Kobudo (Japan) is the collective name for the more modern (after circa 1900) forms of the classical Japanese martial art from the island of Okinawa . Contrary to popular belief, the weapons used in Kobudo are not derived from farm tools. Farmers did not have the time or energy to delve into the use of tools for martial arts. Furthermore, a civilian with these kinds of tools would not be able to do much against a trained professional fighter with real weapons. Kobudo was formed by well-considered techniques that occurred within the Aji (the nobility) and with techniques that were adopted from various Chinese Martial arts.
Weapons in Kobudo:
- Bo: 183 cm long stick
- Sai: small trident with the middle 'prong' significantly longer than the other two
- Nunchaku: two (wooden) sticks connected by a chain
- Kama: wooden weapon in the shape of a scythe
- Tonfa: 45 cm long stick with a short handle at right angles to it
- Katana: sword
- Handbo: wooden stick about the same length as the katana but without the sword shape
- Tambo: 45 cm long stick (short bo)
