Martial Art Weapons
In general Martial Art styles do not use weapons, the most famous arts, like Karate actually emphasize defending yourself without external weapons (Karate is formed by two ideograms: Kara, empty and Te, hand), just with your bare hands and the natural weapons your body has provided you.
There are a number of Martial Art systems that do use weapons and this article will try to describe and provide information on what martial arts weapons are available and where you can purchase these martial art weapons.
Japanese Karate Martial Art styles that use weapons are normally completely encompassed in what is called Kobudo (Old Martial Way, which refers to Okinawan Kobudō). As a sidenote, many historians now state that Karate was an art that actually derives from the weapon training in Kobudo.
Kobudo system uses the following weapons:
Bō (six foot staff), Sai (three-pronged truncheon), Tonfa (police nightstick), Nunchaku, Kama (farming sickle), Tekko, Tinbe-rochin (shield and spear), Surujin (weighted chain), Eku (oar), Tambo (short staff), Kuwa (hoe), Nunti Bo (spear), Sansetsukon.
In other Japanese Budo we can find a long list of martial art weapons, which we will list under each art:
Kendo and Kenjutsu: Katana (Japanese warrior sword), tanto (Knife), bokuto or bokken (wooden sword), fukuro shinai (bamboo sword).
Naginatajutsu: Naginata
Sojutsu: Yari (spear)
Ninjutsu: Bo, shuriken, yari (spear), naginata, kusarigama (sickle with a weighted chain), kayaku (gun powder), katana.
Kyudo: Yumi (bow), ya (arrow)
In the case of other arts that use Martial Art Weapons we can list:
Wuchu (Chinese Martial Art): Dao (sabre), Qiang (spear), Jian (straight sword), Gun (also known as staff), Halberd, Axe, Battle axe, Hook sword, Fork, Bian (steel whip), Mace, Hammer, Talon, Ranseur (Trident-halberd), Long-handled spear (Lance), Short cudgel, Stick (Crutches or Tonfa), Liu xing (Meteor hammer).
A general list of Martial Art Weapons would include, ordered by general classification:
Knife
Balisong (Butterfly Knife), Deer Horn Knives from the Chinese martial art Baguazhang
Karambit, Katara (a push knife), Kris (traditional weapon in South-East Asia), Kukri,
Kirpan, Kujang, Kunai, Makhaira (or a short sword), Push dagger, Rondel, Vettukathi, Short staff or stick weapons, Arnis sticks, Hanbo, Kurunthadi, Kubotan, Otta, Shillelagh, Yawara, Yubi-bo, Simbat
Long weapons (staff and spear weapons)
Arbir (Indonesian halberd), Bisento (Chinese origin halberd), Gun (staff), Ji (halberd), Jogo do Pau (Portuguese Staff and baton), Guan dao or Kwan dao (large Chinese halberd), Kurunthadi,
Ox tongue, Lathi, Pudao (long handled sword), Halberd, Monk’s Spade, Qiang (spear), Quarterstaff, Sarissa, Sibat (Filipino/Indonesian spear), Taiaha (Maori wooden duelling spear/staff), Kanabō (Japanese iron staff)
Sword
Arming sword, Bolo, Butterfly sword, Chisakatana, Claymore, Dait, Dao, Dopplehänder, Falcata, Gladius, Golok, Großes Messer, Hook sword, Jian, Kampilan, Kodachi, Khopesh,
Kopis, Ninjatō, Nodachi, Pata, Pulwar, Rapier, Shamshir, Scimitar, Scramasax, Single-sword (Cut Thrust, sometimes called the “German rapier”), Talwar, Tachi, Taijijian, Wakizashi, Waster (Wooden European sword simulator), Xiphos, Zweihander, Sudang lipas (broadsword)
Composite weapons
Kusarigama, Kyoketsu shoge, Manriki or Manriki-gusari, Sansetsukon (Three-Section Staff),
“Soft” weapons
Chain whip, Rope dart, Whip (Bullwhip), Lariat, Tabak-Toyok, Meteor hammer, Urumi,
Surujin, Bolas, Flying claws, Dragon beard hook
Truncheons
Jutte (or Jitte), Blackjack or Slapjack, Telescopic baton
Sickle
Arit, Chicken Sickles, Karambit
Shields
Buckler, Hoplon, Hungarian shield, Targe
Short range projectile weapons
Blowgun (fires Fukiya, poison darts or pins), Chakram, Sling
Clubs
Mere (hooked jade or carved wooden flat club), Patu (sharpened jade blade), Gunstock war club, Shillelagh, Morning star, kanabō
Miscellaneous
Brass knuckles, Tessen (Iron fan), Fu (a battle axe), Tomahawk, Korean Fan/Mu Puche (Tempered Birch Fan), Shobo, Wind and fire wheels.
