Jujutsu refers to an organized body of grappling and striking skills that originated in the peculiar historical circumstances of the samurai warriors in feudal Japan.

The word Jujutsu literally means ‘the art of gentleness’ or ‘the way of yielding’. Developed as a fighting art by the samurai, it is a style that aims at engaging in combat against armed or armored opponents when the use of weapons is not possible.

Since it would be difficult to defeat by striking an opponent who is well protected, jujutsu has developed a range of manipulative holds, locks, and choking methods to immobilize the opponent. Based on a principle of using the opponent’s own energy and momentum against him, jujutsu succeeds by not opposing the opponent directly.

Many different forms of unarmed combat have been in existence in Japan for centuries now, and jujutsu is one of the foremost forms.

The earliest reference to forms of unarmed combat was found in the Kojiki (record of Ancient Matters) and the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), which are supposedly the earliest historical records of Japan, and relate the mythological origins of the country and the establishment of the royal family.

References and pictorial evidence can also be found in other records that depict the ‘sumai no sechie’, a ritual of the Imperial Court in Kyoto and Nara that is performed for divination and to help assure the people of a good harvesting season.

There is a historical story attributed to jujutsu and unarmed combat. It is said that Nomi no Sukune, a resident of Izumo, killed Tajima no Kehaya in man-to-man combat in Shimane prefecture of Japan in the presence of the king, Emperor Suinin. The narration of the encounter contains details about the kinds of moves, hold, throws, strikes, and weaponry skills that were used in the fight.

It would be considered common sense to think that in a fight, it is always the stronger person who will win.

Jujutsu sets out to prove this notion to be faulty. In jujutsu, the smaller, weaker person can in fact take down a much bigger opponent with a little skill, speed, and cunning.

The smaller person should use his body as a fulcrum to lift the bigger, stronger person off the ground and thus immobilize him. Jujutsu embodies this principle as its central tenet and its influence can be seen everywhere. With a knowledge of this system, one can hit the enemy where he is vulnerable and the fight may be considered over even before it started. In jujutsu, strength can never match speed and skill, and intelligence will always beat brute force. Jujutsu, in many ways, has no parallel in other martial arts forms.

An opponent can be swiftly immobilized, and in some cases may be done serious physical damage.

Jujutsu, as a system, looks to capitalize on the vulnerable parts of the body. Which explains its success as a system. An encounter against a proficient Jujutsu practitioner is bound to end in a painful defeat.

Several different spelling have developed through different styles over the years, such as Jiu Jitsu and Ju Jitsu.

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