|  |
KOBUDO
When
hands and feet are not enough
Weapons have been a
factor in solving conflicts between men and nations ever
since one of our primitive ancestors first reached out
and picked up a rock, or a stick, with which to strike
down his opponent, in some long forgotten argument.
Today around the
world martial artist from a wide range of styles study
and practice weapons based art form known as Kobu-do, or
the "ancient martial way".
The weapons most
commonly associated with kobudo and familiar to most
practitioners are the sai, bo, jo, kama, tonfa, nunchaku,
eku and tekko.
Each of these
weapons has in turn associated with it, one or more
katas, some of which have been handed down from master to
student for more than 200 years.
The following is a
brief summary of some of the terminology associated with
each of these weapons.
Sai
The sai while
normally associated with the island Okinawa, is thought
to be of Chinese origin, and it is one of the few weapons
that did not evolved from something else. Popular with
many martial artists today the sai is most often used in
pairs, and therefore requires a student to be equally
proficient with both their left and their right hand.
At a time when
citizens of Okinawa were banned from possessing weapons,
the sai was easy to conceal, plus, it's metal
construction made it an excellent defensive weapon
against the Japanese samurai sword, or a long range
weapon such as the bo.
The sai is
comprised of seven main parts, they are as follows :
1. tsukagashira
- the butt end of the handle
2. tsuka - the actual handle grip
3. moto - the
actual center point between the two side guards
4. yoko - the two
side guards
5. tsume - the tip
of each side guard
6. monouchi - the
blade of the sai
7. saki - the
very tip of the sai blade
The modern sai
while made of lighter metals, has in reality changed very
little from it's original design and is considered a
difficult weapon to truly master.
The sai katas
taught today include Chatan Yara no Sai Sho, Chatan Yara
no Sai Dai, Tawada no Sai, Chikin Shitahaku no Sai, Yaka
no Sai, Hama Higa no Sai, just to name a few.
Bo
The
bo is traditionally a wooden staff approximately 6 feet
in length, usually made of a hardwood with a diameter
ranging from one to two inches depending on the hand size
of the practioner. The bo its self can be either straight
from tip to tip or it may be tapered, a style that is
popular with many tournament competitors since this type
of bo tends to be very light allowing for quick hand
movements and ease of twirling, always a crowd favourite.
It should be noted, however, that for training in the
dojo and for striking and blocking practice, a heavier
sturdier bo is best as it will take the impact of a
strike and it will also help the student to develop
stronger wrists and shoulders.
A
bo when held horizontally is held with both hands in such
a manner so as to have approximately one third of its
length between the students grip and one third of its
length on either side of the grip. When held with the bo
tip facing an opponent one hand should be on your hip
with the palm facing inward while the other the lead hand
will be facing upward thus allowing the wrist to twist
when thrusting forward, this is similar to the motion
made when punching. When striking downwards with the bo
it is important to remember that the pulling hand, or
rear hand, generates all the power while the leading, or
forward hand, is used primarily for guidance.
The
bo is
comprised of three main parts, they are as follows :
1. moto - the center or the
balance point of the bo
2. & 3. saki - the very tip at either
end of the bo
It
is important to remember when selecting a bo to examine
the weapon carefully and to choose a bo that is not
curved or bent out of shape, as this will hinder the
quality of your training. As weapon it affords a greater
range than most others and is often countered when
demonstrating bunkai by either the sai, jo, tonfa, or kama.
The bo kata taught
today include Shushi no Kon Sho, Shushi no Kon Dai,
Chatan Yara no Kon, Sakagawa no Kon Sho, Chikin Sunakake
no Kon, just to name a few.
Kama
The
kama as a weapon derived from the hand held sickles that
were traditionally used in the harvest of rice. The
handle of the kama will be approximately the same length
as your forearm at one end of which you will find a
crescent shaped blade. Like the sai the kama is most
often used in pairs and it is truly deadly weapon in the
hands of skilled practioner.
The
kama is
comprised of seven main parts, they are as follows :
1. soko - the
butt end of the handle
2. moto - the
center of the handle
3. monouchi - the
blade of the kama
4. saki - the
very tip of the kama blade
5. kagashira - the
top end of the handle protruding above the blade
6. kashira - the
head of the handle
7. himo - the
rope at the base of the kama
Used
to cut from side to side, from underneath, or from above,
the kama is a versatile weapon and since it's handle is
most often made of wood this makes it a much lighter
weapon than a sai.
There are very few
surviving kama kata those taught today include Kanegawa
Nichi no Kama and Toyama Nichi no Kama.