This is not a complete list of the Weapons used in Martial Arts, but we hope we’ve made a useful and detailed list that may help you in your search for where and what martial art weapons are available and those that may exist for your own training in the diverse and interesting martial arts in your location.
Really interesting post..Iam very much appreciated by reading your own website..this article has provided a useful info..Many thanks for the info provided..
WOW. That’s the most comprehensive martial arts weapons list I’ve ever seen. Ever. Lol.
Well I don’t think you really missed a whole lot. You even included shillelaghs which I’m pretty sure are Irish.
There’s also a *lot* of swords. There could probably be a sword list that goes on forever. Gentleman’s sword, different Eurpoean swords, etc.
Concealed weapons, maybe?
It goes on and on…
Take It Easy,
Kris Roxas
Kris Roxas @ Ninjaology´s last [type] ..In The Olympic City Aug 7 2010
many discard the use of traditional weapons as useless due to the fact that we cant carry about spears, or sabres in todays world. Of course this fact is true but is only a one sided view of the matter.
I feel the use and practice of traditional weapons have a huge amount of benefit in training. The first thing is that the practice of various weapons can be separated into 2 categeories: one-handed weapons and two-handed weapons. Now if you train using a one-handed weapon like a sword, kali stick or even a fan, you’ll be able to pick up a light object and use it as a weapon. likewise goes for the two-handed weapon. The second thing about weapons training is the psychological component. There is something about training with live blades makes hand-to hand training feel like childs play. After training for and hour with live blades, a fist comming at your face is no longer something that will likely cause you to freeze.
[...] Martial Art Weapons [...]
I knew Karate was a barehanded style , just wanted to dd to your great explanation that it was originally developed for defense against armed opponents
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Interesting point martial arts student makes on the training with blades versus a fist coming at your face. After working with blades I would think that hand to hand combat would be childs play! Kudos to all of you for even going there. I’m not comfortable with knives! I would tend to opt for the telescopic baton!
That is a good comprehensive details on martial arts weapons. What about Tai Kawando? does it use any weapons? I am inspired by Tai Kawan do. Karate and martial arts is most famous technique.
These weapons look very lethal I wonder how do trainers train on these weapons!!
Is it stupid to be scared of training with weapons? I’m moving from yoga to martial arts, but the whole idea of weapons scares me to death. I’m not sure I feel comfortable enough to try it.
Here in Ontario you would be arrested if you had any on the above weapons on you. My friend has many swords that he collects, when shipped from the US to Canada they are marked as some kind of kitchen accessories and nobody says anything.
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I like Japanese martial arts. I used to take lessons in Kendo. I loved it.
Ordinary items can easily be turned into weapons that are absolutely legal to have on your person and are not illegal until they are used to defend yourself in a manner that causes injury to the attacker. The transition between a martial arts weapon and a ordinary item is not difficult to bridge especially when you have a grasp of your body’s movement in relation to the weapon and the attack.
This was a great post.
I love training weapons I find that it helps with hand movement.
I always wondered what the point of training with weapons was as they will never be on your person when attacked. Then I thought it was probably just for sport, however, when you look at things like a blow gun you really have to wonder!
From iron claws and meteor hammers to deer antler blades and emei needles, ancient Martial Arts weapons range greatly in shape and design, yet all have only one purpose – to injure. In the hands of a skilled assassin, even the humble chopsticks can become savage weapons.
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there’s something so cool about martial arts…. and martial art weapons are even better!
Fascinating post on martial arts. All this while I only know about karate and wow, I have learnt so much from here. thanks
I love watching Japanese karate with weapons. I download fights online to watch
I’ve always wanted to learn more about those interesting looking martial arts weaponry… thanks so much!