KOBUDO

Pacific Karate-Do Institute is affiliated with the United States Kobudo Association (U.S. Kobudo Kai), to teach, promote and preserve the classical Okinawan martial weapons arts (Ryukyu Kobujutsu or simply Kobudo), the U.S. Kobudo Kai has a large and varied weapons program. The curriculum of the U.S. Kobudo Kai is comprised of the techniques, tactics and kata (forms), of traditional Ryukyu Kobujutsu including the SAI (forked metal clubs), BO (six foot staff), NUNCHAKU, TONFA (wooden handled spinning clubs), NICHOGAMA (double kama or sickles), EKU or KAI (fighting oar), NITANBO (double short sticks), NUNTE-BO (sai spear), TECHU or TEKKO (metal knuckle-dusters), JO (four foot staff), and TEMBE-ROCHIN (buckler type shield and long handled dagger)

LINEAGE

The U.S. Kobudo Kai uses and recognizes legitimate techniques and kata from several sources of ancient Kobudo. The U.S. Kobudo Kai believes that it is important to preserve all of Ryukyu Kobujutsu by keeping alive various representative traditions. Our group includes much of the teachings of Shinken Taira (1890-1970), who himself sought to preserve a dying Kobudo tradition. The U.S. Kobudo Kai also utilizes kata from the Matayoshi school, the Kenshin Ryu Kobudo of Japan as well as the Kobudo methods of several Okinawan Shorin Ryu “village” traditions. The U.S. Kobudo Kai truly represents the legacy of traditional Ryukyu Kobujutsu (Kobudo). For it is our aim to propagate Kobudo as a complete art with a sense of values rooted in a strong ethical framework. A framework on which to build character, humility, perseverance and respect.

HISTORY

Originally known colloquially as TEGUA, Kobudo was forged on the island of Okinawa by the same civilian-warriors who developed the art of Karate. Over the past two hundred years, several distinct methods of wielding the individual weapons evolved associated with different districts of Okinawa and certain families. Only rarely were these methods formalized into real distinct “styles” as was Karate. Most Kobudo experts have traditionally been influenced by several of these methods. While there are no standardized or official set of kata used by all Kobudo practitioners, there are many interpretations of the various kata handed down by the masters of old.

Historically, most of the old masters of Okinawa often practiced their own unique versions of the different kata. It was not unusual for many of them to make up new kata that were really just alternative or elaborated extrapolations of older forms. In more recent times, Karate and Kobudo organizations have tried to standardize the kata within their own groups, though no one group or individual can honestly claim to use the most “official” or “authentic” versions. However, while the individual movements of the old kata are subject to much interpretation, the names and patterns of about fifty to sixty forms are very consistent and well documented as traditional kata for practice and skills development.