I Live For Taiho Jutsu

Taiho Jutsu became officially recognised in 1947 after a tremendous effort coordinated by Tokyo Japanese Police involving redundant teachers from various banned martial arts styles across Japan. It was created specifically for the police and military forces, and for that reason, it’s still unknown to many parts of the world, particularly Africa.

Yet those of us in Taiho Jutsu who can promote its background usually mention only a few martial arts styles within its foudation, starting from Ju Jutsu, Aikido, Judo, karate and Ninjutsu without extending the courtesies to kendo, Kenjutsu, sumo, and Kenpo, due to fear that people might think we’re probably exaggerating or something! But reality of the matter is that all Japanese martial arts techniques are found in Taiho Jutsu sport and Police Taiho Jutsu career self defence. The reason Taiho Jutsu isn’t celebrated in Africa therefore can only be concluded as lack of information, otherwise Taiho Jutsu has become well known and liked not only in the confinement of peacekeeping forces but civilians alike worldwide.

I also wouldn’t have known about Taiho Jutsu if I hadn’t studied in England. Luckily for me at that point in time I already had Karate and Ninjutsu under my belly, so it was very easy for me to just move over with everything I had in traditional martial arts to the leadership of Sensei Brian Eustace of Police Taiho Jutsu and later Sensei Ross Jackson of Taiho Jutsu sport. Basically, what I like most about Taiho Jutsu is that as a practitioner you don’t waste time on restraining a villain fighter at all. Even I right now in Taiho Jutsu can’t or couldn’t last 10 seconds fighting anybody for real because in Taiho Jutsu, fighting is like a crocodile swallowing whatever is thrown at it without hurting it. Yet everybody in Africa knows everything there is to know about Sensei Steven Seagal (Aikido 7th Dan, Kenjutsu, Karate, Judo) the same goes for Sensei or rather Shihan Sho Kosugi (Ninjutsu, Judo, Shindō-jinen-ryū Karate, Kendo, Iaido, Kobudo, Aikido, - above average) and Sensei Wesley Snipes of course, (Shotokan Karate – 5 Dan, Ju-Jutsu),etc. But what many people don’t know is that both Sensei Steven Seagal, Sho Kosugi, and Wesley Snipes are having in common as far as Japanese martial arts is concerned, is basically Taiho Jutsu at the most high level of expertise in general. And that’s why even in their most celebrated movies, they prefer to represent the policing side of stories engaged in, not the villain side. Of course, we still have got Taiho Jutsu representatives such as Jason Statham (Ju-Jutsu), Dolph Lundgren (Kyokushin & Goju-Ryu Karate – 3rd Dan, Judo), and Sensei Sonny Chiba (Goju-Ryu – 2 dan, Kyokushin Karate – 4 dan, Ninjutsu  – 4 Dan, Judo – 2 Dan, Kenpo – 1 Dan, Kendo – 1 Dan).

  

What on Earth is Taiho Jutsu?

I was born and bred in Africa, Namibia to be exact, and I have done so much for the Japanese martial arts promotion in Africa to such an extent that I am more or less known as the father of modern karate in Namibia because 70 percent of top karateka experts in the country were all trained by me! I smile each time I hear how Namibia is leading the way at international karate championships because that’s what I had envisioned some 30 years ago when I started promoting the Japanese martial arts in Namibia.  

Of course, this Miss Patrycja_Pszczelinska, a Taiho Jutsu Instructor, and so it is a common sight in her country seeing her dressed like that while at her work. See, I had gone abroad to Japan, England, and America, studying the martial arts wherever I saw fit, thanks to many Japanese, English and American martial arts instructors who believed in me. Unfortunately many of them such as Sensei Brian Eustace and many others to mention a few are no longer with us and that breaks my heart.

However, during all those years of my time promoting the martial arts, particularly Karate, in Namibia, I’ve realised that it takes a long time for our people to get used or rather accustomed to new sport development in the country. And that’s the reason why I am not worried about how slow sports people in the country are reacting to Taiho Jutsu and Police Taiho Jutsu. At this moment I wish you could see their reaction when they hear things like Police Taiho Jutsu: oh God; it’s like as if you were inviting them to join the national police force or something! This is the first time they are hearing the terms Taiho Jutsu, let alone Police Taiho Jutsu for Godssake, how annoying!

