Chigiriki (契木) is a kind of martial arts weapon characterized by a hardwood stick (oak, for example) with an iron chain and weight attached to its tip. Chigiriki-jutsu refers to the subset of Japanese budo (“martial way”) utilizing this weapon. In chigirikis, there are chains that are simply attached to the end of the stick, and other chains are housed in a cavity within the stick. In this version, the chain swings out, and the weapon works like a flail. This design is also known as a swinging cane. Weights can be used to strike an opponent or wrapped around an object to block motion.
What is Chigiriki?
An Edo period (1603–1867) long chigiriki with a long chain.
The chigiriki is one of the brandishing-stick (furi-zue) weapons in martial arts that has chained sticks. Also known as a shinobi-zue weapon, this cane is designed for stealth (shinobi means “ninja” in Chinese). You can use them as a blow gun, a breathing tube, or to conceal other weapons like shuriken.
The chigiriki was a weapon used in feudal Japan (1185–1603). It was similar to a jitte with a chain attached to a metal or wooden ball or weight. At one time, there was little distinction between police officers and ninjas, and both groups employed the chigiriki.
The weapon is also known as the “Japanese flail.”
In all likelihood, the chigiriki was designed to take the place of either the sai or the jitte. Because of their limited effectiveness, these weapons were often used in pairs. Even if the opponent’s weapon became stuck in the chigiriki’s chains (“claws”), combat could still go on because the chain was so flexible.
The Size of a Chigiriki
A chigiriki’s size changes depending on its user. This weapon typically measures about 2 feet (60 cm) in length, but it can also reach 4 feet (120 cm).
When it is 4 feet (4 shaku) in length, the weapon stands nearly chest-high. Hence the moniker, “Chikiriki,” which means something like “chest-cutting wood.”
When the weapon has a wooden handle that’s around 2 ft (60 cm) long, the metal chain is also 2–2.3 ft (60–70 cm) in length, and there is a spiked ball at the end of the chain.
Chigiriki was historically a typical weapon for fighting in rural communities alongside regular staff. This can be understood by the Japanese idiomatic expression “a chigiriki at the end of a fight.”
The chain can also be whatever length the user likes. Some are as long as the user’s forearm.
Origin of the Chigiriki Weapon
A water vendor with a carrying pole by Harunobu Suzuki.
However, before the use of chigiriki as a fighting weapon, it was actually used for much more subtle purposes. In everyday life, the chigiriki with a chain weight attached was used to measure the weight of a carrying pole worn on the shoulder while transporting heavy objects. It was also used as a weighing scale to measure the weight of goods.
At some point, the tool was adapted for use in martial arts. This was probably a result of the lack of weapons available to the locals at the time. In cases of civil war, the Japanese people often improvised their daily tools into weapons.
This is actually the origin of many Japanese martial art weapons, which initially began as tools for everyday life, such as the bo staff or the tonfa.
Its Past is Murky
An Edo period (1603–1867) long chigiriki with a long chain.
The chigiriki is a weapon used in a specific style of martial arts, although its roots in history are not certainly known. However, there is evidence to suggest that the weapon was first used in China around the 8th century.
The Heian period (794-1185) in Japan is when it was first recorded. The term “chigiriki-jutsu” was first used to describe its application in the 16th century.
Similar to the kusarigama (a chained kama weapon), this flail weapon never developed into its own separate school but rather became integrated into broader forms of martial arts. Its length varied depending on the practitioner, just like the jo staff.
In Combat
The use of chigiriki in battle allows for the following:
Attacking or entangling an opponent (even from a distance of 10 ft, 3 m).
Parrying blows.
Capture or immobilize the opponent’s weapon.
When this weapon struck the target, it could kill or deafen the person.
The Chigiriki 契木 or “Japanese Flail” by Sengoku Studies戦国研究, YouTube.
What Does Chigiriki Mean?
Even though the word “chigiriki” is Japanese, its exact meaning is obscure today. The term may be a combination of two different Japanese words or have some other meaning in Japanese culture. Its literal meaning was probably lost at some point in history, suggesting that it was a tool of ancient times.
A Typical Chigiriki in Kiraku-ryu
Rod length
5 shaku 7 sun 2 bu
5’7.7″ (1.72 m)
Chain length
2 shaku 5 sun 4 bu
2’5.9″ (76 cm)
Thickness
1.3 bu
1.57″ (4 cm)
Overall weight
360 monme
3 lb (1.35 kg)
Schools of the Chigiriki Weapon
Numerous schools adopted the chigiriki weapon, including Araki-ryu, Kiraku-ryu, Sasako-ryu, Mubyoshi-ryu, Hatada-ryu, Tsutsumi Hōzan-ryu, Kagami Shinmeichi-ryu, Toda-ryu, and Hatsumi Kenrikata Ichi-ryu, to name a few. The weapon seems to have been especially common in the Nen-ryu and Chujo-ryu schools.
Araki-ryu (荒木流) koryu (古流) (ko – old, ryu – school) is an ancient martial art developed in the early 1570s by Araki Mujinsai Minamoto. Chigiriki-jutsu contains most of the techniques often used with this weapon.
The tonfa, originating in China or Indonesia, is a versatile martial arts weapon.
Modern police forces in the US and Europe use tonfa batons for crowd control.
Originally adapted from millstone handles, tonfas are balanced for striking efficiency.
It is part of Okinawan kobudo and its origins in agricultural tools reflect Okinawan resourcefulness in self-defense.
The tonfa is a striking, cold weapon used in martial arts and by the police. It is typically made of wood for martial arts but may also be made of polymer to be used by the police. The tonfa weapon is a 20- to 24-inch (50–60 cm) long stick or truncheon with a handle (tsuka) that is perpendicular to the shaft (yoka). The vertical handle is attached to the shaft around the quarter mark of its length. This ancient martial arts weapon is also body armor in the way it covers the forearm.
Tonfa
Type:
Blunt object, farm weapon
Origin:
Chinese, Ryukyuan, or Indonesian
Utilization:
Mostly civilian, seldom military
Length:
20 to 24 inches (50 to 60 cm)
Weight:
1 to 2.2 lb (0.45 to 1 kg).
This weapon is known as a Tonfa (トンファー), Tuifa (トゥイファー), or Tunkuwa (トンクワァ) in Okinawan Kobudo.
