2023.10.31

NEW Online Jō Staff Lesson Has Started

Hello everyone. Thank you for reading this article. I’m Shogo from Let’s ask Shogo, the interpreter of the online lessons and owner of this website.

We are very happy to announce that we will be starting a new online Zoom lesson for Asayama Ichiden Ryu “Shunjō (Falcon Staff)” from November 5th at 0:00 am~1:00 am JST (30 minutes after the regular Ichiden Ryu katana training). I’ve been receiving hundreds of requests for lessons of the Jō staff, and I’m so glad we can get started so quickly.

▶︎When and How are the lessons held?

Every Sunday from 00:00 am~01:00 am JST (some weeks may be irregular), you can participate in the Zoom lessons of Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu Shunjō (Shunjō) from the 22nd headmaster Seki Nohuhide Sensei. No previous martial arts experience is required; you are always free to join.

Even if you do not speak Japanese, perfect English translation will be provided by Shogo, the owner of the YouTube channel Let’s ask Shogo (1.6M subs). You will also have full access to the archive videos of the lessons in case you can’t make it.

▶︎What are our Jō staff techniques like? Check out our YouTube videos!

Proving Why the Jō (Japanese Staff) is So Strong:

How You Actually Fight with Jō Staffs Like a Samurai:

▶︎What you need to get started:

In Asayama Ichiden Ryu we train with two types of Jō staff: the short (3.2 shaku) and long (5 shaku), white oak with a diameter of 8 Bu. You can start taking the lessons with the shorter ones.

However, 3.2 shaku Jō is rare, and purchasing the right length is almost impossible. We recommend you buy a slightly longer one and shorten it using a saw and sandpaper. However, if you don’t have the necessary tools to do that, a slightly longer one wouldn’t be such a problem to get started with. To speak of extremes, Seki Sensei said that a broomstick with the brush removed or a pole for drying clothes is okay at first. Being able to weaponize any stick is the strength of training Jō techniques.

*I usually recommend buying martial arts goods from Tozando, but it takes over 3 months to obtain a Jō staff… Any Jō staff from any shop or stick is fine to get started.

For more information, check out the description of the membership tiers. Please let me know in the comments if you have any other questions. I’m really excited to see you in the new online lessons!