An essay written by Francis Richards for her Godan grading.
In simple terms Jutsu means martial arts and Do means martial way, they are completely different in purpose, nature and technique.
Karate Jutsu training readied the warrior for battlefield combat where as Karate Do training places a greater emphasis on individual self perfection, you could say “the way you travel road means more than getting to the destination.”
The term Jutsu came into common usage around the tenth century, but as Japanese society become more politically stable and peaceful around the nineteenth century Do concepts become more widely thought of and practiced. There are many different fighting jutsu systems Bo,Jo,Kenjutsu to name just a faction, in fact all true Do styles have their roots in a Jutsu system.
Karate jutsu students became very efficient, highly skilled at the art of killing, maiming and incapacitating their opponents on the battlefield. Early Japanese society was a very warlike, warriors would train in a jutsu school only after being recommended and accepted by the Head of the school, there was no true ranking system, you would train until you were thought to have reached a high enough level to be qualified and only then would you be granted a teachers certificate. They put no emphasis on a ranking system. Unlike Karate Do [Kyu-Dan] systems, which unfortunately some people put too much emphasis on the rank, under the illusion that the higher the rank you are the better you are. Some instructors are guilty of pushing people thru the ranks or letting their students determine what rank they wish to go for, so it ends up the rank becomes the goal not the training. Better to be a highly skilled White Belt then a weak Black Belt.
Karate jutsu had a wide combat range it did not specialize in just kicking , punching etc, which Karate do systems tended to specialize losing much of their early combat abilities, placing a greater emphasis on teaching the whole person body, mind and spirit and trying to mould better citizens in the process.
Both systems have Kata the difference being jutsu systems their Kata in the absence of warfare help keep their fighting skills at combat readiness. Some Do systems because of their sport orientation have allowed their Kata to be changed simply to win tournaments and have no true fighting applications.
As our society becomes more violent and less tolerant, the ability to be humble and turn away from a situation before it is to late is a skill which should not be over looked, but as instructors we must ensure our students have the necessary skills to defend themselves, to my mind that is what having Karate Do in our name is all about, and never losing sight what our Kata`s were designed for and our application stay faithfully to the Kata.