Origin of the Tonfa Weapon
Although there is some debate among experts, most assume that tonfa originated in either China or Indonesia. A hooked sword dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties is credited by certain Chinese authors as the inspiration for this weapon.
Jwing-Ming Yang claims it is only an iteration of a crutch (it is called Kuai, 枴 or 拐, in Chinese which means hanger, crutch, or walking stick).
But two of the most prominent hypotheses propose that the tonfa weapon was either adapted from a Chinese martial technique called sai that was taken to the Ryukyu Islands (“Southwest Islands”) and shrunk into a new weapon or that it was developed from a millstone.
But in the eyes of the Chinese, the origin of the tonfa can also be traced to the crutch. Both of these theories base themselves on a ban on weapons in Okinawa instituted by Shō Hashi (d. 1439) after the island’s civil war inspired the construction of this weapon.
Daoist immortal Li Tieguai with a cane or crutch under a Pine, Ming dynasty, 1499.
However, it is speculated that these limitations encouraged people to resort to the unusual use of agricultural equipment as weapons. And it is more frequently claimed that the wooden handle of a millstone, a well-liked agricultural tool, served as inspiration for the tonfa.
Numerous variants, tonfa-inspired weapons, and characters that wield tonfas can be found in works of fiction like manga and anime today.
How Do You Use the Tonfa Weapon?
In a tonfa, a small vertical handle is affixed to one end of the about 18 to 20 in (45–50 cm) long pole to serve as a grip. These weapons often come in pairs and are held individually. Each weapon weighed from 1 to 2.2 lb (450 to 1 kg).
This weapon’s delicacy lies in the way it balances flexibility with strength, allowing its user to gauge the force of both incoming and outgoing blows. Pairing two tonfas together has proven to be the most effective way to use them. The weapon calls for excellent hand-eye coordination and a steady center of gravity.
Cover your arms and elbows while holding the grip portion (honte-mochi style), block the strikes like in karate, stand your ground, thrust forward, or utilize your free hand or kick.
If you turn the long end of the shaft toward your adversary, you can also use this weapon like a club (gyakute style).
Half-rotating the weapon by turning the wrist allows for rapid switching, and you can also strike your opponent by using the momentum of this rotation.
Furthermore, the grip can also be turned towards the opponent and used in a kamajutsu fashion by handling the shaft (tokushu-mochi style). It’s an attacking and defensive weapon designed specifically for use against sword-wielding foes.
To stop a fleeing person, the “baton throwing” method teaches students to hurl the tonfa in a boomerang fashion toward their legs. This method is highlighted in the 1982 drama series “T. J. Hooker.” Karate was especially responsible for spreading this weapon across the American martial arts community.
History of the Tonfa Weapon
Tonfa (also known as tuifa or tongwa in martial arts) has a long and storied history in Japan, but its modern development is inextricably tied to Okinawa Island, located south of the Japanese main islands.
Tonfa is also one of the Eighteen Arms of Wushu and is widely practiced in southern China and Southeast Asia. This weapon has become well-known outside of Japan because of its innovative design, unconventional method of usage, and exceptional effectiveness in close combat.
King Shō Hashi united the three Okinawan kingdoms under the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1409 and banned peasants and other residents from owning or using weapons out of fear of an uprising. After two centuries, in 1609, the regime once again took the weapons away from the people.
It’s Time to be Imaginative
The ban forced the locals to develop a system of warfare that would enable them to defend themselves against intruders using only their bare hands. Okinawa-te (“Okinawan hand”) was born in this way, and it is the progenitor of karate (kara-te, “empty hand”).
Farmers, however, were also resourceful enough to repurpose common agricultural implements into lethal weapons. Kobudo tradition holds that the tonfa, like most of the weapons it employs, has agricultural origins. The tonfa was originally the handle (crank) of a millstone that was used to grind grains, and the farmers turned it into a fighting tool.
Ryukyu islanders fought Japanese samurai with tonfas, similar to the jo or bo staffs.
It was simple to remove this crank from the millstone and wield it as a weapon, protecting one’s forearm by grasping it with the yoka (the long portion of the weapon). Lunging with the shorter portion of the shaft, striking with the other end (yoko nage), or rotating the weapon with a quick wrist movement were all common methods of attack.
Tonfa and sai.
The tonfa is considered a weapon in Okinawan kobudō (i.e., Ryukyu kobujustu), along with the sai (a weapon with the metal head of a fork) and the nunchaku (a flail weapon).
The territory of the former Ryukyu Kingdom continued to be the main area for the use of the tonfa weapon even after Japan annexed the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1879 and turned it into the Okinawa Prefecture.
Design of the Tonfa Weapon
In modern kobudo dôjô, the tonfa weapon has a red wood handle and a circular or square cross-section. It’s 20 in (50 cm) long and has a side handle that’s about a third of the way up.
Different people have different ideal sizes, but once gripped, the weapon should stick out around 1.2 in (3 cm) over the elbow. The cross-section of the weapon is often round, square, or trapezoidal.
When handled improperly or with improvised tactics, the tonfa may cause severe harm or broken bones; hence, it must be treated as a weapon at all times by the law.
Because of the tonfa’s adaptability, law enforcement currently uses it in a number of nations, including Italy, the United States of America, Canada, Finland, Germany, and Switzerland.
Western Tonfa is Different
As can be seen in the above image, the weapon’s original form is more like a square pillar. However, the weapon’s adaptability led to a cylindrical form in places like the United States and Europe, creating the variant called the “tonfa baton.” When it is used as a baton, it is called a “side-handle baton” or “T-baton.”
Practicing the tonfa necessitates a high level of finger, wrist, elbow, and arm flexibility, strength, and agility in order to achieve a high level of technical proficiency and a certain degree of dexterity.
Tonfa in Popular Culture
Movies and TV Shows
In Spiritual Kung Fu (1978), Jackie Chan fights a group of monks using more than 6.5 feet (2 m) long staffs, representing the Sixteen Arhats, while wielding a pair of tonfas.
Diaz – Don’t Clean Up This Blood, a 2012 Italian-French-Romanian historical drama film features the tonfa weapon.
In the Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation TV series, Michelangelo uses this weapon instead of the nunchakus he used in previous versions.
Raphael uses this exact weapon in the TV series Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and it was his boyhood weapon in the comics.
