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Takeuchi-ryu
1. Intro
2. Origins
3. Weaponry and jujutsu

Takeuchi-ryu Weapons and Jujutsu

(Photo: Students at the Seifukan Dojo in Hawai'i practice kogusoku.)

Properly defined, the Takeuchi-ryu is not just a jujutsu system, but what is called a "sogo bujutsu," or a martial arts system that includes a variety of weaponry and unarmed combative methods, bound by similar combative theories, concepts and body dynamics.

Weaponry
Students at the Seifukan Dojo start off with the basics of unarmed grappling and fighting, and are also introduced to the long and medium length wooden staff methods (kenbo and shinbo), kogusoku (a long dagger), kenjutsu (swordsmanship), iai and the basics of hojojutsu (rope). Other weapons of the ryu include:

hanbo (short staff), jo, hojo, naginata, kusarigama, jutte, shuriken, hibashi, tessen.

Jujutsu
The term "jujutsu" encompasses a variety of unarmed fighting methods in the Takeuchi-ryu. Some were meant obviously for combative situations, such as on the traditional battlefield. Others were meant for medieval police work, self-defense and even for open-ended contests which the Bitchu-den engaged in up until relatively recent times.

Techniques include the following:

tehodoki (breaking grips), ukemi (tumbling), nagewaza (throwing), kansetsu-waza (dislocations), atemi (striking anatomically weak points), shimewaza (chokes) and kappo (resucitation).

The techniques are placed in kata that form the basis for different categories of jujutsu:

Toride, hade and kumi-uchi. There even used to be a kind of judo-like randori, or "free practice."