Jukendo (Japanese Bayonet Art)
銃剣道Japanese martial art with the wooden rifle mokuju, derived from army bayonet training. The only valid attack is the thrust, and the federation was founded in 1956.
Quick Facts
JapanCharacter & Origin
Training
Organisation & Competition
What the style is built from
Editorial rating on a 0–3 scale, based on how much room each area gets in ordinary training.
About Jukendo (Japanese Bayonet Art)
Jukendo is a Japanese martial art in which one fights with a wooden rifle with a blunt tip, and the only valid attack is the thrust. It grew out of Japanese army bayonet training. The Heibonsha encyclopedia links it to the army's Toyama school, founded in 1873, and to the adoption of the French bayonet, to which techniques of the native spear art sojutsu were added. The sources differ on dates: Heibonsha places the adoption of the bayonet in 1874, Britannica its introduction in 1880, and Nipponica the link with sojutsu in 1889.
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In 1937 the Dai Nippon Butokukai introduced the titles hanshi and kyoshi for the bayonet, and training spread to schools. According to a paper at a congress of the Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences in 2018, jukendo was valued, in an ideology of loyalty to the sovereign and the homeland, as an effective killing technique, was banned after the war by the occupation administration, and turned to sport once its wartime part was removed. In 1956 the All Japan Jukendo Federation was founded, which now governs jukendo and the related tankendo. It is practiced with the wooden rifle mokuju, which Nipponica describes as 166 cm long and weighing 1.1 kg, in protective gear similar to kendo. According to the International Jukendo Federation, valid hits include the chest, throat, left shoulder and left forearm, and the bout is won by whoever first scores two points out of three. The same federation lists jukendo among the nine main budo affiliated with the Nippon Budokan. The curriculum for Japanese lower secondary schools from 2017 names it among the budo that schools may teach according to their conditions.
History
According to the Nipponica encyclopedia, the bayonet arose in France in the mid-17th century, and in Japan work with it was demonstrated by Takashima Shuhan (1798–1866). Training is linked to the army's Toyama school, which Heibonsha dates to 1873.
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According to an article by Tavernier, vice-president of the International Jukendo Federation, Sergeant François Ducros of the second French military mission led physical training in Toyama from 1874 and, as preparation for bayonet fencing, taught work with the stick. The third mission (1884–1889), with instructors Etienne de Villaret and Joseph Kiehl, prepared unified curricula for fencing and the bayonet, and in 1886 Toyama received a fencing department for the foil, the saber and the bayonet. In November 1889 the army ministry issued the manual Kenjutsu Kyohan, derived from French texts, one volume of which was called Juken-jutsu, and in April 1894 a revised edition followed. The sources differ on dates. Heibonsha places the adoption of the French bayonet in 1874 and adds to it techniques of the native spear art sojutsu, Britannica gives the introduction of the French bayonet as 1880, and Nipponica the combination of the French art with sojutsu as 1889. Japanese Wikipedia states that Japanese jukenjutsu based on spear schools was established in 1894. In 1937 the Dai Nippon Butokukai introduced the titles hanshi and kyoshi for the bayonet as a budo, and according to Heibonsha training spread to schools and among reservists. A paper at a congress of the Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences in 2018 states that jukendo was valued as an effective killing technique, was banned after the war by the occupation administration, and turned to sport once its wartime part was removed. In 1956 the All Japan Jukendo Federation was founded.
How it differs
Jukendo differs from kendo in weapon and attack. According to a 2017 congress paper of the Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences, kendo changed its idea from cutting to striking, while jukendo stayed with the thrust alone. It also differs from military training. Nipponica states that in the Japan Self-Defense Forces the combat technique is bayonet fighting combined with shooting, including thrust, strike and body charge, and that competitive jukendo is different. Tankendo, fighting with a short sword, is governed by the same federation, and the two meet in kata. Besides Jukendo no kata and Tankendo no kata, the International Jukendo Federation maintains Mokuju tai tanken no kata.
Technique
Jukendo has only one kind of attack, the thrust. A 2017 congress paper of the Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences contrasts this with kendo: modern kendo changed its idea from cutting to striking, whereas jukendo stayed with the thrust even as a sport. According to the 2018 paper, it is now explained that the aims of training, theory and technique are the same as in the spear art sojutsu and in kendo. Nipponica states that thrusts go to the throat and heart, and names four kinds. The Fukui jukendo association vice-chairman's promotional website describes only the thrust and the parrying of the opponent's weapon as basic movements. The International Jukendo Federation describes a valid thrust as a strong thrust joined with a dynamic lunge forward (ki-ken-tai-itchi), followed by an immediate withdrawal of the weapon and zanshin.