Video Games
Players of the Left 4 Dead 2 video game get access to the tonfa as a melee weapon option.
The tone phase is a technique used by Talim in Soulcalibur.
In Mega Man Zero 3, Zero wields a pair of tonfas with energy blades. By pushing adversaries, breaking certain blocks, and bouncing on the ground, he can go to locations he couldn’t before.
Weapons Similar to the Tonfa
These weapons below share at least a few characteristics with the tonfa weapon:
Police baton: A police officer’s baton is a cylindrical weapon used for self-defense and to subdue offenders. It has a side handle, designed like a tonfa for improved grip and control. A typical kind of baton used by law enforcement is the PR-24, which is longer and has a side handle.
Yawara stick: A short, portable weapon used for striking and joint locking, the yawara stick is often constructed of wood or metal.
Nunchaku: Two sticks are linked together with a chain or rope to form this ancient Okinawan weapon known as nunchaku.
Sansetsukon: A sansetsukon is a three-section staff that looks like a tonfa but has two extra prongs. It’s a common component in many forms of martial arts.
Martial Art Schools That Use the Tonfa
China: Shaolin Temple, Sun Bin Quan, Pak Mei Pai, etc.
Japan and Ryukyu: Karate (especially early Karate known as “Tang Soo Do”), Ninjutsu schools.
Thailand: Traditional Muay Thai style
Philippines: Arnis, the traditional martial arts of the Philippines.
Tonfa as Police Equipment
Many martial arts professionals from Okinawa have come to the United States as part of the various waves of immigration from Asia. They were especially Japanese karate practitioners. The American police utilized a cylindrical stick called a tanbo (a type of jo or bo staff) of 25 in (65 cm) in length, 1.2 in (3 cm) in diameter, and 1.1 lb (500 g) in weight until the 1970s.
Some police officers modified their standard-issue baton by adding a side handle to the middle third of the baton using a hexagonal screw, drawing inspiration from the tonfa used in Okinawan kobudo training.
Thus, the first police tonfa baton was created, but its whole construction had to be rethought to reveal its full potential. And unlike the original version used in kobudo, the baton was not intended to be employed in pairs.
Police tonfa designers responded by mandating a new covering made of lightweight, shock-absorbing materials. The United States police agency settled on a polycarbonate alloy covering a 24 in (60 cm) long pole that was injected in a single piece and weighed about 1.5 lb (700 g) after extensive testing and trial and error.
The United States’ police forces emphasize defensive tonfa skills against bladed weapons, with a concentration on disarming the opponent. For those without martial arts training, the technique of temporarily releasing the hold and spinning the weapon to attack is commonly overlooked.
In the United States and Europe, the tonfa baton is an offensive and defensive weapon used to quell riots and incapacitate attackers. Striking, thrusting, sweeping, and grappling are just some of the many methods that can be mastered with this device, which leads many to feel it is very practical and efficient.
Laws and Enforcement
In the United States, carrying a tonfa or any other weapon on duty requires training from a law enforcement organization. For instance, the Monadnock Baton PR-24 STS is listed as the standard baton in the New York City Police Department’s Patrol Guide section “204-09 16 ‘Baton (Side Handle),” and only properly trained personnel who have graduated from the police school are permitted to carry them.
The material also specifies the following details:
Police officers employed after December 1988 may only carry PR-24 STS.
Police officers employed by December 1988 and not trained in tonfa are permitted to carry straight batons no longer than 24~26 inches and 1.5 inches in diameter.
The straight baton may be made out of either false acacia, hickory, American holly, or rosewood.
Even for those qualified to carry a straight baton, individuals who have received tonfa training at the police academy must carry a tonfa.
The tonfa is a category D weapon in France. Without proper paperwork and a valid reason, you can’t carry this weapon there, just like in Germany. Since the ordinance of 2000 did not permit the concealed carry of firearms by municipal police, telescopic batons remained illegal until 2013. When on duty, French police officers must get special permission to use this weapon instead of the more common truncheon. Because the weapon is considered dangerous, particularly for the head.
Due to its association with shock-crushing cold weapons, the use of tonfa in combat or self-defense is also illegal in Russia. The German Bundeswehr (armed forces) and police have long used this martial arts weapon in the baton role.
A Shift from Tonfas to Batons
Police officers still frequently use tonfas today. However, there has been a shift in recent years toward telescopic batons, which are both easier to hide and more convenient to carry. The aim is to strike fear into the hearts of its potential victims with the mere sight of the weapon.
Another factor is the public’s growing mistrust of law enforcement as a result of high-profile episodes of police brutality, such as the “Rodney King beating” that prompted the Los Angeles riots and similar occurrences around the United States.
Since 2007, the Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies have begun using the Pelican Light 7060 Tactical Flashlight, a handheld, small, high-intensity illumination device measuring only around 8 in (20 cm) in length, instead of the flashlight formerly used for nighttime patrols.
The preceding “Streamlight” and “Maglite” tactical weapon lights were also strong blunt weapons, inspiring the same mistrust as the tonfa, and thus they were phased out. The current generation of flashlights is not designed to be used as a blunt weapon, but their bright beams of light may briefly incapacitate targets like would-be attackers.
The martial arts tonfa is often crafted from red oak and other similarly thick and durable woods. However, law enforcement personnel frequently use batons made of synthetic materials, such as polycarbonate and particular metals, that offer exceptional impact resistance.
The bo staff (Japanese 棒, bō for “staff”), also known as “long stick”, is a striking cold weapon from Okinawa, Japan. It is locally referred to as Kun (Japanese 棍 Kon) in the Okinawa regions of Ryūkyū. The Bō is used in various martial arts disciplines such as Bujinkan, Kobudō, different schools of Koryū, and certain styles of Karate. Bojutsu is the name for the martial art that specifically makes use of the bo staff. The term “con staff” refers to the same style of weapon in Vietnamese martial arts.
Origin of the Bo Staff
The Shaolin monks brought the Gùn (Chinese: 棍), a staff used in their style of stick combat, to Japan. In that region, the gùn underwent various changes before becoming known as the bō.
During this period, weapons were strictly prohibited for anyone who was not a member of the samurai warrior nobility. Since most samurai were often ambushed, they had to perfect a stealthy weapon that could nevertheless do the job. Thus, the bo staff became a traveling walking staff that doubled as a weapon if danger arose.
