Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most popular martial arts in the world, still, there are a lot of doubts about the origins of this fighting style. Although there are disagreements about the origin, there is a consensus that this martial art emerged (like so many others) on the Asian continent. In Brazil, it arrived in 1914. So what is the origin of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?
The origin of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu comes from the Asian continent. The first registration of this martial art occurred in 1532 in Japan, called Ju-Jutsu. The Japanese Jiu-Jitsu arrived in Brazil in 1914 and was adapted by the Gracie Family creating what we know now as the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
BJJ: Three Possible Origins
Despite being super popular and proven as the most effective martial art on earth, it’s still hard to know exactly where Jiu-Jitsu (or Ju-Jutsu) surged in the Asian continent. However, there are at least three possible origins and theories supported by good evidence. Despite the divergences, one thing is for sure: the techniques, takedowns, and submissions were developed and perfected in Japan, in Samurai schools. If it surged in Japan or came from a different country is a different story.
The Birthplace of Ju-Jutsu: Japan, India or China?
The most likely place for the “birth” of Jiu-Jitsu in Japan. This aspect of the history of the origin of the martial art is the most widespread and accepted by researchers in the history of Jiu-Jitsu. As it is a fact that the techniques and submissions were developed and perfected in Japan, in the samurai schools, it is very likely that the first version of the martial art even appeared in Japan. Another story about the origins of Jiu-Jitsu is that the fighting style originated in India, invented, practiced, and trained by Buddhist monks. In time, the monks would have moved to China and then Japan, expanding Buddhism and teaching Jiu-Jitsu as well. The third and least likely origin of Jiu-Jitsu is that this martial art originated in China, and then with time immigrants started teaching the martial art for the Japanese.
Ju-Jutsu: The Japanese Jiu Jitsu
Whether or not the fighting style surged first in Japan, it was there that this martial art really evolved from basic movements and projection to a philosophy involving takedowns and submissions. Despite the divergences as to the origin, there is a consensus that it was in Japan, through the Samurai schools, that the techniques and blows were developed. No wonder why the style that was known as Ju-Jutsu (or Ju-Jitsu) is now called Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. An important piece of information about the Ju-Jutsu is that, like all martial arts, it was not created as a sport to be practiced for purposes different than war. Ju-Jutsu was designed to fight for your life, in deathly combats, involving corporal contact but weapons, as well. It was used by Samurais and other warriors.
But despite being a martial art designed for war, Jiu-Jitsu emerged as a martial art that differed from others because, according to the Japanese, the techniques that were linked to the philosophy of Buddhism, created based on intelligence, not just brute force. It explains why to these days BJJ and Ju-Jitsu are often called a “Gentle Art”. But it’s important to remember that there’s an important difference from the Ju-Jutsu practiced at that time for these days: traditional Japanese Ju-Jitsu also involved teaching the use of weapons.
The first registration of the word Ju-Jitsu occurred in 1532, created by Hisamori Tenenuchi, founder of the first Jiu-Jitsu school in Japan. However, at first, Jiu-jitsu was not well seen by the people, and this fighting style was not appreciated. This vision only changed after Jigoro Kano started a revolution in old Ju-Jitsu techniques, in the late 1800s. Jigoro Kano, considered the creator of Judo, was a Japanese martial art master, wise man, member of the cultural department, and Ju-Jitsu practitioner. The same way Hélio Gracie made BJJ from Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, Jigoro Kano created his own version of the martial art, which he called Judo, using fundamentals from the good old Jiu-Jitsu.
The Origin Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Another important story about this martial art is the actual origin of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The arrival of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil and its subsequent transformation into what we know today as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a fascinating story that started way back in time, in 1914. That’s when Mitsuyo Maeda arrived and settled in Belém do Pará, a beautiful city in the Northeast of Brazil. He was a Japanese Ju-Jitsu master, sometimes referred to as “Count Koma”. After traveling through some countries such as the United Kingdom, Mexico, Cuba, and France, Maeda arrived here and started doing fight demonstrations to spread his martial art and make some money as well.
At that time, there was still a lot of confusion about the name of this fighting style. Even in Japan, there were still doubts, since the term “Ju-Jutsu” or even “Kano Ju-Jutsu” was used referring only to the technical part, while the term “Judo”, coined by Jigoro Kano, referred to the philosophical part of the art. Only in 1925 Judo did become the official name of the fight by the Japanese government and started being taught in the country’s public schools. That’s why Judo is more focused on takedowns.
When Maeda arrived in Brazil, the name Judo was not yet official, so he presented his martial art as “Ju-Jutsu.” For Brazilians, it was difficult to pronounce, and in Portuguese, the art began to be called “Jiu-Jitsu”. After some time in the city, Maeda became a friend of Gastão Gracie, an influential businessman who helped him to settle in Belém. In gratitude, Maeda taught the traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu to Carlos Gracie, Gastão’s eldest son. Carlos learned from the master for a few years and then took it upon himself to teach his brothers.
The first Gracie School was founded in 1925 in Rio de Janeiro. Carlos and his brothers, at that time, still taught the traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu learned from Maeda. Hélio Gracie, the youngest of the brothers, was forbidden to train because he was “too fragile”, would just watch the training sessions. After a long time watching the classes, Hélio realized that he could adapt the techniques used until then, creating his own fighting style, based on his own physical limitations. Hélio began to modify what he observed in his brother’s teachings and was determined to efficiently execute the techniques, modifying them and adapting them to his physical structure.
One day a student arrived to train at the gym with his father, and the only brother who was present was Hélio, who was then willing to teach. In that class, he taught everything according to his Jiu-Jitsu vision, translating into the techniques important principles and lessons based on his own limitations. The student fell in love with art. When he returned to the gym he no longer wanted to train Jiu-Jitsu, but he wanted to train Hélio’s Jiu-Jitsu. From this evolution that emphasized the principles of the lever and the choice of the right moment to attack, pressure, and use of the opponent’s force, among many trials and errors, the Gracie family adapted the art, creating Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Some people still say that that class is the origin of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. To learn more about the differences between Japanese and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, check this amazing article.
Related Questions
Who came up with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? The Gracie family, especially Hélio Gracie, came up with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This martial art is super effective and was created by adapting Ju-Jutsu, the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. The goal of Hélio was to create a fighting style for the weak to beat the strong.
Why is Jiu-Jitsu popular in Brazil? Jiu-Jitsu is popular in Brazil because it was invented there, at least the version of the martial art that is popular these days, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. BJJ is an evolution from the Japanese Ju-Jutsu, and it was created in Brazil by the Gracie Family.
