Kobudo

Bo

The Bo is a six-foot staff, and may be tapered at either end.

It was developed from a farming tool called a tenbin: a stick placed across the shoulders with baskets or sacks hanging from either end.

The Bo, along with shorter variations such as the Jo and Hanbo could also have been developed from walking sticks used by travellers, especially monks.

The Bo is considered the 'king' of the Okinawan weapons, as all others exploit its weaknesses in fighting it, whereas when it is fighting them it is using its strengths against them.

The Bo is the earliest of all Okinawan weapons (and effectively one of the earliest of all weapons in the form of a basic staff), and is traditionally made from Red Oak or White Oak.

Nunchaku

A Nunchaku is two sections of wood (or metal in modern incarnations) connected by a cord or chain.

There is much controversy over its origins, some say it was originally a Chinese weapon, others say it evolved from a threshing flail.
One theory purports that it was developed from a horse's bit.

Chinese Nunchaku tend to be round, whereas Japanese Nunchaku are octagonal, and they were originally linked by horse hair.

There are many variations on the Nunchaku, ranging from the three-sectional staff (San-setsu-kon Nunchaku), to smaller multi-section Nunchaku.

The Nunchaku was popularized by Bruce Lee in a number of films, made in both Hollywood and Hong Kong.

Sai

Sai - Metal three pronged truncheon somewhat like a small pitchfork

According to legend the Sai is a Okinawan weapon. The sai was a simple farm instrument which the peasants turned to their advantage once they were forbidden to carry any arms.

Usually the Sais are used in pairs. A third sai was hidden in the Obi (belt) and was used to replace one Sai that was thrown at the charging enemy.

If the throw was successful, the fight could be over all at once. If not, the distraction could be just enough to get close enough to stab with the Sai or to counter an attack and to win the battle.

Today the Sai is blunted and rounded at the edges and in no longer used as a weapon for mortal combat.

Its use requires rigid training to manipulate it in movements that parallel those of karate. , The Sai is used to develop poise, posture and dignity, essential to the martial arts.

The Sai is a variation on a tool used to create furrows in the ground, it appears similar to a short sword, but is not bladed and the end is traditionally blunt. The two shorter prongs on either side of the main shaft are used for trapping other weapons such as swords or Bo. The Sai originally reached Japan in the form of the Jitte or Jutte, which has only a single prong. Both are truncheon-like weapons, used for striking and bludgeoning.

There are many other variations on the Sai with varying prongs for trapping and blocking, and the Monouchi, or shaft, can be round or octagonal.

Tonfa

Tonfa - Side handled wooden baton.

The Tonfa is more readily recognised as the police nightstick.

It supposedly originated as the handle of a millstone used for grinding grain.

The Tonfa is traditionally made from Red Oak, and can be gripped by the short perpendicular handle or by the longer main shaft.

As with all Okinawan weapons, many of the forms are extensions of 'empty hand' techniques, adapted for weapons combat.

Kama

Kama - A pair of straight sickles with curved metal blades attached to wooden handles.

The kama:

It is the traditional farming sickle, and considered the hardest to learn due to the inherent danger in practising with such a weapon.

The point at which the blade and handle join in the traditional model normally has a nook with which a Bo can be trapped, although this join proved to be a weak point in the design, and modern day examples tend to have a shorter handle with a blade that begins following the line of the handle and then bends, though to a lesser degree than the difference in orientation of the traditional model.

This form of the Kama is known as the Natagama

Bokken

The Katana is the traditional Japanese curved sword.