The bo staff is often crafted of red or white oak (and rarely of plastic or metal) and is 6 feet (182 cm) in length, with a diameter of 1 to 1.2 in (2.5 to 3 cm). However, modern training necessitates that the size be tailored to the participant. According to that, the bo staff should be longer by two hand widths than the student.
The Ryukyu Kobudo schools typically utilize a bo staff with a diameter of 1.4 in (3.5 cm), although in Yamanni-ryu, the bo is narrower at the edges. Rattan bo is utilized in kung fu dojos (schools) because it is long-lasting, affordable, and simple to carry.
The bo is often crafted from rattan (a type of palm) in Kung Fu dojos (schools). This is because it is more durable, inexpensive, and easier to carry around. Rattan is solid rather than hollow, unlike bamboo.
Because of its flexibility, a bo staff is very difficult to break without special equipment or considerable force.
Fighting Styles and Techniques
When training with the bo staff, beginners start with basic punching and thrusting moves. Basic techniques of the bo in Kung Fu include spinning the stick by rapidly switching your grip. You spin the bo to generate force, which you then use to strike your opponent in the face, neck, arm, hand, hip, knee, or leg with the bo’s end.
At full speed, the bo staff can spin at speeds of up to 55 miles (90 km) per hour. The bo can also be used for levering techniques and thrusts.
Combat drills (kumibo, similar to karate’s kumite) are the first thing you undertake when you reach the upper levels of training with this martial art weapon. At this point, you and your companion will be able to fight more freely.
In the past, some soldiers utilized the bo staff because it was cheap to produce and effective in combat. It was remarkable to see seasoned combatants dispatch opponents from farther than 80 inches (2 m) away.
The primary benefit of the extended range was an improvement in effectiveness over shorter melee weapons like swords and other smaller edged weapons.
The standard length for a bo staff is 6 feet (182 cm), and this specific length of the bo goes by the name “Rokushaku-Bo” (六尺棒). The name means “six shaku long stick” in Japanese, where one shaku is equal to around one foot (30 cm).
Another variant is the Yonshaku-Bō (four shaku long stick – 四尺棒) and it is similar in length to the Jo staff. This 4-foot (120 cm)-long variant wasn’t only for stabbing; it could also be used for levering, crushing, or throwing the target.
The Kushaku-Bo, which was 9 feet or 270 cm (nine shaku – 九尺棒) in length, was formerly widely used in Okinawa but has since fallen out of favor. The large length necessitated frequent hand switching, which meant the staff needed to slip easily between the hands; hence, it was often shaped spherically like most varieties.
Since this variant was capable of producing such strong centrifugal forces, it was ideal for techniques that included spinning the staff. The red oak used in its construction made the Kushaku-Bo sturdy enough to resist cracking or splitting. However, the length posed a challenge in terms of its legality for ownership, as it was challenging to categorize it solely as a walking staff, especially when samurai wielded it as a covert weapon.
The Sanshaku-Bo – 三尺棒, is three shaku in length, or around 3 feet (92 cm), making it the equivalent of a Hanbo, one of the shortest martial art staffs. But this short length allows for rapid execution of close combat techniques. This variant of the bo staff was often carried in pairs and frequently had a string attached to the wrist in case it was knocked out of the hand by a heavier weapon.
The Tanbo (短棒) comes in at an even shorter 2 feet (60 cm). It was quite similar to the hanbo, and it, too, had a wristlet attachment. In order to create a weapon like a nunchaku, two tanbo were often joined together using a chain or other similar device.
Last but not least, the Shoshaku-Bo should be highlighted. This weapon ranged in length from 1 to 1.5 feet (30 to 44 cm), was only used for melee combat, and needed extensive training to be used successfully against longer weapons.
The Bajobo or “horse stick,” is the longest known kind of bo staff at 13 shaku (about 13 ft; 390 cm).
There are more variants of the Bo staff that can be identified by their cross-sectional geometry:
Round: Maru-bo – まる棒
Square: Kaku-bo – 角棒
Hexagonal: Rokkaku-bo – 六角棒
Octagonal: Hakkaku-bo – 八角棒
The bo is constructed from several different materials. For safety and reliability reasons, the variant called Take-bo (竹棒) is only made from recently chopped bamboo since bamboo that hasn’t been freshly cut splinters over time.
Iron or lightweight and sturdy rattan can also be used in some other variants.
In Okinawa, there was also a special type of Bō that was often incorporated into children’s daily play, serving as both a sword and, for example, a horse for riding. In this way, the handling of this weapon was practiced from an early age.
Hanbo (hanbō) is a short hardwood staff weapon used for both striking and thrusting. It is a type of weapon that has a length ranging from 32 to 40 inches (80 to 100 cm) and a thickness of about 0.9 to 1.2 inches (2.3 to 3 cm) depending on hand size. Its name is derived from the fact that it is half the size of a bo, with “han” meaning “half” and “bo” meaning “stick.” The standard length of a hanbo has mostly been three shaku, or around 35 in (90 cm).
History of Hanbo
Bojutsu with the hanbo staff.
The Japanese martial art hanbojutsu (“hanbo technique”) is named after the Japanese hanbo staff. Jojutsu and tanjojutsu were common names for techniques developed after the Meiji era (1868–1912).
Hanbo is three shaku in length, but the categorization of bojutsu, jojutsu, chigiriki, hanbojutsu, etc. always differs from school to school. For instance, a stick with four or five shakus in length can still be referred to as a hanbo.
And a rod with a weight chain (kusari-fundo) attached is often referred to as a “chigiriki” but it is also called a “swinging jo staff.” In practice, the distinction is muddied because of the existence of other distinct schools with “hanbo” in their names.
Hanbo. (Credit: Martin Fujan).
During the Edo era (1603–1868), a hanbo was utilized as a capturing tool (capturing a person without killing) alongside the more common bo staff. Essays written during the Edo era also detail how citizens armed themselves with hanbo staff for protection and combat.
The hanbo is referred to as the koryu (“traditional school”) weapon in Japan. The hanbo is a weapon commonly taught in Kukishin-ryu (14th century) and Hontai Yoshin-ryu (16th century), both of which are traditional Japanese martial arts schools.
