The jo is a wooden staff shorter than the bo, typically around four feet, or roughly 128 cm, in length. It is most closely associated with aikido, where jo techniques echo many of the same circular, redirecting movements found in empty hand practice, and with jodo, an art built specifically around jo technique against a sword.
Because it is shorter and lighter than a bo, the jo can be handled with quicker, more precise movements, and its length makes it well suited to practising distancing and timing against a partner using a bokken, or wooden sword. Jo forms typically progress from solo strikes and thrusts to paired kata that train timing against a simulated attack, always under close supervision given the speed involved.
As with other wooden weapons, choosing a jo of suitable length and a durable hardwood matters for safety and longevity. See our weapons training guide for material and sizing notes.
