Jo
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Jo
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The royal palace
guards specialized in the Jo, or four foot staff, and three
foot hanbo ("half Bo"), within the confined spaces of the sleeping
(and other private) quarters of Shuri Castle and similar places.
The Jo could be used to strike like a sword, sweep like a naginata,
thrust like a spear. Its two ends could be used, unlike the
single point of a sword, and its ma-ai (fighting distance) could
be varied according to the hand grip you take. Because of its
speed and changeable ma-ai, it is a formidable weapon in the
hands of a skilled master.