Kukishin-ryu is particularly well-known and is still taught today in various Jujutsu schools such as the Bujinkan, Jinenkan, and Genbukan.
The hanbo is a blunt weapon featured in the Dead Island and Dead Island: Riptide video game series.
Hanbo’s Origin
In 1575, when Nagafusa Kuriyama’s yari (spear) was destroyed by the opposing swordsman (he probably wielded a katana) in combat, he continued to fight with the remainder of the staff and still beat him, inspiring him to include the hanbo into the Kukishin-ryu curriculum.
The tanjo, a western-style walking stick that the Budo artist Uchida Ryogoro used to develop self-defense techniques in the early 1900s, is a weapon very similar to the hanbo.
This martial art style is still taught in Shinto Muso-ryu and is named for its creator (Uchida Ryogoro), Uchida-ryu Tanjojutsu. Tanjo can be employed efficiently in combat by spinning the wrist in quick assaults, among other things, and the tanjo is relatively easy to hide because of its tiny size.
Just like hanbo, short staffs or tanjo are those that are less than 40 inches (100 cm) in length and are also known as tanbo.
Styles and Uses of the Hanbo Weapon
You can hold the hanbo toward one end and swing it like a katana or kendo sword. It can also be gripped in the center like a staff and used to attack or block from either end.
However, jabs and punches account for only about one of every five uses of the hanbo weapon. The hanbo is more often utilized for leverage. The hanbo has several applications, including striking, restraining, and tossing an opponent. Sticks are constantly available, making knowledge of hanbo a valuable skill.
There are several styles of hanbo. The weapon is used in Kobudo, Ninjutsu, Jujutsu, Karate (different styles) and also in Aikido. In every style, the form (kata) of the hanbo is expanded upon and modified in several ways.
The hanbo has advantages in close-quarters fighting, where you can use punching and thrusting tactics in addition to excellent lever methods. As a result, ranged weapons like the bo staff are often better than the hanbo staff outside of close combat due to their greater range.
If you want to be a swordsman, according to martial artist Masaaki Hatsumi, you need to learn hanbo first. Since it can be wielded and used in the same way as a Japanese sword, albeit without the blade. When handled correctly, a katana can be parried with hanbo by hitting the flat sections of the blade to deflect the sword.
Hanbo Schools
Professional schools:
Uchida-ryu Tanjojutsu (developed in the Meiji era as a walking stick method derived from Shinto Muso-ryu jojutsu. Incorporating Shinto Musou-ryu)
Part of the Bo and Jo schools:
Attached to the Kukishin-ryu Hanbo Jutsu (Linked to the Kukishin-ryu Bojutsu. Kukishin-ryu Bojutsu and Takagi-ryu Jujutsu are fused in this system.)
Chikubushima-ryu Bojutsu
Muhen Yogan-ryu Hanbojutsu (Once passed down through the family of the Morosho-ryu sect, it is now handed down independently.)
Imaeda Shin-ryu Short Cane (attached to Imaeda Shinryu Walking Stick)
Part of the Naginata school
Yangshin-ryu Hanbojutsu
Hanbo Kata
Kata of Hanbojutsu
Kukishin Ryu
These kata involve working with another person:
Kamae-kata:
Otonashi
Shinsen
Kachimi
Danpi
Outai
Kihon-kata or Furi-kata
Omotenokata
Tachiotoshi
Atekomi
Koshiore
Ategaeshi
Tsukiiri
Chugokui
Kirinohitoha
Otoshimatsuba
Mizudori
Gorinkudaki
Mawaridori
Gokuino-kata
Tsurunohitokoe
Karamedori
Shin-no-karamedori
Sensudori
Tenno-kata
Chino-kata
Jinno-kata
Kata in Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai
Sanjakubo
The other Kobudo styles that trace their roots back to the Japanese martial artist Taira Shinken do not teach this kata, and neither does the Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai.
Kata of Gendai Goshin Kobu Jutsu:
Renshuho Shodan
Renshuho Nidan
Renshuho Sandan
Renshuho Yondan
Renshuho Godan
Renshuho Kaiten
Fudoshin no Sho
Fudoshin no Dai
Hate no Sho
Hate no Dai
Tsuken no Sho
Kanjo
Hanbo at a Glance
What is a Hanbo weapon?
Hanbo is a hardwood staff weapon of Japanese origin, used for striking and thrusting in martial arts. It is half the size of a Bo staff, with a length ranging from 32 to 40 inches (80 to 100 cm), and a thickness of about 0.9 to 1.2 inches (2.3 to 3 cm).
What are the styles and uses of Hanbo?
There are several styles of hanbo, and the weapon is used in Kobudo, Ninjutsu, Jujutsu, Karate, and Aikido. It can be held toward one end and swung like a sword or gripped in the center like a staff for attacking or blocking. The hanbo is mostly used for leverage, including striking, restraining, and tossing an opponent.
Why is Hanbo considered a valuable skill?
Knowledge of hanbo is considered a valuable skill since sticks are constantly available, and it is beneficial in close-combat fighting. It is also recommended for those who want to become a swordsman because hanbo can be wielded and used similarly to a Japanese sword. When used correctly, a katana can be parried with hanbo by hitting the flat sections of the blade to deflect the sword.
What is the history of Hanbo?
Hanbo was utilized as a capturing tool during the Edo era in Japan, and citizens used it for self-defense and combat. It is still taught in traditional Japanese martial arts schools such as Kukishin-ryu (14th century) and Hontai Yoshin-ryu (16th century). The weapon was included in the Kukishin-ryu curriculum after Nagafusa Kuriyama used the remainder of his spear as a hanbo and defeated an opposing swordsman in 1575.
Bojutsu is a discipline of Japanese martial arts that revolves around the use of a long staff as its central weapon. Bojutsu is part of Okinawan kobudō karate, and its principal weapon is a six-foot staff called a “bo staff.” Bojutsu, or “bōjutsu,” means “staff technique” in Japanese. (“Bō” as “staff” and “jutsu as “technique”).
Bojutsu with a long staff, also known as the bo staff.
Because of its similarities to other Japanese martial arts, the Japanese refer to a wide variety of fighting styles that include staff-like weapons under the term “bojutsu” (also known as “bo art”).
