Hepi-ryu Bojutsu and Jujutsu

Hepi-ryu 蛇流 means snake or serpent school. The snake or serpent is symbolic of the school’s techniques. Using the weapons of the school to entangle and entrap the attacker many times with multiple locks to various parts of the body. In the advanced levels of training the practitioner uses a unique style of Jujutsu (unarmed combat), which is inspired by their Bojutsu training.

Shihan Junji Saito was the last remaining member of his family and head of its secret Hepi-ryu Bojutsu tradition. As he had no family member to inherit his teachings he passed them on to his top student, Mike Depasquale Sr. The school is now maintained by two of his top private students.

Saito Sensei during his time mastering Hakko-ryu Jujutsu from his cousin, taught at a police station in Japan. While teaching to the Police he further developed his family style together with police Taihojutsu (arresting methods) and Keibojutsu (police baton methods). Saito Sensei for a time lived and worked in London, England. There he also taught at a police station. He also interacted with a group who was teaching Bartitsu. Some of the Bo Kumite methods from Hepi-ryu influenced the group he was training with.

Saito Sensei traveled to the United States for work a number of times. He had a chance meeting with my teacher Mike Depasquale Sr and the two quickly became friends and developed their master and student relationship. Saito Sensei began to teach at the Yoshitsune Dojo in New Jersey. He helped develop much of the Jujutsu curriculum that was taught at the school. Once he moved the the USA he eventually passed the entirety of the Hepi-ryu system on to my teacher before his passing. Together they had worked to finalize how the school was eventually be organized and passed on today.

Before my teacher passed away he gave me his Saito Sensei’s three original hand written notebooks on Hepi-ryu. They were in ruff shape and I have since restored their covers and labels.

The Weapons of Hepi-ryu

The weapons training in Hepi Ryu consists of:

Hanbo (Sanshaku Bo) 3 Foot Stick
Keibo – Police Nightstick
Kakushi-Bo (Yubibo) Hidden or Finger Stick
Furi-tsue – Cane
Jo (Yonshaku Bo) 4 Foot Stick

Training begins with the Hanbo and leads into the Cane. After one has become proficient in the unique striking, blocking and grappling methods associated with these weapons one moves into the smaller weapons of the school, the Keibo and Yubibo. There is also a form of Jojutsu which utilizes the principles of the school as well as Jujutsu unarmed fighting techniques.

Unique to this school’s training approach is we first learn weapons and then lastly learn unarmed techniques of Jujutsu based of the principle of handling the weapons.

蛇流秘傳 (一)
半棒警棒指棒

The first manuscript details the secret methods for training the Hanbo, Keibo, and Yubibo. There is a special way for finding and targeting Jintai Kyusho (human vital points) taught. This is equivalent to Shodan and Nidan training in this school.

蛇流秘傳(二)
双棒術

The second manuscript contains the secret methods for Sobojutsu (twin sticks) and is equivalent to Sandan and Yondan training. This includes the five levels of Bo-Kumite (stick sparring) and how to combine the weapons of the school together.

蛇流秘傳(三)
柔術秘技口傳

The third manuscript contains the highest secret principles of the school, Godan Bo Kata (techniques of the cane), the closely guarded Hepi-ryu Jujutsu methods, Jojutsu, and other Higi (secret techniques) and Kuden (oral transmissions) only passed along during Godan training. From the categories of sticking fighting methods you develop a special form of Jujutsu based on the Bojutsu techniques. This is the hallmark of this school.

Hepi-ryu 4 Rules and 5 Levels of Training

4 Rules of the School

NO PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION: Hepi-ryu is not to be demonstrated in public or shown to others outside of our training. Hepi-ryu is a secret school transmission. It is only meant for a select few who demonstrate the proper qualities as a human being and Budoka. We do not want the methods of the school to become a common knowledge that is abused.
PROPER LICENSE TO TEACH: You are not to teach anyone the methods of Hepi-ryu without the proper license or permission. Only those of the Godan rank can issue rank in this school. A Godan will be allowed to open up a Shibu Dojo (branch school) under the Yotsume Dojo. All ranks and certificates will be issued and recorded by me to your students.
HIDEN (SECRET TRANSMISSIONS): Each Dan level has certain aspects which are considered Hiden (secret transmissions). Certain topics of study are not to be taught openly. As you are taught each Dan grade’s techniques you will learn what is to be kept secret. The entire Godan level of training is only for a select few trusted students. Do not teach these topics to anyone except those who have attained the proper level of rank and proficiency.
HAMON (EXPULSION): Anyone who breaks these rules will no longer be allowed to train or use the Hepi-ryu name, and will be issued Hamon (expulsion) from Hepi-ryu and striped of their rank publicly.

These were the simple yet strict rules set forth by my teacher Mike Depasquale Sr.

5 Levels of Training

SHODAN – First Degree

Hepi Taiso – Conditioning exercises done with the Hanbo.
Kamae (1) Attention / Ready Posture Study
Kihon Daho – Basic striking methods and drills.
Shodan Bo Kata – Solo form of fundamental striking and grappling methods.
Shodan Bo Kumite – First level stick sparring with Hanbo.

NIDAN – Second Degree

Nidan Bo Kata – Solo form of fundamental striking and grappling methods.
Nidan Bo Kumite – Second level stick sparring with Hanbo.
Nidan Hanbojutsu – Six Categories of Hanbo Defense Study

SANDAN – Third Degree

Kamae (2) On-Guard Posture Study
Sandan Bo Kata – Solo form of power swinging striking methods.
Sandan Bo Kumite – Third level stick sparring with the Cane.
Sandan Tanbojutsu (Keibo) – Methods for the use of the nightstick and tong.

YONDAN – Fourth Degree

Yondan Bo Kata – Solo form of close quarter striking methods.
Yondan Bo Kumite – Fourth level stick sparring with the Cane.
Kakushi Bojutsu (Yubibo) – Methods for the use of hand held sticks.
Jintai Kyusho – Anatomical vital point study.

GODAN – Fifth Degree

Godan Bo Kata – Solo form of the cane and secret methods of the school.
Godan Bo Kumite – Fifth level stick sparring with the Cane and Hanbo.
Bo Kumite Gaeshi Waza – Advanced stages (2 and 3) of stick sparring countering techniques.
Sobojutsu – How to combine the weapons of the school together.
Jojutsu – Natural methods for using the Jo utilizing the principles of the school.
Godan Kakushi-Bo Kuden (Oral Transmission).
Hepi-ryu Jujutsu – Natural application of Jujutsu based on Bojutsu.