Tag Archives: Bojutsu

The History and Contents of Matayoshi Kobudo as of 1999

Grandfather Shinkō was born on May 18, 1888, in Kakinohana Town, Naha City as the third son of great-grandfather, Shinchin. Raised in Senbaru, Chatan Village, he learned kenpō (empty-handed martial arts) and bukijutsu (martial arts with weaponry) handed down as … Continue reading

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Taira Shinken 1964 copied from Yun Heui-byeong 1948

Taira Shinken’s Ryūkyū Kobudō Taikan (1964) is considered the first monography on Okinawan weapon’s arts. In it, he included a chapter called “The History of Ryūkyū Kobudō” with descriptions of various masters from the past. However, more than fifteen years … Continue reading

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Shushi no Kon (old-style) 3 – Nejiru

This is about Shushi no Kon (old-style) as I have described here in text and illustration as well as in video here. In his 1930 description, which is the earliest description of a Bō kata, Miki uses the term nejiru on … Continue reading

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Shushi no Kon (old-style) 1 – The 1930 Description by Miki Jisaburō

This post is my 2009 translation of “Shūshi no Kon” as published in 1930 by Miki Jisaburō. Miki had learned it from Ōshiro Chōjo in 1929. I have shortened, simplified and renumbered the description to make it easier to follow … Continue reading

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The “tea cloth squeeze”

In bōjutsu, depending on the teacher, various methods of how to hold the bō are taught. In the Taira lineage of Okinawa, students are supposed to basically adhere to a 3/3 division of the bō and keep both hands fixed … Continue reading

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Karate and Kobudo in Okinawa, 1896

At the end of the 19th century, karate consisted of bare-knuckle two-person bouts that included clinching, and wrestling. Bojutsu was known, as was Nunchaku. I know, it is nothing new, neither for you nor anybody else 🙂 ——————————————— From: “KARATE … Continue reading

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Short Analysis of an Unknown Kata of Bōjutsu as Performed by the Late Nagamine Takayoshi, Hanshi, in a Video From the Private Archives of Bill George, Sensei.

The Facebook page of “Okinawan Shorin Ryu Karate – Midwest Honbu Dojo” regularly posts intriguing videos from the personal collection of Bill George Sensei. Since it is a private video collection, in most cases I saw the video for the … Continue reading

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Yonegawa no Kon and the Western bayonet rifle

It would be a mere rethorical question to ask if historical Ryūkyūan combative methods were influenced by the outside world. Notwithstanding, somehow this seems to be a weird question. One of the persistent beliefs making Ryūkyūan combative methods so likable … Continue reading

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Weaponry during Edo-nobori

Edo-nobori were Ryūkyūan pilgrimages to Edo on official occasions, like the enthronement of a new Ryūkyūan king or the succession of a new Shōgun in Japan. During these pilgrimages a very few number of weapons were carried by Ryūkyūans like … Continue reading

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Random thoughts on the term “Enbu”

Investiture envoy Wang Ji for 1683 noted on a place for drill in arms and for the practice of martial arts in Naha, used by the officers and men of the Tenshikan (the lodgings of the Investiture envoys and their followers, … Continue reading

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