O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido, was skillful with both sword and staff, frequently demonstrating the same movements to be effective even while empty-handed.

Characteristics of Aiki-weapons are the bigger movements used to teach hip rotation and body movement, moving off the line of attack, as well as ki extension.

Jo suburi
20 basic striking movements

Sanju ichi no jo
31-jo kata
31-jo-kata Partner practice

Ju san no jo
13-jo kata

Kumi-jo
10-jo partner practices

Ken tai Jo
7 -bokken vs. Jo partner practices

Kumi-tachi
5-bokken partner practices

Kimusubi no tachi
Blending w/ bokken (knot tying of ki)

Sugawara Sensei developed these partner practices as a way to introduce movements found in the Katori style of weapons, which are very different than Aiki-weapons. The movements are much faster and much more direct when compared to Aiki-weapons. These katas teach the basic principals of Katori weapons. There are 8 kumi-jo (bokken v. jo) and 5 jo-ai (jo v. jo) practices.

The first four katas in the kumi-jo are practiced as if wearing armor. The strikes are harder and target weak points in the armor that would be worn by a warrior swordsman. The second four (5-8) are practiced as if without armor and are softer, closer and even faster than the first four. There are five jo-ai katas, which are practiced with the same distance and speed of the 5-8 katas of the kumijo.

Learning these katas not only provides a foundation for Katori training, but is required before a student may be invited to train Katori. Learning Sugawara Sensei's kumi-jo and jo-ai also allows the instructor to gauge the character of an individual, which is the basis for admission into the advanced weapons style of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu.

Kumi-jo - 8 katas
1-4 Omote
5-8 Ura     

Jo-Ai
1-5 Omote 

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu is a 600-year-old sword style, considered to be the most distinguished of all Japanese martial traditions, and as such was designated an intangible cultural treasure by the Japanese government in April 1960.

Bodner Sensei has received the 'kyoshi', instructor's license, for this distinguished and complex art, from Tetsutaka Sugawara Sensei. Students who have gained proficiency in Sugawara Sensei's partner practices may train this weapons style.

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu is trained with the utmost seriousness and is not to be taken lightly. There are expectations of those who train Katori far and above normal expectations.

Iai-Jutsu (sword drawing)
Omote-no-Iai
Tachi-ai Batto-jutsu
Gokui-no-iai-jutsu

Tachi-Jutsu (sword fighting)
Omote-no-tachi
Gogyo-no-tachi
Gokui-shichijo-no-tachi
Ryoto
Gokui-no-kodachi

Bo-Jutsu
Omote-no-bo

Naginata-Jutsu
Omote-no-naginata

So-Jutsu
Omote-no-yari