OKINAWAN KOBUDO TOOLS The bladed weapon, the KAMA was a genuine farmer's tool. It was used as a weapon in many villages for centuries. This weapon brings to the practitioner the feel of steel and the hint of fear a live blade gives. The techniques for the kama include any number of multiple slashing, hooking, thrusting and blocking maneuvers, executed with two kama, or Nichokama. The corner of the blade to the shaft should have a groove cut into it for catching the Bo and other weapons without the blade digging into and getting stuck into the attacking weapon. BO - 6’ hard wood staff. The Bo is one of the oldest martial weapons, and to many the most versatile. The rokushakubo, or bo for short, has been a part of most nation's cultures because it's essentially a stick or staff. The rokushakubo of Okinawa may have been introduced from China but the tapered version - called a kon - is indigenous to the islands. The tapered staff is about 1.8 meters (6 ft) in length, with the ends tapering considerably. The end of the kon, because of its reduced circumference, has greater penetrating power than the rokushakubo and it is not as easy to ensnare with chain weapons. Rokushakubo and kon techniques were not designed or developed for the warrior class but for the farmers and fishermen who needed protection from footpads (thieves) and brigands. The rokushakubo of the samurai is totally different in both technique and application. The Okinawan kon and rokushakubo rely on thrusting, swinging and striking techniques that stem from empty-hand styles of okinawate. Attacks are often avoided by agile footwork and returning strikes made at the enemy's weak points. The Bo is the main stay of RyuKyu Kobudo having more kata than any other weapon. The Bo or Roku Shaku Bo as it is more precisely known (a shaku is a unit of measurement almost a foot long), is the predominant kind of Bo used and attracts the most interest by practitioners. NUNCHAKU, The most controversial of the weapons of the Ryukyu but in essence the least properly explored. Made preferably of red or white oak, or a heavy wood, the sections are tapered from the chord end (2.5cm) to the predominant strike end (3.3cm). The shafts vary from octagonal to round in shape and the weight is dependent on the strength of the user. Again too light and there is no power, and too heavy and the movement is slow and ponderous. Traditionally this weapon is not used in pairs, as the actions of the one should be sufficient. Nunchaku belongs to the family of Bo and is known as the “portable Bo”. There are several possible theories regarding the origin of nunchaku. One is that it may have derived from an instrument used for crushing beans. A second theory is that it was adapted from the instrument carried by the village night watch, which is made of two blocks of wood joined by cord. The night watch would hit the blocks of wood together to attract people's attention and then warn them about fires and protect their property. It is probable that heavy-duty weapons were made and hung with other similar farming instruments, so that they were not detected. The nunchaku may or may not have been joined by a chain, but it is unlikely as the Ryukyu Islands had no source of iron ore and most metals were imported. Cord was the most likely way in which they were secured together.
Kobudo: Ancient Okinawan Tools
History has it that the art of ancient Okinawan weapons, also known as kobudo, developed from the belief that, once upon a time, the Okinawan samurai were stripped of their weapons. Any penetrating review of Okinawan weapons history is a mixture of hyperbole and fact. 
Most modern martial arts students have been taught that Okinawan kobudo developed as a result of the Okinawan samurai being stripped of their weapons at two different points in their history. But a review of these incidents shows that our current view of the roots of Okinawan kobudo might be based on misconceptions. The first time that the Okinawan samurai's weapons were supposedly confiscated was during the reign of King Shoshin (1477 - 1526). While it is documented that King Shoshin ordered his provincial lords, or aji, to live near his castle in Shuri, many historians no longer believe that he totally disarmed his ruling class. A famous stone monument, the Momo Urasoe Ran Kan No Mei, which is inscribed with the highlights of King Shoshin's reign, talks about the King seizing the aji's swords, and how he amassed a supply of weapons in a warehouse near Shuri castle. But some Okinawan historians now interpret that King Shoshin was actually building an armory to protect his ports and prepare for any potential invasion by wako, or pirates, not that he was stripping the Okinawan samurai or the general population of their weaponry. 
The second time that the Okinawan samurai were purportedly disarmed was after the Satsuma invasion of 1609. But documents have been recovered that state that the Satsuma outlawed the ownership and sale of firearms, all the Okinawan samurai of the Pechin class and above were allowed to keep those muskets and pistols that were already in their family's possession. 
There is further documentation that in 1613 the Satsuma issued permits for the Okinawan samurai to travel with their personal swords (tachi and wakizashi) to the smiths and polishers in Kagushima, Japan for maintenance and repair. From the issuance of these permits, it is logical to infer that there were restrictions on the Okinawan samurai carrying their weapons in public, but it is also clear evidence that these weapons were not confiscated by the Satsuma.
 Based on this misconception that the Okinawan samurai were stripped of their weapons by the Satsuma most modern martial arts students are taught that Okinawan kobudo developed because the Okinawans turned to farm implements for their self-defense and training. When we consider the sai specifically we can see that the plausibility of this common myth is significantly strained 

... OKINAWAN KOBUDO TOOLS

The SAI has become, to many, the virtual symbol of Okinawan Kobudo. The sai is metal and of the truncheon class with its length dependent upon the forearm of the user. When held it should be about 3cm longer than the forearm and generally Sai are used in pairs.

Advanced Sai uses 3, with one held in the belt behind ready for, and used for throwing. The tang is of the Korean classification and the pommel is variant to round, square or multi angled types much dependant on the emphasis of the makers usage.

The efficient use of the weapon is much reliant on the dexterity of the practitioner with his thumbs, which the tang is balanced and rotated on along with the loosening and tightening of the grip from the small finger for striking and consolidating power. The early use of the weapon makes the user appear stiff and robotic but as the training advances the flow and unity with body movement becomes ever more apparent. Sai is the practice of 'Shuto' in empty hand and emphasizes the need for 'Koshi no Chikara' (Hip power) and 'Suri Ashi' (sliding movement). The importance of body movement and good footwork is ever more apparent as the weapon is of a smaller classification than Bo.


There is in principal only one kind of TUIFA, also known as the Tonfa, although the shaft varies in shape from round to rectangular. History has also shown the butt ends to be pointed but this is extremely rare. There are only a few so called traditional kata for the tuifa, although many more basic, or training, kata have been developed in more recent times.

The weapon is used in pairs and is of wood, again red oak or white oak preferably in keeping with the Bo. The length of the weapon is also the same requirements as the Sai, about three centimeters past the elbow when gripped. The weight like the Bo is paramount to the efficient usage of the weapon. Too light and it lacks power in Kumite, too heavy and the techniques lack speed and become ponderous.

Good body movement like the Sai can make this weapon formidable, combining the speed it needs and generates along with the skillful footwork for evasion and attack. Although there are stories of rice millstone grinding implements and horses bridles etc. as being the origins of this weapon, these are merely coincidental. The weapons origins can clearly be traced back to China and be found in Indonesia and surrounding geographical locations. While the weapon may have been introduced into Okinawa via China (or elsewhere in southern Asia), it still does not rule out its use as a mill handle. It may have been "back adapted", by the enterprising Okinawans, in order to keep its use secret
 

Master Sensei Eihachi Ota, Hanshi is a world famous Okinawan kobudo practitioner and instructor.

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