Hojutsu Ryu

The purpose of firearms training is to prepare a person to use firearms in a fight against an adversary in what usually begins as a spontaneous attack initiated by the adversary. Our firearms program is not about shooting. It is about fighting. When the concept of fighting is taken out of firearms training, we have forgotten the purpose of our training. - Lou Chiod

The Art of Gunnery

Hojutsu is the ancient Japanese word for "the Art of Gunnery." As practiced today, Hojutsu is an integrated fighting system, the combination of the Modern Technique and traditional Japanese budo. Hojutsu trains in handgun, rifle, shotgun, submachine gun, and precision rifle; we also train in unarmed defense, various impact weapons, edged weapons, and ground fighting.

Hojutsu, the art of gunnery, began its development in Japan in the early 1500's. Matchlock firearms were first imported by the Portuguese; after the Battle of Nagashino in 1575, where peasants with firearms defeated classical Samurai; firearms were embraced by some warriors. Hojutsu is defined as "bujutsu" or "koryu budo"- Old Tradition arts, arts established prior to 1868. The term ryu refers to the "school" or "style" of the art. I have taken the liberty of changing "gunnery" to shooting to reflect the art's use of individual weapons. The ancient martial training systems and protocol remain unchanged.

Training begins with the Handgun

In Hojutsu-Ryu, we begin training with the handgun; the handgun is the king of personal defense, given its portability and concealability. We progress to the revolver, shotgun, carbine ("assault rifle"), precision rifle, and submachine gun. We include empty hands, sticks of all kinds, and edged weapons into the art. We practice kata using firearms and the other tools listed above, with the intent that a true master of the art should prevail in a fight from flat on his back to 300 meters away.

Proven in Today’s World

Hojutsu-Ryu is one of the very few lethal martial arts that is combat-proven in today's world. No other firearms training system can claim the combat effectiveness of the Modern Technique.  It is widely used by S.W.A.T. teams from Arizona to Alaska.  Statistics show hit averages of 99.6%; the national average of hits by police officers, incidentally, is 16%.  As of 2019, 27 Hojutsu-ka (students) have won gunfights. Of those shot with pistols, we have 100% hits with 100% results. One Alaska State Trooper fired one round at thirty-three (33) yards with an A zone head shot- the system works. Our documented hit rate is 99.6%. There are other styles of shooting that work well in competition, but none as well in actual fights.  Our arena is the street, not the competition range.