Tag Archives: Kobudo

Shushi no Kon (old-style) 3 – Nejiru

Posted on February 13, 2022 by Andreas Quast

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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The Issue of Varying Combinations in Taira-lineage Saijutsu

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Andreas Quast

In the Saijutsu kata of Taira-lineage are often found longer combinations which are almost the same, but which almost always slightly vary. This is a real issue for practitioners, particularly during the first years. I have been asked how to … Continue reading →

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The Twilight of Lord Kogusuku

Posted on January 23, 2021 by Andreas Quast

Traditional Okinawa kobudō uses a shield with one hand in combination with a weapon in the other. There are basically two variants. One is the shield known best from Matayoshi lineage kobudō, which uses loop and handle, and which is … Continue reading →

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The Ueku was the Sword of the Fisherman

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Andreas Quast

Earlier today I wrote a piece about a current design of an ueku (oar), which you can read here. I would like to add a short note about the various designs of the ueku and what the design means for … Continue reading →

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The inheritance of Kobudo is “destiny.” There is no end to research [Dojo Tour 3]

Posted on December 13, 2020 by Andreas Quast

Translation of an article from Okinawa Times, April 17, 2017. “Kobudō is my life. I have been pursuing it all my life, but research is endless.” Nakamoto Masahiro (79), who was selected as the only intangible cultural property holder in … Continue reading →

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Okinawan Samurai — The Instructions of a Royal Official to his Only Son

Posted on May 3, 2018 by Andreas Quast

Troubled about the future of his only son and heir, a royal government official of the Ryukyu Kingdom wrote down his ‘Instructions’ as a code of practice for all affairs. Written in flowing, elegant Japanese, he refers to a wide … Continue reading →

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Sueyoshi no Kon III – Après moi le déluge !! (Bojutsu Kata Series)

Posted on April 30, 2016 by Andreas Quast

Today I scratched and scraped off a 50 year old paper slip to get closer to a secret… A secret related to what Urasoe, Sueyoshi, Sesoko, Soeishi, and Shiishi no Kon have in common. And what not. Here we go. … Continue reading →

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Weaponry during Edo-nobori

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Andreas Quast

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”

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Andreas Quast

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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Choun no Kon – (Bojutsu Kata Series)

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Andreas Quast

Chōun no Kon is currently  handed down in the Taira Shinken lineage kobudō. The homonymous Chōun no Kon handed down in the Matayoshi lineage kobudō, although having the pronunciation, is written with different Japanese characters and it is a different … Continue reading →

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