And this is me, Joseph Sambi, dressed for my Taiho Jutsu instruction work in Namibia, yet our people still fail to comprehend the meaning of Taiho Jutsu, let alone Police Taiho Jutsu, how frustrating is that? Anyway, let's rather move on to the real masters of Taiho Jutsu and Police Taiho Jutsu, the real founders of Taiho Jutsu... But before that, allow me to illustrate the main essence of Taiho Jutsu:

Techniques used in Taiho Jutsu

ü  Posture, Stances and Breakfalls - Tachi Waza and Ukemi

ü  Body Movement - Tai Sabaki Waza, Kuzushi

ü  Striking Techniques - Ate Waza, Uchi Waza, Uchi Tsuki

ü  Kicking Techniques - Keri Waza

ü  Blocking Techniques - Uke Waza

ü  Vital Point Techniques and Pressure Points - Atemi Waza

ü  Joint Locking Techniques - Kansetsu Waza

ü  Counter Techniques - Gyaku Waza

ü  Strangulation Techniques - Shime Waza

ü  Holding Techniques - Osae Waza

ü  Arresting Techniques - Taiho Waza

ü  Defense Against Weapons - Bogyo Senjutsu

ü  Throwing Techniques - Nage Waza

ü  Self-Defense Techniques: Counters, Escapes, Avoidance - Kaeshi, Fusegi, Furimi

ü  Use of Specialized Weapons - Keii, Handcuffs, Plastic Ties

ü  Special Considerations: Defense against Gun, Knife, and Club

Belt Levels in Taiho Jutsu (per the International Taiho Jutsu Federation)

Ø New Student - Kyu - White Belt

Ø 10th Class - Ju kyu - White Belt

Ø 9th Class - Ku Kyu - White Belt

Ø 8th Class - Hachi Kyu - Yellow Belt

Ø 7th Class - Shichi Kyu - Yellow Belt

Ø 6th Class - Ro Kyu - Blue Belt

Ø 5th Class - Go Kyu - Green Belt

Ø 4th Class - Yon Kyu - Green Belt

Ø 3rd Class - Sankyu - Brown Belt

Ø 2nd Class - Nikyu - Brown Belt

Ø 1st Class - Ikkyu - Brown Belt

Ø 1st Grade - Shodan - 1st Degree Black Belt

Ø 2nd Grade - Nidan - 2nd Degree Black Belt

Ø 3rd Grade - Sandan - 3rd Degree Black Belt

Ø 4th Grade - Yodan - 4th Degree Black Belt

Ø 5th Grade - Godan - 5th Degree Black Belt

Ø 6th Grade - Rokudan - 6th Degree Black Belt

Ø 7th Grade - Shichidan - 7th Degree Black Belt

Ø 8th Grade - Hichidan - 8th Degree Black Belt

Ø 9th Grade - Kudan - 9th Degree Black Belt

Ø 10th Grade - Judan - 10th Degree Black Belt

Taiho Jutsu (sport) and Police Taiho Jutsu (career self defence sport) put together is the real deal in martial arts across the world. It’s only in Taiho Jutsu where all martial arts techniques go unrestricted. The use of wrist controls, arm controls, holds and throws, firearms use, firearm retention, and disarm, locks used in Ju Jutsu, Aikido. Judo, karate. and Ninjutsu, make Taiho Jutsu an ideal art not only for law enforcement agencies but all willing individuals and martial artists themselves across the world, regardless of the dominating dojo style and style origin. This system sourced techniques from the (then) banned traditional Japanese martial arts as well as western boxing is what had become known as Taiho Jutsu (sport) and Police Taiho Jutsu (Career Self Defence). Needless to mention that Police Taiho Jutsu or simply Taiho Jutsu is a Japanese martial arts style which had been designed to help feudal police arrest hardcore armed and dangerous criminals by all means at that point in time starting from 1947 upward! But today, both Taiho Jutsu and Police Taiho Jutsu are exercised by anyone who felt like stretching up, okay?

Police Taiho Jutsu by Sensei Joseph Sambi

Ninjutsu techniques are some of the neatly sourced ultimate pinnacle form of dynamic self defence in both Taiho Jutsu and Police Taiho Jutsu. But one would first have to study the origin of Taiho Jutsu to understand how its entire techniques had been sourced from the then banned Japanese traditional martial arts styles (including western boxing in Japan) shortly after the Second World War, of which the Japanese government had to be granted permission by the SCAP (Southern Command Army Pacific) to develop a system of self defence and arrest techniques for their Police Officers who as early as 1946 had dealt hysterically with heavily armed and dangerous criminals in the whole of Japan. That’s basically the reason why Taiho Jutsu (sport) and Police Taiho Jutsu (career self defence) are both based on combination techniques of the Ju Jutsu, Aikido, Judo, karate and Ninjutsu martial arts styles, respectively.

But this is a language unknown to people in Africa since I am at this point in time the only known registered Taiho Jutsu and Police Taiho Jutsu Instructor in the whole of Africa, thanks to Sensei Brian Eustace and Sensei Ross Jackson whom I had great pleasure studying Police Taiho Jutsu and Taiho Jutsu with in England.

Nonetheless, good news is that both Police Taiho Jutsu and Taiho Jutsu are open since 1984 to anyone wanting to train along for sport, self defence, good healthy, respect, self-control, and self-confidence, regardless of gender, age, profession, and locality anywhere else in the world.

Karate is very important in Taiho Jutsu for the simple reason that the harder the resistance becomes in self defence; the handy karate would come in!

Kind regards,

Sensei Joseph Sambi: 先生ヨセフ サンビ