The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu

The Complete Kano Jiu-Jitsu is a 1905 martial arts manual documenting combat techniques taught at the United States Naval Academy. The text combines H. Irving Hancock's writing with technical expertise from Katsukuma Higashi, a practitioner of what was termed 'Kano Jiu Jitsu'. The manual presents 160 combat techniques through detailed instructions and over 500 illustrations. The content covers throwing methods, arm locks, strangleholds, and pressure point charts, along with a section on kuatsu - the practice of reviving unconscious individuals. While marketed as the official jiu-jitsu system of Japanese military and law enforcement, the techniques differ from authentic Kodokan Judo. The book was published without involvement from Kanō Jigorō, the founder of Judo. The text stands as an early example of martial arts knowledge transfer between Japan and the West, reflecting both the technical exchange and cultural misconceptions of the era.

Readers find this 1905 text provides detailed historical documentation of early jiu-jitsu techniques, though the information is now outdated. The photographs and technical descriptions serve as a reference for how Japanese martial arts were first introduced to Western audiences. Liked: - Clear technical descriptions for the era - Historical value as an early jiu-jitsu manual - Quality of vintage photographs - Detail in explaining throws and holds Disliked: - Techniques considered basic/incomplete by modern standards - Some awkward translations and terminology - Paper quality in recent reprints - Limited practical training value today Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (37 ratings) Amazon: 3.9/5 (89 ratings) Common review comment: "Interesting historical document but not useful as a modern training manual." Several readers noted the book's significance in documenting early Western understanding of Japanese martial arts, while acknowledging its limitations as a technical reference.

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🥋 The book was one of the first English language martial arts manuals to document kuatsu (resuscitation) techniques, previously kept highly secretive in Japanese martial traditions. 🥋 H. Irving Hancock authored over 40 books on Japanese culture and martial arts between 1903-1916, despite never having lived in Japan himself. 🥋 The United States Naval Academy was one of the earliest American institutions to formally adopt Japanese martial arts training, beginning in 1905 with this manual's system. 🥋 The 500+ illustrations were created through a painstaking process of photographing techniques and converting them to detailed line drawings, innovative for its time. 🥋 While marketed as "jiu-jitsu," many techniques in the manual actually align more closely with early Kodokan judo, reflecting the period's fluid boundaries between Japanese martial arts.