Hojōjitsu is a traditional Japanese martial art, used beginning in the 17th Century Edo period and remained in practice by Japanese police and military until the WWII era, to capture criminals and transport prisoners of war. Hojojitsu is fast, brutal, and prioritizes security over prisoner safety.

Originally, practitioners used a 15ft nawa of 4mm thickness. Through careful material selection, we decrease safety risks while increasing perceived risk. By switching to a 100 yd spool of 0.002 nylon (ie, dental floss), we develop a system perfect for brutal takedowns, asymmetric wrestling play, humiliation, and dozens of other delightful games.

Dental floss is not suitable for most kinds of suspension play, and hojojitsu is not safe for suspension. Therefore, it would not be accurate to include hojoitsu in the category of “shibari.” It is an adjacent art from the same culture and era.