Monthly Archives: October 2014

Dō and Jutsu

Dō and Jutsu
by Dan Blackmore
Published in the NL Shotokan Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 3, Winter 2014

Many different self-defence systems distinguish themselves with the suffix “dō” or “jutsu.”  The general consensus seems to be that “jutsu” indicates a functional system of techniques, while “dō” indicates a more philosophical pursuit.  This distinction comes from the interpretation of the kanji for “dō” and “jutsu.”

道 “Dō” can be translated as follows:
course; district; journey; moral; road-way; street; teachings
http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E9%81%93

The translation of dō being a journey or a teaching conjures the idea that one practices the self-defence system for reasons other than learning the techniques themselves.  Dō is also used to denote a district, and in context, a group that practices together.  Whether the reasons to practice are to build character or discipline, to improve fitness, to belong in a group, or to compete in a sport, the word “dō” does not indicate a focus on the perfection of technique to obtain maximum power.

術 “Jutsu” has several meanings as well:
art; magic; means; resources; skill; technique; trick
http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E8%A1%93

Interpreting jutsu as a skill or technique translates into distinguishing that the training is focused on perfecting the technique.  The jutsu student strives for picture-perfect form with proper timing, focus, and force for maximum power; seeks perfection of the art.

Dō training is often identified as being on the sport side of self-defence.  Students train to improve their performance of kata and kumite under tournament rules.  The nature of how the sport operates can sometimes diverge from the military/warrior spirit of the original system, to those who self-identify as jutsu.  To those people, jutsu training means preserving the original techniques: not to become “showy” or compromise on form and power.

To me, the interpretations of dō and jutsu are not so cut-and-dry.  Perhaps the goal of the journey in your dō training is to become effective at taking care of yourself, should you be assailed in your life.  For this, you would need to have training that leaves you with a reliable set of techniques that better prepares you for reacting to attack.  This philosophy surely follows a warrior spirit.  Similarly, all the time spent perfecting skills in jutsu training could all be for nothing if you panic in a real situation or on a tournament mat.  You must train the mind to be prepared for attack as well as your body.  If you focus too closely on the technique itself, you may lose sight of the big picture: the “why.”

Is dō training merely a philosophical pursuit that may diminish the quality of self-defence skill and jutsu training the choice for strong techniques?  Could dō training be a journey towards truly effective and practical self-defence skills and jutsu training be an endless pursuit of perfection, which leaves students unable to see the forest through the tress?  No matter how you interpret these terms individually, perhaps it is better to consider how better the concepts of dō and jutsu may be applied together as we train: endeavouring to improve oneself and one’s skill through the pursuit of strong and effective techniques, and understanding how to shift gears between training to preserve an art and training a practical form of self-defence.