What is Kobudo
During the 17th century, the people of Okinawa were prohibited from using weapons such as knives, swords and spears by the invading government of Japan. The lack of workable metal in the Ryukyu islands added to the scarcity of weapons in Okinawa. This condition, and the need for personal protection, stimulated the development of the Okinawan martial arts: Karate and Kobudo. Most kobudo weapons were originally farm implements, ingeniously converted into effective weapons of self-defense. The nunchaku, the bo, and the tonfa are three examples. The nunchaku, constructed of two hardwood sticks secured together at one end by a braided rope, could be used either to pound soy been or to strike, block through and choke. The bo may have originally been the tenbin, a staff used to carry buckets of water on the shoulders. It’s use as a powerful striking weapon and blocking weapon with greater reach is obvious.
The tonfa, or toifa (handle), was originally a wooden handle fitted into a hole on the side of a millstone used by the Okinawans for milling grain. This handle which was easily disengaged from the millstone, became a very effective weapon of self-defense. The main part of the tonfa consists of a large hardwood body about 15 to 20 inches in length a smaller cylindrical grip secured at a right angle to the main body about six inches from one end.
The early practitioners of the Okinawan martial arts foresaw these weapons as an extension of their hand techniques, and quickly adopted these weapons into their training. Empty hand and weapons are mutually supportive practices; the knowledge of both skill can improve the student’s technique immensely.
Traditional Martial Arts Academy’s Kobudo practice is under the guidance of Master Mikio Nishiuchi and the International Okinawa Kobudo Association. Most martial arts schools that teach weapons do so with vary little to no real knowledge of the actual techniques and history. Many instructors feel that because they have earned a degree in some form of martial art, they have the knowledge and right to teach weapons. This is simply not so. Mr. Albracht has been training with Master Nishiuchi since 1993 and continues to teach and uphold the highest standards in Kobudo teaching.
Mikio Nishiuchi Shihan
