Suino Sensei instructing during a visit to our dojo.
New students are guided carefully and respectfully.
We supplement our unarmed practice with traditional weapons such as the four-foot staff.
In addition to our sophisticated sprung floor, we have cushions to facilitate learning.
Traditional arts derived from aikibujutsu incorporate internal power and skills.
Jujutsu is a fantastic martial art for women as well as men.
Dynamic throws are an important component of Nihon Jujutsu.
Entering for a judo throw — challenging and fun!
Suino Sensei demonstrating at our dojo.
An Itten Dojo student testing for rank.

Nihon Jujutsu

Building on our decades of experience in aikijutsu and aikido, we are on a mission to bring into this area Nihon Jujutsu, a system of self-defense, fitness, and personal development that is clearly superior to anything we’ve done before.

Nihon Jujutsu is a modern Japanese martial art that focuses on practical, efficient techniques as originally found in both ancient and contemporary martial arts. Its principles and techniques derive from Japanese unarmed combat and self-defense techniques from pre-1945 judo and aikibujutsu (sophisticated grappling arts based on classical Daito-ryu aikijujutsu), as well as taihojutsu (Japanese police immobilization and arresting methods). The founder of Nihon Jujutsu, Sato Shizuya, established this system based on his extensive studies with leading Japanese budoka (traditional martial artists), many of whom introduced ancient bujutsu methods to modern budo.

As a student of Nihon Jujutsu, you will learn to neutralize attacks by means of evasion, strikes, throws, joint-locks, and submissions. Because the opponent is controlled through the targeting of power to weak points of the body, rather than by application of pain, effectiveness is a matter of honed intent and skill. The objective of the art is to gain absolute control of an attacker, both physically and spiritually, allowing the possibility an aggressive individual can be deterred or restrained with minimal harm, while also providing the tools for more decisive actions should circumstances warrant. 

As a supplement to our primary focus, our study includes use of classical weapons (sword, staff, and knife) and newaza (ground-fighting).

While the benefits of training extend far beyond self-defense, the foundation of Nihon Jujutsu is practical skill. The techniques are not designed for sport-style, competitive sparring; rather, the techniques are the culmination of hundreds of years of research into the means of defending against armed and unarmed assaults. Training will provide you a wide range of responses to aggression, from avoidance to escape to physical counters commensurate to the severity of an assault and consistent with legal and ethical considerations. We also supplement our practice of physical skills with study of such things as violence dynamics, threat assessment, and verbal de-escalation, relying on the works of experts like Ellis Amdur, Marc MacYoung, Jenna Meek, Gavin de Becker, and others.

Because relatively few of us are likely to face unprovoked, physical violence, worthwhile training must offer more than combative skills. The benefits of training in Nihon Jujutsu beyond self-defense include inexhaustible intellectual challenge, enhanced self-discipline and focus, and a moderate to intense, total-body workout. The nature of the training develops confidence, strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and grace. Exposure to classical strategy provides insights that can be applied to every area of life. For example, developing the ability to resolve conflict—whether internal or external—is a skill as timeless and valuable as the strategies we study.

Ukemi, the ability to receive a jujutsu or judo technique and train safely, is probably the most practical self-protection skill—there is a 100% likelihood of falling at some point in your life. To see just two of the sophisticated methods we’ve used to teach these indispensable skills, watch our videos “Teaching Ukemi” and “Teaching the Solo, ‘Aerial’ Breakfall.”

Our practice is guided by Nicklaus Suino Sensei (Director, Japanese Martial Arts Center), and supported by John Gage Sensei (Head Instructor, Nihon Jujutsu). Our dojo is recognized by Salahuddin Muhammad Sensei (Nihonden Aikibujutsu Senyokai), Miguel Ibarra Sensei (Yamabushi Jujutsu Aikijutsu Association), and Asano Yasuhito Sensei (Japanese Budo Association). We enjoy through these relationships access to instruction at the highest levels of the martial arts.

Effective September 2023, Nihon Jujutsu practices are held Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Prospective students of Nihon Jujutsu must be at least 14 years of age. Training equipment required to start is limited to a proper uniform, a judogi and zori (sandals), which can be obtained through the dojo.