In the Japanese martial art of Bojutsu, practitioners utilize polished, circularly cross-sectioned sticks of about 6 shaku (about 6 ft; 180 cm) in length and refined to a consistent thickness. The bo staff in Bojutsu has a diameter of 0.95 to 1.3 inches (2.4 to 3.3 cm), and it is polished to be slippery.
This bo staff can still be of varying length, width, and form depending on the martial art school. Bojutsu practiced with a staff no longer than four feet is termed “jojutsu” (see Jo staff), while that practiced with a staff even shorter than that is called “hanbojutsu” (hanbo is a short staff).
Bojutsu with a short staff, possibly the hanbo staff.
While the specific names of these techniques may vary from school to school, they all still share the umbrella term “bojutsu.”
The Japanese historical epic “Taiheiki” describes many varieties of rods, such as Kanabō (a rod made of wood and iron) or Tetsubo (a rod made of iron and steel). It is said in the 15th-century “Gikeiki” (“The Chronicle of Yoshitsune”) that there are special staffs with unusual designs, such as those with an octagonal shape (a wooden staff with eight sides) or chigiriki (a flail staff weapon).
Characteristics of Bojutsu
One of the defining characteristics of Japanese bojutsu is that, like other Japanese martial arts, it often assumes the presence of an imagined opponent wielding a katana (just like with the Jo staff). But there are also staff vs. staff techniques.
Bojutsu has many parallels with other Japanese martial arts, including sojutsu (spear technique), kenjutsu (sword technique), and naginatajutsu (glaive technique).
It is also uncommon for schools of other martial arts to include bojutsu into their curriculums, as is the case with many jujutsu dojos.
Bojutsu is a core component of various martial arts schools because it teaches students how to effectively wield long weapons and manipulate space (such as Takenouchi-ryu, Kiraku-ryu, etc.).
The reason for this is that the handle and “blade” of the staff are one and the same object.
As an added bonus, bojutsu is great for developing your motor skills. Because of the efficiency of staff techniques, Kano Jigoro, creator of Kodokan Judo, attempted to integrate bojutsu into Kodokan, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Since ancient times, religious ceremonies have been held where bojutsu-inspired techniques have been practiced. Despite being one of the simplest weapons, the history of the bojutsu and the bo staff are less well documented than that of kenjutsu (swordsmanship) in Japan, leading to widespread confusion about its use and development.
The indigenous culture of the Ainu in Japan developed a staff method, including iron-reinforced staff for battle and a punishment staff called “Sutu” (or Seisaibo) for cane punishment. The Yayoi period (Neolithic–Iron Age) site in Okayama City, the Minami Ho ruins, yielded a staff resembling the Ainu’s punishment staff, suggesting its usage in antiquity.
Many Japanese schools teach that bojutsu was born on the battlefield, when soldiers improvised weapons out of broken naginata (“glaive“) or yari (“spear”) shafts. Nonetheless, wooden staffs were in use before yaris, which may indicate that bojutsu served as a foundation for the evolution of yari techniques. The use of a yari is integral to several bojutsu styles.
The bo staff is central to the Japanese martial art of bojutsu. There may be some connection between the various bojutsu schools because of the prevalence of shared technique names like “Goho (five directions)”, “Sashiai (finger joint)”, “Kasanoshita (under the hat)”, “Gorinkudaki” “Mizuhiki”, etc.
In Chinese martial arts, the term “stick fighting” is used to refer to bojutsu, which is an extension of kenpo karate, a fist-fighting technique. Instead of the bo staff, the Chinese use a stick called a “gun staff,” which has a thicker center.
Stick-based fighting styles have existed or been passed on in many cultures around the region. Although bojutsu uses a stick [staff] as its main weapon, it is not called a “stick-fighting” method in Japan but a “stick [staff] technique” due to the way the bo is used.
Bojutsu Today
“Lion Dance” during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Manhattan’s Chinatown, New York. (Bob Jagendorf CC BY 2.0)
Because bo staffs are common and inexpensive, bojutsu has been practiced by people of all economic strata in Japan, and there are a plethora of bojutsu schools to choose from. It has also been included in nonlethal restraint tactics by a variety of schools.
Festival performances in Japan sometimes include some type of bojutsu, such as “bon odori” (staff dance), “bo no te” (staff hands), “bojutsu” (staff methods), or even “shishimai” (lion dance). Sometimes the traditional bojutsu martial art tradition is reflected in these performances.
Schools of Bojutsu
Bojutsu schools:
Kukishin-ryu (founded in the 14th century and including Bojutsu, Hanbojutsu, and Takagi-ryu)
Isshin-ryū
Kaohsiung style
Chikubushima-ryu style
Ryozen Chikubushima style.
Tsubaki kotengu-ryu bojutsu
Muhen-ryu
Yoshin-ryu
Kosan tenjin-ryu
Okinawan kobudo
Jojutsu schools:
Shinto Muso-ryu (called Bojutsu until the mid-Edo period)
Muteki-ryu (uses a longer staff but is still called a jojutsu together with the shoshin-ryu)
Yoshin-ryu (Originally a jujutsu school that includes naginatajutsu and bojutsu. Hanbojutsu that has been handed down in Yoshin-ryu naginatajutsu still exists.)
Kurama Youshin-ryu
Yoshin-ryu
Yanagigou-ryu (Originally a school of kenjutsu that includes naginatajutsu and jojutsu, but there is a lineage that only teaches jojutsu.)
Aikijo (Aikido’s cane (jo) technique, using a stick of about 4 to 5 shaku. Depending on the sect, it is also called Taketsubojutsu)
Shintaido Bojutsu (included in Shintaido)
Many other bojutsu schools have been handed down in rural areas as bo no te (“stick hands”), shishimai (“lion dances”), bon odori (“stick dances”) and matsuri tsuyuharai.
Bojutsu in Out of Japan
Staff and stick based martial arts similar to bojutsu are also practiced in other parts of the world:
Chinese martial arts – In many schools, both long and short sticks are used (bo and jo, respectively). Several techniques employ the use of two short sticks.
Western swordsmanship – There is a method for using the ricasso, the uncut portion of the blade, as a stick.
Quarterstaff is an English long-staff fighting style.
Donga – bojutsu of the Surma people living in Ethiopia.
Nakbabka – Maasai tribe’s martial art. A stick method also makes use of two sticks.
