There is nothing more basic than the Bo but Karate-ka through the years have even found controversy over the shape and length. One argument is whether the Bo was straight or tapered or even octagonal.The Bo (tenbin (Chinese name)) like so many other Okinawan weapons was for simple everyday use around the home or farm. It was used primarily to carry buckets of water or buckets of other commodities from one point to another and planting. The bo for carrying was straight and notched at the ends while the bo for planting was tapered. The diameter was solely at the discretion of the person that refined it.
The tapered end for the combat Bo came after the Bo was recognized as a useful weapon. The tapered ends had a practical value by keeping the ends of the Bo from splitting or splintering upon impact with another Bo, Sai or Tuifa. The octagonal Bo was believed to be able to withstand impact better than the round Bo due to it reinforced ridges but since it was harder to hold onto during the impact it was not practical.
The length of the Bo was based on the build of the person using it, weight and weight distribution. The bo was chose for the length that best suited the person and weight of the load. The combat Bo needed to be at least the length of the persons body.
Since the origin of mankind we have found uses for tree limbs or sticks. Shepherds used them for walking, protecting flocks and warding off animals. The Okinawans were no different in that they found ways to use what resources they had for farming and protection. In the 14th century Okinawa was divided into antonymous kingdoms and for almost 100 years there was infighting and wars among the kingdoms. The Okinawans were learning of Chinese boxing from traders and envoys, adapting and perfecting the forms and then passing the forms down through their families. In the 15th and late 16th century rulers abolished the carrying or possessing weapons to ensure they were not overthrown by the people they ruled. This led to the further development of farm tools into formidable weapons.
In the early 17th century the Satsuma Samurai Clan conquered Okinawan and declared that being caught with weapons would result in the death of the offender. This fueled the spread of "secret or hidden weapons" as a defense to robbers and samurai alike.
The sai is one of my favorite weapons of Okinawa karate. The sai can be used separately or in set of two or three. This will be explained later. The country of origin of the sai is as much of a mystery as its original use. There have been sais found in China that are alleged to be 1,000 years old as well as sais found in india.
There are three schools of thought as to the origin of the sai. The first is that the sai is a larger replica of a womans hair pin and the other is that it was a farm empliment to connect harnessed oxen to a cart. The center bar section or shaft (monouchi)would be placed through the tongue of the cart (point down) with the tines (yoju) on either side securing it into place and allowing the cart to turn. The third is that the sai was originally used as rice thresher or to move bails of bound grass or hay.
No matter which origin you argue it will not detract from the weapon itself. The sai was originally made of iron but today is made from steel and some tournament sai are of a light weight aluminum alloy. The weight will very depending on the metal used in construction. For training the heavier sai will strengthen the wrist quicker. Traditionally, the length of the sai extended just past the elbow to ensure that the entire forearm was protected when using the sai for blocking.
An Article in Black Belt Magazine stated that it is believed the weapon developed during the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644).
Basic Nominclature
Looking at the graphic above you will see the:
Handle/pommel (tsuka-gashira)
hilt (tsuka)
Tines/prongs (yoju)
Tine Tips (tsume)
center bar/shaftmonouchi
and pointed tip (saki).
If the sai is held with a loose grip but securely it allows the wielder to manuver the sai through a series of flips, jabs, punches, twist and slashes as it is used for blocking, stabbing, slashing, trapping and ripping. If you choke tightly on the sai your performance will be sluggish and it will diminish the impact of the weapon.
The tuifa or tonfa, as known in Japan, has limited but deadly potential. Like the sai there are a few schools of thought on exactly what the Tuifa was used for before becoming a weapon. The first is that the tuifa was the handle for raising and lowering the water bucket in a well. The second is that the Tuifa was slid into place as an arm of a millstone for grinding wheat and rice into flour. The handle was removable to allow damaged handles to be repaired/replaced easily and also manage who used the family well and grinder. Whether the tuifa was used for one or both really matters only as a point of history.
One thing is known, the tuifa was common enough to be accepted as a farm tool by the conquering Japanese armies. After being conquered the ownership and use of weapons was strictly forbidden on the Okinawan Islands by the Conquering invaders. The Okinawan, through necessity developed a means of using their everyday tools to serve a duel purpose. The tuifa was developed into a weapon with great results against empty hands, good results against the bo and extremely limited results against the sword.
The Okinawans became efficient in their newest are of Kobujitsu and developed many everyday tools into weapons.
The basic nomiclature of the tuifa is as follows:
