Throughout history, countless weapons have been developed to provide an advantage in combat. At the same time, martial artists have refined the use of the body's own natural weapons—the head, torso, arms, and legs—transforming them into highly effective tools for both attack and defense.

In Japan, empty-hand combat evolved into a sophisticated martial science capable of confronting armed and unarmed opponents alike. Through the careful study of angles, leverage, off-balancing, striking, and joint manipulation, practitioners developed methods that could neutralize even an adversary armed with deadly weapons. The result was a system in which skill, timing, and precision often outweighed the advantage of superior weaponry.

Torite ("the grabbing hand") is the branch of Ju Jutsu devoted to controlling, capturing, and restraining an opponent. It was employed by Japanese law enforcement for centuries and remained an important part of police training through the Second World War. Rather than relying on brute force, Torite emphasizes immediately disrupting an attacker's ability to resist through efficient control techniques, using both empty-hand methods and specialized weapons. It also incorporates Hojo-Jutsu, the traditional art of restraining prisoners with rope, along with techniques using cords and restraining implements to secure a suspect for transport.

In this first instructional volume, Shidoshi Jordan Augusto presents the foundations of Torite, including empty-hand techniques against unarmed attacks, defenses against the katana, wakizashi, and tanto, and the use of traditional implements such as the hishigi, jutte, kusari-fundo, and a variety of sticks. The program also covers movement and positioning, striking methods, and the essential principles of Hojo-Jutsu and Shibaru, providing a comprehensive introduction to one of Japan's most practical and historically significant martial traditions.