Tonfa
The
tonfa while an ancient weapon, has been the popular
weapon of choice for many law enforcement agencies both
in Asia and in North America for many years due to it's
versatility. With no sharp edges the tonfa can do double
duty for striking and blocking without the fear of
cutting and is effective against both long and short
range weapons. The main body of the tonfa can be either
square or round but the handle must be round in order to
facilitate ease of spinning and proper rotation in order
to develop proper techniques.
The
tonfa is
comprised of eight main parts, they are as follows :
1. gedan
tsukagashira - the forward end of the
tonfa above the grip
2. tsuka - the
handle grip
3. tsukagashira - the
round top of the grip
4. tasui - the
underside of the tonfa
5. yoko nage - the
upper side of the tonfa
6. sokumen - the
side of the tonfa
7. ushiro
tsukagashira - the butt end of the
tonfa
8. monouchi - the
main body of the tonfa
In the hands of an
expert the many ways in which the tonfa can be utilized
seem almost endless.
Two of the most
popular tonfa katas practiced today are Hama Higa no
Tonfa and Matsu Higa no Tonfa.
Nunchaku
A
weapon constructed of two equal lengths of wood and
connected together by a short length of rope or chain the
nunchaku can be whipped or twirled in a manner that can
generate great speed and powerful blows. Lacking any
sharp edges for cutting, or sharp points for stabbing,
the nunchaku like the tonfa is used primarily to pound
ones opponent into submission. Either held in one hand or
two the nunchaku is effective as an offensive or
defensive weapon.
The
nunchaku is
comprised of seven main parts, they are as follows :
1. himo - the
connecting rope or chain
2. gedan
tsukagashira - the end of the handle
nearest the rope or chain
3. ana - the
opening through which the rope or chain is threaded
4. jokon bu - upper
area of the handle
5. moto - the
center of the handle
6. kikon bu - lower
area of the handle
7. ushiro
tsukagashira - the end of the handle
furthest from the rope or chain
A
true product of Okinawa the nunchaku was easily
dismantled and hidden or disguised as something else at a
time when weapons were forbidden by the Japanese military.
Two
examples of nunchaku katas practiced today are Maezato no
Nunchaku and Akamine no Nunchaku.
Ekku
The
ekku is in effect an oar. Used by Okinawan fisherman the
ekku is shorter in length than a bo and usually made of
hardwood and it is used in a similar manner to a bo.
Unlike a bo, however, this weapon is not griped in
thirds, but instead is held with one hand just back of
the blade, and the other hand comfortably towards the
rear. Because more of it's overall weight is located at
one end it is a much more difficult weapon to use than a
bo. In addition to having a broader surface than a bo,
which can be used to scoop material towards an opponents
eyes, it also has the added benefit or having two edges
for striking.
The
ekku is
comprised of five main parts, they are as follows :
1. ushiro
tsukagashira
- the butt end of the oar
2. saki - the tip of the oar
blade
3. moto - the center of the oar
4. yoko - the side of the oar
blade
5. monouchi - the blade its self
Today it is
probably safe to say that most North American kobudo
students have never even seen an Okinawan ekku up close
let alone ever practiced a kata with one. It is not
surprising then that the ekku kata, Chikin Sunakake no
Ekku, or as it is sometimes referred to Tsuken Sunakake,
is most always performed using a bo when practiced today
outside of Okinawa.
So choose your
weapon, practice your basics, and then learn a kata from
an experienced and knowledgeable kobudo sensei, train
well and always stay true to the kata, for it has come to
you over many thousands of miles, and down through
countless hands, and the kata you are endeavouring to
learn therefore deserves your respect, and should not be
undertaken lightly.
Tekko
Originally the
tekko were made from two metal horseshoes. Easy to
conceal they could be carried hidden inside a persons
clothing or carried openly since horseshoes were a common
item and above suspision. Held by the center of the
"U" shape with two ends facing outward they
could be used to either block or strike.
In the Ryukyu
Kobudo Tesshinkan the tekko
is used in the performance of the kata, Maezato no tekko.
This kata was created by the late master Taira Shinken
and named by him to honour of his original family name
which was Maezato. This kata is said to have been
influenced by the pattern, or embusen, found in possibly
one of two Shotokan katas still prcticed today, they are
Jion and Ji'in. Of the two the pattern is Ji'in is the
most strikingly similar of the two in many respects.
My
thanks to Lee at http://www.bloodrunner.co.uk for
providing some of the drawings used on this page.
Remember
To
learn is a privilege, to pass on what
you
have learnt is your responsibility.
- Part
the clouds - see the way.
-
- "The
objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution
- of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
|
