning a bout the contestants prostrate themselves and touch the mats —for mats of special thickness and make are used in Jiujutsu—with their foreheads. Taking firm hold of each other's girdles with the right hand and upper part of the coat with the left, the struggle begins. Practically speaking. Jiujutsu seems to foreign eyes to be a combination of Graeco-Romau, and catch-as-can. but with scores of other grips, feints, and throws, which would he considered foul in other lands. The contestant's try. in a hundred ways, to gain the mastery, which consists not merely in throwing one's opponent, but. once fhrown. in pinning him to the ground and keeping him hors de combat until he sues for mercy. "In the regular schools of Jiujutsu the vanquished man keeps up Mniggling to the limits of endurance, for if his powers of resistance are greater than those of his more skilful adversary he may yet stagger to his feet and begin tlie bout anew. Should he acknowledge himself completely worsted he has only to pat gently the back or shoulder of his victor, whereupon the vice-like grip is at once relaxed and the fallen fighter assisted to his feet. Jiujutsu thus aims at rendering an adversary completely harmless, and this is done by scores of strange tricks and sleights which demand years of study In order to be thoroughly comprehended. The art includes strangling, hitting at the most vulnerable places of the body, kicking—indeed, everything tßat human ingenuity can invent. Yet to each attack, to every sleight.theroiisaperfoct counter, and what is still more remarkable, and of high practical importance. Is that those who have lost consciousness in consequence of a blow. kick, strangling. &■<■.. may. so long as no vital injury has been inflicted, be promptly restored to their senses by methods known only to initiates of the highest rank. "Jiujutsu is an art of self-defence in the most exact sense of the term ; it is an art of war. The master of thai art Is able, in one moment, to put an untrained antagonist completely hors de combat. Bv some terrible legerdemain he suddenly dislocates a shoulder, unhinges a Joint, bursts a tendon, or snaps a bone Without any apparent effort. He is much more than an athlete : lie is an anatomist. And lie knows also touches that kill as by lightning. This fatal knowledge he was once under oath never to communicate except under such conditions as would render Its abuse almost impossible. It is not so now. The f;Ttal blows and twists are now not only taught to every graduate of Jiujutsu schools, but a knowledge of them, in part at all (vents, may he obtained by the expenditure oT a comparatively small sum. as there are impecunious second-rate instructors in the art. and the morale of Jiujutsu is not what it once was. Outside of the countless throws and falls there are three departments of Jiujutsu which are of great actual value. These are sappo, or afemi. the art of causing apparent death or of making an adversary unconscious : kap po, the art of restoring such a one to his senses : and finally, a very peculiar and effective method of bono setting. i»f course, there are special modes of

atTacking each portion of ihe body, as LfiiTr are prompt and off '\e counters to each attack."