The kama (Jap. sickle, 鎌) is an edged weapon derived from the sickle, more specifically, the rice-cutting sickle of the inhabitants of the Japanese island of Okinawa. This weapon could be up to 20 inches (50 cm) in length. Most of the students with black belts in karate today train with the kama weapon. Okinawan kobudō refers to the technique of using kama along with other cold weapons like the sai (a short sword), bo (a staff), tonfa (two sticks), shuriken (star blades), and nunchaku (sticks). Some Korean and Chinese martial arts, including Manchuria Kung Fu, also use kama in their training.
In training weapons, the blade of a kama is made of wood or aluminum.
| Kama | |
|---|---|
| Type of weapon: | Slashing weapon |
| Other names: | Sickle |
| Region of origin: | Okinawa, Japan |
| Range: | Japan, medieval Europe |
| Length: | Blade: 6-12 inches (15-30 cm), Handle: 6-20 inches (15-50 cm) |
| Material: | Wood, metal |
History of the Kama Weapon
Kama originally started out as a farming tool, similar to the Harpe sword in Greek mythology.
When the Japanese feudal government took control of Okinawa at the start of the 17th century, it banned all weapons (“sword hunting“) in an effort to crush any potential uprising. However, the brutal Japanese martial arts dominance in Okinawa led to frequent uprisings by the local populace.
The inhabitants of Okinawa took the hand-to-hand fighting methods brought from the mainland and perfected them, eventually creating karate. Martial artists often modified agricultural implements to the point that they functioned as an extension of their own arms in fights.
The sharpness of a kama made it a viable alternative to a katana in a fight.
The kama was the only bladed tool for farming in Okinawa at the time, and it was made of metal. The inhabitants of Okinawa have honed the kama’s very sharp blade (“tongue”) and the pointed blade tip (“nose”) into a lethal weapon that could readily strike and kill foes while also deflecting powerful punch or kick blows.
For instance, the user of the kama could utilize the curving blade to trap the opponent’s arm or leg.
As a result of its widespread usage by poor farmers against weapons such as the katana and bo staff of the samurai warriors, the kama eventually made its way into martial arts, most notably Okinawan kobudō.
Kama Variants
The kama is most effective as a weapon when wielded in pairs. There are many different kama variants and a range of sizes.
The kusarigama (above) is a chained kama variant in which a ball is suspended from the end of the handle. This modification turned this short weapon into a ranged weapon.
The ninja would use the ball (which weighed between 5.5-13 lbs or 2.5-6 kg) to knock the samurai unconscious or otherwise weaken the samurai’s armor before killing him with the blade of the kama.
- Asayama Ichiden-ryu has a particularly large kama variant, in which it is used singly or in pairs.
- The Ashigaru (samurai-employed infantry) carried a jingama, a smaller version of the kama. The Yagyu Shingan-ryu, a traditional school (koryū) of Japanese martial arts, continues to pass on its knowledge of defeating the jingama.
- Furthermore, there is a kama variation known as rokushakugama in which the kama is fastened to a rokushakubō, or the bo staff (see: Jo Staff).
Kama in Other Martial Arts
Other Asian martial art systems make use of similar weapons, and sickles were also often utilized in medieval and contemporary European warfare. Certain schools of the traditional martial art of ninjutsu teach and employ this weapon.
Many styles of martial arts, including taekwondo, pencak silat, and even certain forms of kung fu, feature training with the kama as a weapon. It’s also a trendy and often practiced way to test one’s skill with a weapon.
Despite the significant differences between modern competitive styles and traditional Okinawan styles, many of the former continue to incorporate techniques from the latter by adding minor, precise kama techniques or utilizing sophisticated technical executions with the weapon.
Design of the Kama Weapon
The weapon features a blade that is slightly curved, with the inner sharp edge fixed at the shaft at a 90-degree angle.
Even if the kama’s blade wasn’t sharp enough to penetrate heavy armor—unlike the Lucerne hammer—it could still hook onto an adversary’s head or arm.
The blade (ha) and handle (nigiri) make up the kama weapon.
- Handle (nigiri): Constructed of wood, the kama’s handle has a diameter of approximately 1 to 1.2 inches or 2.5 to 3 cm (same as a nunchaku) and is around the length of a human forearm from the elbow to the center of the palm. The wooden handle is divided into two parts: the bottom (“soko“) held by the user’s hand, and the top (“keshira“) which is attached to the blade. The top of the handle, or keshira, is often made of iron to boost strength. When utilizing the weapon, the practitioner holds the handle by the soko in a position akin to holding a nunchaku, approximately 0.4–0.5 inches (1–2 cm) from the bottom.
- Blade (ha): Kama blades may vary in length from about a third to half the length of the handle. A longer blade makes a kama more lethal, but it also makes it harder to wield. There are three distinct sections to the blade: the pointy end (“kisaki“), the blade (“ha“), and the ridge at the top (“mine“). The L-shaped blade is firmly bonded to the handle through hammering, creating a small bend. The blade is very sharp, so it is often stored in a wooden sheath.
Fundamental Kama Moves
- Soto daisha uke (outward circle block): redirect a rainbow kick from inside to outside, often used to block high-level attacks, then use the kama to sweep the enemy’s weapon outward.
- Uchi daisha uke (inward circle block): circle the kama from outside to inside, cutting across the front of your body.
- Soto kote gaeshi (outward wrist twist): loosen the grip slightly, mainly holding it with the thumb and index finger, and use your flexible wrist to circle the kama from outside to inside and twist with the tip of the kama (rotating the wrist and forearm to change the direction of the blade).
