Jo Jutsu is the japanese art of fighting with the Jo (jap. 杖, walking stick). The jo is about 128 cm long and made from oak wood (white or red). Very often, Jo Jutsu is trained together with Aikido, most commonly in the form of Aiki-jō (Kanji: 合気杖 Hiragana: あいきじょう), as it has been taught by Morihei Ueshiba (founder of Aikido). The main idea is to use the Aikido principles when working with the Jo. Practice is done alone suburi (素振り:すぶり, "empty strikes") and with a partner Kumi-Jo (組杖, "encounter of sticks"). As in most other japanese martial arts, Jo Jutsu has established forms, kata, that are practiced with a partner.
The Jo is fundamentally different from the sword. It is 20-30 cm longer, it doesn't have an edge, and it can be held at either end. This leads to very different movements and offers many different possibilities compared to Ken Jutsu. In Jo Jutsu we study how to optimally use the stick. We use flowing and rotating movements with frequently changing grips. This fluent way to use the Jo creates a particular aesthetic and is very satisfying.
Jo Jutsu increases the sense of space. Your perceived space should at least include the opponent. Embracing him will help you to empathize with him and to perceive his intentions. Using the Jo rather like a whip than a sword makes Jo-Jutsu a very effective and dangerous martial art.