Nguni stick-fighting – stick-fighting method of the Nguni people living in South Africa and Eswatini. There is also a technique of using a short spear with a shield.
Matrag – a stick-fighting that originated in Algeria. It is also played as a sport.
Tahtib – Egyptian bojutsu. Demonstrations are performed for tourists and are also used in belly dancing.
Kapu Kuialua – Hawaiian martial art. Weapon styles have been devised that make use of a variety of sticks, including two staffs and oars.
Mau rakau – Maori bojutsu. The tool of choice is the taiaha, a stick with a modified point.
Krabi-krabong – a thorough martial technique that was passed down in Thailand. A cravone, or stick of approximately 6,5 feet (2 m), is used.
Pencak silat – Southeast Asian martial art. Aside from using sticks and staffs, there are also methods involving bamboo poles.
Eskrima – Filipino fighting style. Other than bojutsu methods, there are others like employing two short sticks.
Kalaripayattu – a style of fighting from southern India. Jojutsu is a part of it.
Silambam– a thorough martial arts style from southern India. Only bojutsu is passed down in the present.
The jo staff (杖:じょう, “jō”) is a type of Japanese wooden staff used as a weapon. It was originally designed for use by samurai in medieval Japan. A jo fighter can confidently face an opponent with a katana. In fact, this was the primary reason the jo staff was developed in the first place. Jōdō or jōjutsu is the martial art of the jō, and along with aikido, they make frequent use of this staff. Jo is still in use by some Japanese police departments today.
The jo staff is roughly 4 shaku (4 ft; 120 cm) in length and is central to the practice of this Japanese martial art. Currently, jo is most commonly used in the context of the jodo. However, before the Edo period (1603–1867), the term “jo” referred to a staff that was one “jo” in length, which was roughly 10 shaku (10 ft; 3 m) or 7 shaku 5 sun (28 ft; 8.5 m) in older Japanese units of measurement.
Origin of the Jo Staff
Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi as the creator of the jodo and jo staff. This samurai, from the early 17th century, is widely regarded as the progenitor of the Shinto Muso-ryu school of jojutsu, which belongs to the Koryu.
The name “jodo” was first used by Takaji Shimizu in 1940. The jo was developed as a true samurai weapon, unlike the bo, sai, and tonfa of the kobudō weapons, and its use was taught in formal martial arts schools (ko-ryū).
Legend has it that in the early Edo period, Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (夢想 權之助 勝吉) created the jo after attacking a skilled samurai named Miyamoto Musashi (1584–1645, 宮本 武蔵). Katsuyoshi used a wooden sword but got struck down by Musashi with a newly crafted small Bo which was thrown next to him.
Katsuyoshi was so moved by the experience that he departed to establish his own school (Shintō Musō-ryū) for teaching staff versus sword combat in the early 17th century.
According to this legend, that is why jodo is still practiced with a staff against a wooden sword today. This duel, conducted around 1605–1610, is mentioned in the Nitenki (二天記), written in 1776.
Katsuyoshi then challenged Musashi again. Due to the use of oral customs to pass on knowledge, it is unknown if and how the second challenge actually occurred. According to legend, this was the only time Musashi lost a fight. Other accounts claim that he never tasted loss.
Using the Jo Staff
As a weapon, the Jo staff calls for dexterity, quickness, and accuracy rather than brute force. Jo strikes are typically directed at soft spots, like the temples. While the jo is lengthier than the Bokken (wooden sword), it still takes a high level of ability to battle with the jo against a sword due to the sword being faster. The Jo staff, in contrast to swords and knives, can be carried in virtually any position, greatly expanding the range of potential strikes.
In Aikido
The Jo staff has three primary functions in Aikido:
Jo dori is a style of Japanese martial arts in which the Nage (the practitioner of the skill) does not have any kind of tool and the Uke (the assailant) uses a staff. The Nage faces a variety of threats, including a stabbing to the midsection, a punch to the side of the head, and a punch to the front of the head, all of which he must fight against.
Juji Nage: The Uke grabs the Nage’s staff, and the Nage must either throw or lock the Oke. The Oke has a wide variety of options for grabbing the Nage’s jo, and the latter has just as many ways to protect against being grabbed.
Jogi – The Jogi is a staff-based technique that mimics a battle between a lone combatant wielding a jo and a group of assailants wielding swords. There are no attackers in reality and the kata (‘form’) is done alone. The Jogi checks the accuracy and power of the Aikidoka’s (master practitioner) blows. Jogi 1 is the beginner level, Jogi 2 is intermediate, and Jogi 3 is advanced in Aikido.
In Jodo
Jo staff against wooden katana (bokken) during a jodo training, shinto muso ryu. (Lakkisto Jarkko, CC BY-SA 2.5)
There are two distinct applications for jodo. Jogi comes first which is another series of strikes used against swordsmen. It’s worth noting that there are 12 distinct katas (‘forms’) in jodo, just like there are in Aikido.
Another application of jodo is in law enforcement. Due to the fact that martial arts have always had close ties to law enforcement, students of the art can expect to learn pertinent information such as the various ways in which the jo can be used to control an opponent, hold them in place, or even tie them to their companion.
What Is Jo Staff Made of?
Two jo staffs in different sizes.
Pinewood (nowadays, primarily Taiwanese pine) is often used to make the jo staff. Other sources of material are bamboo, red oak, and white Japanese oak (Shirakashi).
A jo staff can be fashioned from a brush handle for solo training, but an oak staff is favored for partner exercises. Sticks with weak handles break readily when subjected to contact training, are easily splintered by impacts, and can deform when exposed to changes in humidity.
The Jo Staff’s Length
Jo and bokken.
The original length of the Muso Gonnosuke staff was 4 shaku, 2 sun, and 1 bu, or 50.22 inches (127.56 cm). All jo staffs used to be 50 inches (128 cm) in length, regardless of the user’s height or build. Today, they vary.
The length of the jo varies depending on the user. Typically, a jo is 50 to 56 inches (128 to 142 cm) long. This is because a jo must ascend from the floor as high as the underarm of the holder.
The jo’s width ranges from 0.95 to 1.20 inches (24 to 30 mm), which provides the optimal combination of power, longevity, usability, and portability. In order to preserve its precision in combat, the jo must be straight along its entire length. A straight jo staff will roll well on the floor.
