Jujutsu Weapons - Weapons of Martial Japan

The image to the right isn't strictly a Japanese jujutsu weapon.

Japanese weapon arts are often mistaken or mixed with Okinawan arts but the two are quite distinct and evolved different theories although both borrowed from each other throughout the years.

Okinawan weapons that are often mistaken for Japanese are the:

• nunchaku
• sai swords
• kama
• tonfa

Although these come under the label Okinawan Kobudo, many modern day dojo's train their use as part of a jujutsu curriculum.

Traditionally Japanese weapons include:

• Naginata


• Rokushaku Bo


• Hanbo


• Tanbo


• Shinken/Katana/Sword


• Shuriken

This is a 6 foot staff most often made of Japanese white oak. Some variations of the bo are tapered at one or both ends and have extra metal plating or small studs added for increasing the damage done to opponents.

Bo techniques often contain circular movements and using pivot points to leverage the bo for powerful impacts. Bojutsu is the term used for the art of wielding the bo staff and literally translated means "bo technique".

Okinawan bo is most often practiced holding the bo at thirds but a number of Japanese ryu will hold the bo at the ends or half-way point using the centre point of the staff as a pivot to swing the bo with greater force and speed.

The Japanese sword is legendary fgor its craftmanship as well as its use by the samurai of Japan. The sword arts of Japan are a group in themselevs with hundreds of schools and various branches.

Kenjutsu is the "technique of the sword" and teaches the use of the sword against an opponent. It predates the martial art of kendo which is a more modern interpratation of the classical art.

People training with the Japanese sword will first start with a bokuto, which is a solid wooden sword. Although many consider this 'only' a training weapon it is indeed a weapon in its own right. As anyone who's been hit with a bokuto will testify!

After a period training with a bokuto the student will progress onto a blunt iai and later a live blade.

Japanese sword arts include a huge variety of sub-arts including:

• Iaijutsu - Drawing and cutting techniques and the precursor to Iaido.
• Battojutsu - The art of drawing the sword with emphasis placed on drawing faster than the opponent. Could be considered the equivalent of gun duals in the Wild West.
• Kendo - A modern competition form of kenjutsu using shinai (bamboo swords) and body armour.

The naginata can most closely be compared to the European glave. The naginata consists of a large staff with a curved blade at the end. It was popular among the samurai class and warrior priests of Japan but is now most popular amongst women.

Naginata were often used on the battlefield to clear large areas and are very effective at the task due to the long reach of the staff and large cutting area. Although the naginata has greater leverage and can be used to keep opponents at bay it has a speed disadvantage when compared to smaller weapons like the katana.