Shintō Musō-ryū Jo Kata


Kata is an old way of teaching traditional martial arts in Japan. Kata are used in many modern and koryū martial arts as a way of teaching advanced techniques and maneuvers using a series of scripted movements and actions against an opponent. In many of the older koryū martial arts, kata are at the center of what is taught with little or even no sparring as compared to more modern martial arts such as kendo and/or judo
The modern Shintō Musō-ryū system holds approximately 64 jō kata divided into several series. All forms are normally taught in sequence. In some SMR dojos, new students begin their kata training by learning one or more kata from the Seitei Jodo-curriculum due to their relative technical simplicity.
As a comparison, the compact Seitei Jodo created by Shimizu Takaji contains 12 forms. Ten of these kata are drawn from the existing SMR kata with minor modifications, and 2 other kata created specifically for Seitei Jodo. The two specific Seitei jodo are taught in various SMR dojos outside the main series of Kata.
As Shinto Musō-ryū has no current single leader, there exists no strict consensus regarding which order the kata should be taught, though the traditional order when applied is Omote, chudan, ran ai, kage, samidare Gohon, okuden and hiden gokui. The kata-series Gohon no midare was created by Shimizu Takaji in the late 1930s and is not taught by every Dojo.
The number of kata in each series is also not strictly defined by any single organisation. The Chudan series counts twelve kata plus one variant thus pushing the actual number of kata performed to thirteen.
The list of kata series below is mainly from the Shimizu Takaji-line of Shinto Musō-ryū Jodo.

Omote

Omote is the first earliest series of kata taught to new students. The two Seitei Jodo kata are taught in some dojos before Tachi Otoshi, although not always. Tzuki Zue is also sometimes used as a first kata taught to new students.
  1. Tachi Otoshi
  2. Tsuba wari
  3. Tsuki Zue
  4. Hissage – Short sword
  5. Sakan
  6. Ukan
  7. Kasumi
  8. Monomi
  9. Kasa no shita
  10. Ichi rei
  11. Neya no uchi
  12. ''Hoso michi''

Chudan

Chudan is the second earliest series of Jo-kata.
  1. Ichi riki
  2. Oshi zume
  3. Midare dome
  4. Ushiro zue / – Two variants
  5. Taisha
  6. Kengome – Two-sword kata
  7. Kiri kake
  8. Shin shin
  9. Rai uchi
  10. Yokogiri dome
  11. Harai dome
  12. ''Seigan''

Ran ai

Ran ai a new series of Jo-kata, created in the bakumatsu period. It is taught as the third series in most SMR-dojos today. The series was developed in
one of the three lines of SMR of the time. The series contain two kata, both nearly identical in movements but performed
with the long and short sword respectively.
  1. Ran ai odachi – longsword
  2. Ran ai kodachi – ''shortsword''

Kage

Kage is the third earliest series of jo-kata. Holds the same names as the omote series. The variants are variously called zen/''go or omote/ura
  1. Tachi otoshi
  2. Tsuba wari
  3. Tsuki zue
  4. Hissage
  5. Sakan
  6. Ukan
  7. Kasumi
  8. Monomi
  9. Kasa no shita
  10. Ichi rei / – Two variants
  11. Neya no uchi / – Two variants
  12. Hoso michi''

Samidare / Satsuki Ame

SamidareThe fourth earliest series of jo-kata.
The number of kata in this series are sometimes counted as having five kata plus one variant.
  1. Ichi monji
  2. Ju monji
  3. Kodachi otoshi
  4. Mijin
  5. Mijin
  6. ''Gan tsubushi''

Gohon no midare

Gohon no midare is a new series of jo-kata created and added to the SMR-system by
Shimizu Takaji around 1939. The series is taught as number six in the total of eight kata-series in most SMR-dojos today. Gohon is not part of the traditional system though it is being taught
by most SMR-groups.
  1. Tachi otoshi no midare
  2. Sakan no midare
  3. Kengome no midare
  4. Kasumi no midare
  5. ''Shamen no midare''

Okuden / Shiaikuchi

Source:
Okuden/Shiaikuchi
Fifth earliest series of Jo-kata, taught as series number seven in most SMR-dojos today. This list is shown in the order taught by Shimizu Takaji and many of his students today, though not necessarily by all SMR-groups. This series is the last one taught openly to an advanced student and only dedicated and mature students are allowed to study it.
  1. Sengachi
  2. Tsuki dashi
  3. Uchi tsuke
  4. Kote dome
  5. Hiki tsute
  6. Kote garami
  7. Jutte
  8. Mikaeri
  9. Aun
  10. Uchiwake
  11. Suigetsu
  12. ''Sayu dome''

Hiden Gokui

The sixth traditional and last earliest known series of jo-kata, or secret forms, of the SMR system. After the first kata is taught the student receives a Menkyo scroll. When all five kata have been taught the student is issued a full License of Total Transmission ''Menkyo Kaiden.
  1. Yamiuchi
  2. Yumemakura
  3. Murakumo
  4. Inazuma
  5. Dobo''