KOBUJUTSU

Kobujutsu

At Neko-Bu-Kai, Kobujutsu — the traditional art of Okinawan weaponry — is taught as an integral part of traditional karate, in full alignment with the historical roots of the discipline. The original name for karate, 唐手 (Chinese hand), reflected its deep connection to Chinese martial arts such as Kung-Fu, where the practice of weapons has always been inseparable from unarmed techniques. This influence shaped the Okinawan approach, in which Karate (empty-hand techniques) and Kobujutsu (weapons training) developed side by side as complementary expressions of the same martial principles.

Historically, Okinawan martial artists did not view weapons and empty-hand combat as separate paths. Training with tools such as the bō (staff), sai (trident), and tonfa (side-handled baton) refined balance, coordination, and body mechanics — all of which fed directly back into empty-hand techniques. This comprehensive approach allowed practitioners to develop a deeper sense of distance, timing, and power generation.

However, with the formalisation and spread of Karate in mainland Japan during the early 20th century, Kobujutsu was often excluded from the curriculum and treated as a distinct or optional practice. This separation, while practical in some educational contexts, diluted the original unity of Okinawan martial arts.

At Neko-Bu-Kai, we actively restore this unity. Even thought taught in separate sessions, students learn traditional weapons not as an add-on, but as a natural extension of their Karate training. Incorporating Kobujutsu enriches the understanding of biomechanics, sharpens reflexes, and builds a more instinctive awareness of angles and structure. The transition from empty hand to weapon — and back again — becomes fluid, as it once was in the traditional schools of Okinawa.

Studied Weapons

Beyond technical benefits, the study of weapons serves to preserve the cultural and martial heritage of karate in its full expression. By honouring both empty-hand and weapon-based training, Neko-Bu-Kai remains faithful to the spirit of the classical martial arts: holistic, integrated, and deeply rooted in history.