OKINAWA - KOBUJUTSU

In the past included the name kobujutsu all training in the traditional Martial Arts, with and without weapons, but now seeks the name only for training with traditional weapons, which often been tools for different professions. With Okinawa Kobujutsu meant by weapons from Okinawa and the other Ryukyu islands south of Japan.

Okinawa kobudo or kobujutsu should not be confused with Japanese kobudo that is different and is done with other weapons.

Most weapons in Okinawa kobujutsu originated as tools for farmers and some other professions.

The 3 main styles of Kobudo or Kobujutsu are TAIRA KOBUDO, MATAYOSHI KOBUDO and YAMANERYU KOBUDO

Kobujutsu which are mainly trained in Kaizen, is originally from karatemaster Shinken Taira (1897-1970) who went around the Ryukyu islands to meet some masters and gather the old, traditional techniques to 9 different weapons and who had survived by Kata form.

Sensei Taira was the greatest authority in due course of these weapons, which he learned from, among others, karatemasters like Mabuni Kenwa, Funakoshi Gichin, Kentsu Yabu, Yabiku Modem, Kamiya Jinsei, Motobu Choki and Ganakawa Gimu.

In the Okinawa kobujutsu who trained in Kaizen includes the following weapons / tools:

• BO
  
• SAI
  
• TONFA
  
• KAMA
  
• NUNCHAKU
  
• TEKKO
  
• TIMBE & ROCHIN
  
• EIKU

Who can enjoy of the kobudo training?

Training in karatejutsu for at least one semester, which also learn the basics of kobujutsu to then be able to continue with kobujutsu training from the second semester on the special trainings in kobujutsu according to schedule. Kobudo training are most often in conjunction with karatejutsu training.

OKINAWA KOBUDO, which is sometimes called also for Kobujutsu or Ryukyu kobudo or kobujutsu, is an important exercise for all karate-ka who want to become better in their own karate. While most of the old karatemasters in Okinawa trained kobudo there in among Funakoshi, Kanigawa, Mabuni, Moden, Shimabukuro, Higa, Inoue, Akamine, Sakagami, Kuniba, Hayashi, Nakamoto and Demura etc.

We were first in Sweden to start the regulary kobudo/Ryukyu kobujutsu training in different places mostly in middle part of Sweden like Stockholm, Örebro, Eskilstuna, Flen, Nyköping, Täby, Vallentuna and Åkersberga. The very first club we started were in Katrineholm 1978 with name Keiko.

Kobudo training is an exciting and interesting Martial Arts that increase students' coordination and balance, and improved skills in a situation where it is threatened with a knife or other weapon. We learn to judge distances to the attacker, using all sorts of everyday things as weapons and that we did not become as paralysed in the attack in arms when we trained kobudo, and know how different weapons work and how they can be used against us. It also strengthens the wrist and muscles in our arms and gain a better self-esteem with the newly acquired knowledge.

In Kaizen is kobudo an important part of karate training. Therefore, all karate-ka have to know some kobudo to the higher karate grades at the grading tests.

We teach kobudo/kobujutsu basically in Vallentuna and Åkersberga, but can also come to other clubs in Stockholm, Danderyd, Täby, Upplands Väsby, Sollentuna, Vaxholm and other places in Sweden or also outside of Sweden for kobudo training.

The club owns no weapons, but students must purchase their own weapons preferably by the club. The first weapon you always start with is the long stuf called to bo. Bo is a basic weapon that comes with all the time, parallet with the other weapons and is often used against those other weapons in training. After a while you will also start your training with sai and tonfa, and there are kihon (basic), Kata and kumite to all these weapons.

OKINAWA KOBUJUTSU KATA IN KAIZEN ADACEMY:

BO-jutsu:

Shuji no Sho Shuji no Dai
Shuji no Kon Koshiki (old style)
Sakugawa no Sho
Sakugawa no Dai
Sakugawa no Chu
Soeishi no Sho
Soeishi no Dai
Sueyoshi
Kongo
Tokumine no Kon 5
Kumi bo 3
Ufukushiku no Kon 2

SAI-jutsu:

Tsukenshitahaku
Hamahiga no Sai
Chatanyara no Sai
Tawata
Mangi (Jigen)

TONFA-jutsu:

Hamahiga no Tonfa
Yaraguwa
Tokuyama no Tonfa 3

NUNCHAKU-jutsu:

Sho
Akamine no Nunchaku 1
Maezato no nunchaku 3

KAMA-jutsu:

Tozan
Kanigawa no Dai

TEKKO-jutsu:

Maezato

TIMBE & ROCHIN-jutsu:

Kanigawa no Sho

EIKU-jutsu

Tsukensunakake
Go Eiku no Eiku 3

Taira: Ryukyu kobujutsu/Inoue
1/Taira: Ryukyu kobudo/Akamine
2/Yamaneryu kobudo: Oshiro Chotoku/Nakamoto
3/Matayoshi kobudo: Hokama
4/Taira: Ryukyu kobudo/Nakamoto
5/Other