Hojojutsu: The Warrior’s Art of the Rope explores the traditional Japanese martial art of hojojutsu — the historical practice of restraining and immobilising a person using rope, developed in feudal Japan for battlefield and policing contexts. It covers history, philosophy, techniques, illustrations, and photographs that trace how this practical martial discipline evolved and how ropes were used by warriors and law enforcement before modern restraints.
Christian Russo is a researcher and practitioner of traditional Japanese martial arts, with a particular focus on hojojutsu and classical rope techniques. We had a pleasure meeting him in person when he was giving a talk about hojojutsu in Samurai Museum in Berlin and were impressed by his passion and his knowledge of the subject.
For anyone interested in the deep histories and techniques that have shaped rope work in Japan — from battlefield use to later cultural transformations — it’s a valuable reference.
Bibliographic information
Russo, Christian. Hojojutsu: The Warrior’s Art of the Rope. Yoshin Ryu, 2019. 231 pages, softcover. ISBN-10: 8894232824; ISBN-13: 978-8894232820. Available through online book retailers and specialty martial arts suppliers. One common listing is: Amazon Germany