History of Jiu Jitsu

Ju-jitsu is a family of martial arts which has rich origins in ancient Japan. 

According to legend, Shirobei Akiyama noticed how most tree branches broke during a blizzard, but that some also bent and freed themselves from the snow.

This is how the "gentle art", or the "art of suppleness", as ju-jitsu is known in Japan, came into being.

Ju-jitsu does not respond to power with more power. The aim is to absorb attacks and convert an opponent's power into a move of your own benefit.

It encourages flexible actions and responses to violence, just like the elastic tree branches, and allows the soft to beat the hard.

In 1532, the first "Ryu" - or school - for ju-jitsu was founded by Takenouchi Hisamori. This was also the first recorded instance of the name ju-jitsu. 

The martial art later developed alongside the samurai of Japan, and was seen as a way of defeating armed opponents without using a weapon.