- Uchi kote gaeshi (inward wrist twist): similar to soto kote gaeshi, but done in reverse, circling from inside to outside and delivering a decisive twist downward.
Use of the Kama Weapon
The kama is a versatile weapon that may be used for both offense and self-defense. The practitioner can use both kamas at once or just one alone. The weapon can be used for a variety of defensive and offensive maneuvers.
The Okinawan kata includes techniques for blocking, deflecting, thrusting, and cutting with the sharp blade, as well as striking with the handle and disarming an attacker’s weapon.
Some of the known kama techniques are:
- Straightforward thrusts with the kama’s tip.
- Curving strikes with the kama’s tip from the outside in.
- Circular strikes on a horizontal plane with the kama’s tip from the inside out.
- Direct strikes with the kama’s tip from a low position in a curved motion from above and from the inside out.
- Thrusting upwards and hitting the target with the sharp blade.
- Hooking and cutting at low targets.
- Thrusting straight up with the handle of the kama.
- Striking with the tips of both kamas from both sides towards the center
- Holding the kama upside down and striking with the tip from below or striking in a curving motion from the outside in.
- Thrusting the handle of the kama into a target and possibly thrusting both handles simultaneously.
The kama is now popular in most karate schools, and the technical training of the kama weapon and kobudō, in general, helps students improve their balance, coordination, physical strength, and counterattack ability. The weapon is widely used in Filipino, Indonesian, and Malaysian styles of martial arts.
Kama in Popular Culture
Kama with purposefully worn blades, used in the performance of kata, are called kata kai, or just kai.
- Tadashi Yamashita, the world’s most well-known practitioner of this weapon, is featured in the 1980 film “Octagon.”
- In the Mortal Kombat video game series, Nitara wields a weapon like this.
- In the video game, League of Legends, Akali employs this kind of weapon.
- In For Honor, Shinobi wields a pair of kama.
- In Ninjago, Wail fights with a pair of kama.
- In Destiny 2, Guardian Hunters have a static ultimate power that allows them to call forth a pair of kama.
- In the Brawlhalla video game, Jiro employs this kind of weapon.
Kama Kata
The following are examples of kama kata practiced by kobudō practitioners:
- Hamahiga no kama (Butokukai International)
- Kanegawa no kama (Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai, Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan)
- Kanegawa no kama sho (Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai)
- Kanegawa no kama dai (Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai)
- Sagami (ki) no kama
- Tozan or Toyama no kama (Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai, Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai)
- Kama no Te/Ti or Matayoshi no Kama
- Kama no Ho or Ryuei no Kama (Ryuei Ryu)
- Kishaba no Kama ichi (Yamanni-Ryu)
- Kishabe no Kama ni (Yamanni-Ryu)
- Odo no Kama ich (Ryukyu Kenpo)
- Odo no Kama ni (Ryukyu Kenpo)
- Renshuho Shodan (Gendai Goshin Kobujutsu)
- Renshuho Nidan (Gendai Goshin Kobujutsu)
- Renshuho Sandan (Gendai Goshin Kobujutsu)
Kama Weapon at a Glance
What is a kama weapon?
A kama weapon is an edged weapon derived from the sickle, or more specifically, the rice-cutting sickle, of the inhabitants of the Japanese island of Okinawa. It can be up to 20 inches (50 cm) in length and have a blade that is slightly curved, with the inner sharp edge fixed at the shaft at a 90-degree angle.
What is the history of the kama weapon?
Kama originally started out as a farming tool, and it was the only bladed tool for farming in Okinawa at the time made of metal. The Japanese feudal government banned all weapons (“sword hunting”) in Okinawa at the start of the 17th century to crush any potential uprising. As a result of its widespread usage by poor farmers against weapons such as the katana and bo staff of the samurai warriors, the kama eventually made its way into martial arts, most notably Okinawan kobudō.
What are the kama variants?
The kama is most effective as a weapon when wielded in pairs. There are many different kama variants and a range of sizes. For instance, the kusarigama is a chained kama variant in which a ball is suspended from the end of the handle. The ninja would use the ball to knock the samurai unconscious or otherwise weaken the samurai’s armor before killing him with the blade of the kama. Asayama Ichiden-ryu has a particularly large kama variant, the Ashigaru carried a miniature variant of kama known as a jingama. Rokushakugama is another kama fastened to a rokushakubō, or bo staff.
What martial arts use the kama weapon?
Many styles of martial arts, including taekwondo, pencak silat, and even certain forms of kung fu, feature training with the kama as a weapon. It’s also a trendy and often practiced way to test one’s skill with a weapon. Okinawan kobudō refers to the technique of using kama along with other weapons like the sai, bo, tonfa, shuriken, and nunchaku. Some Korean and Chinese martial arts, including Manchuria Kung Fu, also use kama in their training.
What is the design of the kama weapon?
The kama weapon features a blade that is slightly curved, with the inner sharp edge fixed at the shaft at a 90-degree angle. The blade and handle make up the kama weapon. The handle is constructed of wood, has a diameter of approximately 1 to 1.2 inches or 2.5 to 3 cm (same as a nunchaku), and is around the length of a human forearm from the elbow to the center of the palm. The wooden handle is divided into two parts: the bottom section is for gripping with the hand, and the top section is for gripping with the forearm.
References
- (PDF) Martial arts of the world: An Encyclopedia of History and innovation – Joseph Svinth and Lance Gatling – Academia.edu.
- Kama: Karate Weapon of Self-Defense, 1984, by Fumio Demura.
- Kama Weapon Art of Okinawa, 1987, by Toshishiro Obata.