Jo Staff vs. Bo Staff
A bokken (37 in), a bo staff (71 in), three jo staffs (51 in), a hanbo (35 in), two tanbos (20 in). (Aldo Villalba – CC BY-SA 3.0)
Compared to the heavier and lengthier bo staff (6 feet), the jo staff (4 feet) is much easier to use and maneuver. With a jo staff, you only need a small amount of room to perform a technique.
Jo techniques are less demanding on physical power and offer greater agility and versatility than bo. Although they share some similarities, the lengths and methods of use of the bo and jo staffs are quite different.
Muso Gonnosuke, the swordsman who lost to Miyamoto Musashi, is said to have invented the jo because he wanted a weapon with a substantial extension edge over the sword that was still more agile than the spear (yari) or bo.
History of the Jo Staff
Jōdō (“the way of the jō“) is a staff technique developed by police officers as a means of both apprehending offenders and protecting themselves from attack. Those without access to swords in the community, such as farmers and urban dwellers, also turned to the jo staff as a means of self-defense.
A jodo practitioner stops the strike of a bokken by intercepting the attacker’s wrists with the tip of his jo staff. (Jklak – CC BY-SA 3.0)
However, some martial arts schools have shunned the word “staff” in favor of “jo” to differentiate their technique from the use of staff as apprehending tools. Similarly, some martial art schools also inherited the jo techniques for keeping a broken pole or naginata staff in use in combat. Their techniques incorporated aspects of the original jo staff’s art.
This allowed them to prepare for the inevitable moment when their bladed naginata breaks during the fight.
There are unique varieties of jo staff in addition to the typical ones, such as the “yundzue” jo (弓杖, a staff made by reshaping a broken bow into a whip-like form) and the “furidashizue” jo (振り出し杖, a staff fashioned from a tree limb that has been chopped off).
Jo Staff Today
The Japanese police force now uses a variant of a jo technique from the Shintō Musō-ryū school of jodo for their police batons. This technique has become famous as the jodo style of the All Japan Kendo Federation.
Moving on, Okinawan Shōrin-ryū Karate includes a distinct type of jo staff technique involving the use of shorter staffs (typically between 2.6 and 3.3 feet or 80 and 100 cm in length) that has its own set of forms and moves.
There are martial arts all over the world that make use of jo because they are a convenient implement that does not look out of place when held by the practitioner. The cane has become popular as a self-defense technique for gents, especially in Western societies where men commonly carry a walking cane.
There are strengthened walking poles intended for self-defense. “Brandistocks” were a type of weapon that was made even deadlier by having tiny barbs affixed to the tip or blades that came out like a hidden dagger.
Canne de combat attack and counterattack. The canne de combat uses a form of jo called the “cane” in French. (Zsolt.sandor-CC BY SA 3.0)
“La canne” (French for “cane”) refers to a technique in savate (French boxing) that includes catching or using the end of a walking staff or jo staff like a sword. French people use jo staff in a competitive form of style named “canne de combat.” They are sometimes referred to as “cane (canne) techniques” or “Western jo techniques” to differentiate them from Japanese jodo.
Martial Art Schools That Use the Jo Staff
Professional jo martial arts schools
Shintō Musō-ryū
Muhi-ryū (using a 5-shaku 5-sun; 5.5-foot staff)
Muhi Muteki-ryū
Daien-ryū
Tai no Jō (a jō staff technique developed by the legendary aikidoist Sunao Hari)
Martial arts schools that also include jo
Imaeda-ryū
Imaeda Shin-ryū
Kenshin-ryū
Shojitsu Kenri Kata Ichi-ryū
Suiō-ryū
Sento Isshin-ryū
Fusen-ryū (originating from the Hokuso-ryū jojutsu)
Bokuden-ryū
Rikata ichi-ryū
Rishin-ryū
Yagyū Shingan-ryū
Ryūgō-ryū (A form of martial art that evolved from naginata jutsu and jojutsu.)
Aiki-jō (Martial arts utilizing the jō in accordance with aikido ideals)
Shintaido jojutsu (a part of Shintaido)
Gōjū-ryū (Both the kata and the kumite of Okinawa goju-ryū karate do are distinct from those of other styles.)
Jo Staff at a Glance
What is the Jo staff and its origin?
The Jo staff is a type of Japanese wooden staff that was originally developed for use by samurai in medieval Japan. It is roughly 4 feet (120 cm) in length and was designed for use against a sword. The name “jodo” was first used by Takaji Shimizu in 1940, and the Jo was developed as a true samurai weapon. Legend has it that Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi created the Jo after attacking Miyamoto Musashi with a wooden sword, which led to the establishment of his own school, Shintō Musō-ryū, in the early 17th century.
What are the primary functions of the Jo in Aikido?
The Jo staff has three primary functions in Aikido: Jo dori, Juji Nage, and Jogi. Jo dori is a style of Japanese martial arts in which the practitioner does not have any kind of tool, and the assailant uses a staff. Juji Nage involves the Uke grabbing the Nage’s staff, and the Nage must either throw or lock the Oke. Jogi is a staff-based technique that mimics a battle between a lone combatant wielding a Jo and a group of assailants wielding swords.
What are the materials used to make a Jo staff?
Pinewood (primarily Taiwanese pine), bamboo, red oak, and white Japanese oak (Shirakashi) are the most common materials used to make the Jo staff. An oak staff is favored for partner exercises as sticks with weak handles break readily when subjected to contact training and are easily splintered by impacts.
What are the two distinct applications for Jodo?
There are two distinct applications for Jodo. The first is Jogi, which is another series of strikes used against swordsmen. There are 12 distinct katas in Jodo, just like in Aikido. The second application of Jodo is in law enforcement. Students of the art can expect to learn pertinent information such as the various ways in which the Jo staff can be used to control an opponent, hold them in place, or even tie them to their companion.
How is the Jo staff used as a weapon?
As a weapon, the Jo staff calls for dexterity, quickness, and accuracy rather than brute force. Jo strikes are typically directed at soft spots, like the temples. While the Jo is lengthier than the Bokken (wooden sword), it still takes a high level of ability to battle with the Jo against a sword due to the sword being faster. The Jo can be carried in virtually any position, greatly expanding the range of potential strikes.
References
Toshiro Suga: Jo, the pillar of Aikido (Jo le pilier de l’Aikido), 2007.