Training
It is practiced with the wooden rifle mokuju with a blunt tip carrying a pad covered with leather or rubber. Nipponica gives a length of 166 cm and a weight of 1.1 kg, the Daijisen dictionary about 1.7 m. For children up to the end of primary school, the Fukui jukendo association vice-chairman's promotional website gives a shorter rifle of 133.5 cm and at least 800 g. The gear derives from kendo. According to the International Jukendo Federation, the helmet has extended throat protection, the kote glove is reinforced around the thumb, the body protector has an extra leather part against the wooden bayonet sliding upward, and the apron has a leather loop for the shoulder and chest protector called kata. A pad called urabuton is worn under the left arm. Heibonsha states that the shoulder protector serves because of thrusts to the heart. According to the federation, the kata form five series: Jukendo no kata (rifle against rifle, eight forms), Tankendo no kata (eight forms), Mokuju tai tanken no kata, Mokuju tai to no kata and Tanken tai to no kata (six forms each).
Ranks and progression
According to Nipponica, the All Japan Jukendo Federation awards grades from fifth kyu to tenth dan and the titles renshi, kyoshi and hanshi. The titles have a longer history than today's federation: Heibonsha states that the Dai Nippon Butokukai introduced hanshi and kyoshi for the bayonet as early as 1937, and Britannica places the start of awarding grades in the same year. We have not yet been able to trace the federation's examination rules, meaning the intervals between grades and the exam content.
Competition
According to Heibonsha, a bout is run by a chief referee and two assistant referees, who judge precisely aimed thrusts. Britannica states that bouts are fought for one point or two of three, on an area with sides of about 10 m. The sources describe the target areas differently. Heibonsha names the heart and throat as the main area. The International Jukendo Federation lists the chest, throat, left shoulder and left forearm and victory for two valid points out of three. Japanese Wikipedia distinguishes five places, two of them on the left chest above and below the opponent's arm. According to Nipponica, the federation takes part in the national sports games. The Fukui jukendo association vice-chairman's promotional website says high school students and adults compete there.
Today
The All Japan Jukendo Federation, founded in 1956, governs jukendo and tankendo. According to Nipponica, it is a member of the Japan Sports Association. According to its own website, the International Jukendo Federation was founded on 18 March 2025 and states that jukendo and tankendo in Japan are open to men, women, children and seniors. Jukendo is one of the nine budo supported by the Japanese Budo Association, established in 1977, of which the jukendo federation is also a member. In 2014 the council submitted to the ministry of education a definition of budo, asking that the new curricula list all nine equally. The 2017 curriculum for lower secondary schools then names jukendo newly among the budo that may be taught according to school and regional conditions, in principle in addition to judo, kendo or sumo. The Fukui jukendo association vice-chairman's promotional website carries reports on teaching at a primary school in Saga Prefecture and links to a television report according to which jukendo has very few competitors.
Did you know
According to an article by Tavernier on the International Jukendo Federation website, the French sergeant François Ducros taught work with the stick in Toyama from 1874 as preparation for bayonet fencing. According to the same article, the 1889 army manual Kenjutsu Kyohan had three volumes, Seiken-jutsu, Gunto-jutsu and Juken-jutsu. According to Japanese Wikipedia, the name jukendo has been used since 1940. The same Wikipedia states that in 1953, after the war, former members of the Toyama school resumed training.
Styles & Branches
Frequently asked questions
How does jukendo differ from kendo?
Jukendo uses the wooden rifle mokuju instead of a sword, and only the thrust scores. According to a 2017 congress paper of the Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences, kendo moved from cutting to striking, jukendo stayed with the thrust.
Where may one strike in jukendo?
The International Jukendo Federation lists the chest, throat, left shoulder and left forearm. The Heibonsha encyclopedia names the heart area and the throat as the main targets.
Is jukendo taught in Japanese schools?
The 2017 curriculum for lower secondary school lists it among the budo that schools may teach according to their conditions, in principle in addition to judo, kendo or sumo.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.