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What is Kobudo?

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Kobudo is the art of handling different types of weapons. For example the Sai (used against sword attacks), the Tonfa (used by police in various countries). Most of the weapons are tools that has been used to defend property and family against armed assailants.

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Weapons of Kobudo

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Below follows a short presentation of some of the weapons used in Kobudo.

The Bo

The Bo is a six-foot stick made of hard wood, made to be used against swordsmen to disarm them while keeping your body at a safe distance. The Bo evolved from a pole lanced across the shoulders to carry water or other loads. The Bo is mainly used in katas in Budo.

The Sai

The Sai is a metal stick with two shorter sticks on each side. The Sai is believed to have been used as some sort of pitchfork, but developed into a weapon used mainly against swords since you can use the Sai to block, stab, trap, or punch. The Sai is usually used with one Sai in each hand.

The Kama

The Kama is a handle with a sharp blade attatched at the far end making it look like a pick. The Kama was originally used for cutting grass or sugar cane but came to use as deadly fighting blade. When attaching a chain at the base of the handle you get greater range and the weapon is then called Kusarigama.

The Tonfa

The Tonfa is like a baton with an "extra" handle on it, making it possible to hold the Tonfa along your forarm. The Tonfa was originally used as a rice grinder handle. The Tonfa is used to block and strike and is often used in pairs, one in each hand. Police in the United States and other countries uses the Tonfa.

The Nunchaku

The Nunchaku is two wooden sticks linked together by a chain or rope. The Nunchaku is probably the most well known weapon in the Martial Arts of them all. It was developed in the 17th century during the Japanese occupation. The original use for the Nunchaku was to threshing grain, but used as a weapon it can deliver deadly blows.

The Eku

The Eku is nothing more than a boat oar. The Eku was an outstanding weapon for keeping a samurai at a distance.

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History of Kobudo

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During the 14th century King Sho Hashi of Chuzan banned all weapons on the island of Okinawa. This more or less forced the villagers to invent weapons from the tools they had (for example the tonfa). When Japan occupied Okinawa again in 1609 all weapons were banned again. The villagers armed themselves with the weapons that they had made from ordinary farming equipment and tools and began a guerrilla-like war against the samurais. This is the first Karate-like arts of Okinawa where these new weapons are integrated into the original Karate.

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