What is the Japanense Samurai's swordless close quarters fighting style called?

Question

It sounds like Shadow-kou or something along those lines, I however do not know the proper name nor how it's spelled. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Different schools have different names for that.  Muto means no sword and most Kenjutsu schools had some form of this in case your sword broke, or you lost your sword.  Muto techniques evolved into the many schools of Ju Jutsu.

If you want to see how sword techniques work empty handed take a look at "Structure of Aikido" by Gaku Homma

Answer 2

Bujutsu, which later on became Aikijujutsu, then later on Jujutsu.

Answer 3

JUJUTSU which is a generic term for about 50 methods of unarmed combat.

KEMPO also a generic term for almost as many but the term "shadow" makes it sound like some form of ninjutsu which wouldn't be known to the average samurai and not listed in the koryu bujutsu or ancient (koryu =ancient style) war methods(bujutsu).

Many of these styles were clan methods developed by the fighting master(s) of the clan and have long since dissapeared the result of keeping things secret.Unlike the OKINAWANS who hid their secrets in KATA the older styles never developed such a device.

Their needs were immediate for the battlefield so two man kata and training forms were used.

Answer 4

Jujitsu.

The origins of Ju-jitsu are lost in the clouds of time, but what we do know is that old records show that the art has been practised as far back as the 8th Century – over 1,200 years ago

From the 8th to the 16th Century, Japan was in constant civil war. The Samurai always fought with a variety of weapons, including sword, spear, bow and halberd. There were times when a samurai would be unable or would not choose to use his main weapons but would grapple empty-handed to take his opponent prisoner or to restrain him. These type of techniques had names such as Taijutsu, Yawara-ge, Kumi-Uchi, Wajutsu and Torite.

At the beginning of the 17th Century, peace came to Japan – this was known as the Edo period and the power and prestige of the Samurai gradually declined. Weapons were no longer so important to them and they began to develop their un-armed techniques. It was during this time that the name Ju-jitsu came into general use and the common people of Japan, previously forbidden to own or train with weapons, began to study it as well.

During this period of it’s history, Ju-jitsu was predominantly a grappling art. Japan began to adopt the striking skills from China – ‘Ch’uan fa (fist way) – known as ‘Kempo’ in Japanese.