Ittasu Ryu Hojojutsu

The rope tying art or Hojojutsu is a compliment to studying the Jutte though some antecendants have existed in Japan since Heian Jidai (12th century).

In early Edo, the Tokugawa Shogunate's name for the city now known as Tokyo a constabulary of sorts was formed.  These policemen or Yoriki were held to exremely difficult standards as they had to recognize the seniority of higher ranking members of the warrior class.  Often armed only with a Jutte, a truncheon with a fork these men would press locals into service to assist in subduing a wayward samurai.  Grabbing ladders and long polearms, a group effort would eventually fence in, snag and control a man with a 3 foot razor blade in his hands.  Quite often someone got cut in the process.  

The Yoriki would grab the tying cord, some times tied on one end with a small hook (kagenawa) and truss up the offending party and deliver him to the court.  Eventually rituals added a certain level of complexity to the use of the tying cord with colors based on season and knots based upon crime committed, gender, and the offender's position within society.

Light crimes required a white cord, bigger offenses used blue. Higher classes required purple and lower classes black. By Meiji, the need for colors and attention to the 4 directions of the compass was dispensed with.  

There were many different styles of hojojutsu in existence as everyone needed to know how to tie someone up effectively.

Unlike the Ikkaku and Isshin Ryu, hojojutsu was taught casually, often after practice and in a relaxed atmosphere.  I was often being trussed up (dai kohai) like a Thanksgiving dinner.  My favorite experience however was also my first introduction to hojojutsu at the hands of a merciful Shimizu Sensei.  I hope to write about this in the "Reflections on Budo" portion of the site soon.