Finding out about France
What is Butokukai Ju-Jitsu?
It is not just Brazilian
ju-jitsu
that has inherited from
Japan
by Manabu
Tagashima
Nowadays, in the domain of
martial arts, when ju-jitsu is talked about,
Brazilian ju-jitsu, especially that of Gracie,
springs to mind.
Even in the context of French martial arts, the symbol of Brazilian ju-jitsu, Rikson Gracie - who organised, among others, courses in November of last year and April of this year - has led to a fashion for Brazilian ju-jitsu.
But, in the same way as there is Koryu ju-jitsu in Japan, in France there are forms of ju-jitsu other than Brazilian. As a result, whilst undertaking my research on ju-jitsu, I was able to make the discovery of a form of ju-jitsu whose link with Japan is deeper than I had imagined. This style of ju-jitsu is called Butokukai ju-jitsu.
Before Brazilian ju-jitsu took over the world of martial
arts around the planet, I had heard that, in France, there
was already a form of ju-jitsu run by a man called Eric
Pariset.
This was why Eric Pariset was the beginnings of my
researches into ju-jitsu in France, but the result was
entirely different to what I had expected...
Effectively, it consisted of a martial art that had no
link with Japan, that had been invented at the time when
Bruce Lee was at his height. It was a form of judo onto
which some strikes had been added and which had been called
ju-jitsu.
Even people belonging to the world of martial arts
confirmed forcefully that this ‘thing’ was inefficient in a
real fight.
During a martial arts’ demonstration Rikson and Royler
participated in I had, purely by chance, the opportunity to
meet someone who practised Eric Pariset’s ju-jitsu, and so
I wanted to check the rumours myself. His answer was
thoroughly disappointing «we don’t take part in dangerous
competitions like those of Gracie and our training, based
on kata, is very soft.»
Fairly disillusioned, I wandered around the demonstration
until the letters «Butokukai ju-jitsu» leapt up at me.
Butokukai ju-jitsu? Could it have some connection with the
Dai Nippon Butokukai that came to mind?
Dai Nippon Butokukai was an organisation created in the
year 28 of the Meiji era with an aim to perpetuate
traditional Japanese martial arts which were starting to
disappear after the restoration of Meijii. As a result of
its militarily-linked expansion, it was dissolved at the
end of the Second World War by the General
Headquarters.
As far as I know, the name Butokukai was only used as the
name of this organisation designed to preserve and spread
martial arts, and was not used in any case for a school of
ju-jitsu.
So why is there a form of ju-jitsu in France called
Butokukai ju-jitsu?
The master of Butokukai ju-jitsu, Stefano Surace,
explained that it amounts to a form of ju-jitsu with an
incredibly deep link to Japan.
The coming together of grandmaster Surace, who is Italian,
and Butokukai ju-jitsu took place during the war years. In
fact, in the last half of the 1930s, the Japanese
government sent martial arts and scientific experts to
Italy, passing them off as ordinary people, Italy being
already allied to the Japanese Empire and Germany through
the Tripartite Pact.
Among them were Ishiguro and Mataga,
secretly sent by the Butokukai. Their aim was to
convey the martial arts’ traditions of Japan to the
Italians, starting with techniques to kill.
This martial art was called Butokukai ju-jitsu.
By chance, the father of grandmaster Surace, Giuseppe, was
chosen from among those Italians who could be taught
Butokukai ju-jitsu as he already had some expertise in
martial arts. Effectively, he was successfully initiated,
obtaining the Menkyo Kaiden.
Nonetheless, after the defeat of the countries of the
Tripartite Pact, the programme of education was
interrupted. Giuseppe gave his word not to teach Butokukai
ju-jitsu.
In spite of that, Giuseppe had a strong desire to leave
traces, in this world, of this magnificent martial art, and
started to teach his son Stefano who had just celebrated
his tenth birthday. This was how grandmaster Surace learnt
Butokukai ju-jitsu.
In the same way as his father, grandmaster Surace continued
his teaching not with a view to spreading it, but with a
view to transmitting a tradition, Butokukai ju-jitsu having
become a martial art buried by history.
Nonetheless, eight years ago, grandmaster Surace, who
had moved to Paris, found himself in a new situation.
Unlike Italy, France is a country where there is great
enthusiasm for martial arts and where the name of Butokukai
ju-jitsu spread naturally, making itself known.
Now, grandmaster Surace not only has eight hundred pupils
in France but he also teaches in Switzerland and he is the
head of the French Federation of Butokukai
Ju-Jitsu.
It is a fairly surprising story at first sight, but I
think that the mere fact that there is a ju-jitsu with such
a history in France has enough to make martial arts even
more interesting.
Now I would to explain to you what the style of Butokukai
ju-jitsu consists in.
The combatants stretch their arms forward at face height,
and, in jogging constantly on both legs, adopt an unusual
guard. I had never seen such an original guard.
Moreover, during the combats, they fight using the entire
floor space of the gym. The two combatants keep a constant
distance, and, if this distance is reduced for a fraction
of second, they administer with all their energy strikes
with their hands and feet (yokogeri/maegeri).
On the ground, the combatant who had been thrown also
uses techniques of Brazilian ju-jitsu or of immobilising
the Achilles tendon, blocking the movement of the adversary
with his or her legs, getting up in the blink of an eye
with a sharp strike.
It gives a strong impression that it consists above all of
techniques to avoid being hit, and of movements to not
cede.
And although it may be surprising, they
take part in competitions with this highly peculiar
style.
A pupil called Mathieu Nicourt beat the 45 participants in
the free-combat tournament called «Golden Dragon Cup»,
organised in the Italian seaside resort of Rimini. He
thereby holds the title of world champion of WBI ju-jitsu.
Moreover, Nicourt, among the best in the world of Butokukai
ju-jitsu, has at least ten other pupils above
him.
By this I mean that we can expect to come across some
extremely powerful competitors from Butokukai ju-jitsu.
...«It’s not out of the question that I might send some of
my pupils to fight in the country where Butokukai ju-jisu
was born, Japan», says grandmaster. A half-promise that
will one day become reality?
I think we’d better pay attention to the ju-jitsu that has
kept the name of the Butokukai!
Manabu Tagashima
(Kakutogi Tsushin Magazine)