Jujitsu is a form of martial arts that has been around for several thousand years. Often referred to as the gentle art, jujitsu has many styles, such as daito-ryu aiki, ketsugo-ryu and hontai yoshin-ryu. Budoshin jujitsu isn't a unique fighting style, but instead is a philosophy that demands the martial artist act in a respectful and responsible manner.
History
As with many of the older martial arts, it is impossible to get an exact date on the invention of jujitsu, but it was first mentioned in the Choon Chu era in China, which dates back as far as 772 B.C.E. Tenenuchi Hisamori is given credit for formalizing jujitsu and he opened a school in the early 16th century. Shortly thereafter, elements from kempo, Korean t'ang su and ch-an fa were incorporated into jujitsu. Jujitsu thrived as a form of martial arts until the early 1800s, when the samurai were relegated to common status and the art was not heard from until the invention of judo in 1882.
Offspring
Many newer styles of martial arts, such as judo and aikido, were developed from jujitsu and incorporated parts of it. Judo was developed by Jigoro Kano in 1882, while aikido was developed by Morihei Uyeshiba in the 1920s. Kano had studied two styles of jujitsu, tenjin-shinyo ryu and kito ryu, and found the two emphasized different aspects. By combining what he had learned from both styles, the concept of judo was born. Uyeshiba's training in jujitsu was primarily in daito-ryu aik, which places a great deal of emphasis on weapons, and he was also particularly interested in the spiritual aspect of martial arts, which is the foundation of aikido.
Differences
Jujitsu is viewed as the most complete form of martial arts, as it incorporates a variety of elements, while other forms of martial arts may focus on a limited number. Judo concentrates on throws, ground fighting and choking, while karate's main focus is on hitting, kicking and blocking. Jujitsu incorporates both, as well as the primary elements of aikido, which include standing holds, takedowns, immobilizing the attacker and the use of pressure points.
Budoshin
The concept of budoshin jujitsu is newer and was developed in 1967, when George Kirby and William Fromm took over jujitsu teaching duties at the YMCA in Burbank, California. The two had studied under Jack Seki, who believed there were no distinctive jujitsu styles, just variations, and they had the same philosophy. It was then they came up with the name budoshin, which essentially translates to "martial way spirit," which they took to mean to act in an humble, respectful manner. Budoshin jujitsu is a belief system, as opposed to a style of jujitsu.
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