fact it did not evolve in Japan but on the Ryukyu Islands (modern Okinawa Prefecture) which did not become a part of Japan until the 17th century. Samurai – The warrior elite of feudal Japan. The Samurai caste was abolished in the Meiji restoration's aftermath. Seitei Jōdō – Modern, compact version of SMR with 12 kata taught in the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei. Footnotes "Early" in this case refers to the Jo-kata that are present in the Shinto Musō-ryū Densho, (earliest scrolls of transmission with list of kata and lineage). Over time other SMR-jo practitioners have added newer series of Jo-kata such as Gohon-no-midare and Ran ai to the curriculum without adding it to the written densho. References External links "A Brief History of ZNKR Jodo" Entry on SMR at koryu.com "Evolution of classical Jojutsu" by Dave Lowry About the waza of Jō : The things you should note while practicing Jōdō KampaiBudokai article on SMR "Muso Gonnosuke and the Shinto Muso-ryu Jo" by Wayne Muromoto "Nishioka Tsuneo and the Pure Flow of the Jo" by Wayne Muromoto Shinto Muso-ryu Kata