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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
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