Kobudo is a kind of synonym for all historical fighting Arts.
This
includes
all
techniques
for
close
combat
with
and
without
weapons.
Though
the
understanding
of
Kobudo
today
is
the
Art
of
fighting
with tools as a weapon, the Kobudo includes much more.
So it wouldn't be totally wrong to see Karate or Judo as a part or kind of Kobudo. On the other hand Kobudo can't be a part of Karate.
Kobudo,
as
a
synonym
for
the
fighting
Arts
can
be
seen
as
the
whole
thing
and
Karate
as
a
part
of
it.
Wishing
to
understand
the
part,
it's
necessary to learn the whole thing.
So
for
to
find
a
deeper
understanding
for
the
possibilities
and
techniques
of
Karate
it's
necessary
to
learn
how
to
use
the
weapons
of
Kobudo.
And
in
fact
all
the
famous
masters
of
okinawa
has
been
also
masters
in
the
use
of
the
Kobudo
weapons.
The
one
thing
was
not
without
the
other.
In the Kobudo there are more than 20 different weapons. To have the goal for to mastering them all is an unreachable goal.
But
in
any
case
it's
valuable
to
exercise
with
the
different
weapons.
Each
one
has
different
specialities
and
techniques.
And
at
least
the
exercises
with
these
weapons
help
to
improve
the
physical
skills
of
the
body.
All
kinds
of
skills
will
be
improved
also
the
understanding
for
the typical movements of the body. And with this also the understanding of the movements and the techniques of Karate.
The
most
weapons
of
Kobudo
are
based
on
tools
for
daily
works.
Only
a
few
like
the
Sansetsukon
have
been
created
from
the
beginning
as
a
weapon.
The
most
weapons
of
Kobudo
are
based
on
fighting
methods
of
China.
Only
a
few
weapons
are
typical
okinawan
like
the
Nuntibo
(Fishermans spear) or the Eku (boat oar).
Also
the
older
Kata
of
Kobudo
are
from
China.
But
there
are
not
for
all
weapons
of
Kobudo
Kata
available.
Authentic
old
Kata
exist
for
the
weapons Bo, Tonfa, Sai, Kama, Eku, Nuntibo and Nunchaku.
The
history
of
Kobudo
is
very
close
and
uncuttable
to
the
history
of
Karate.
In
fact
Tode
Sakugawa
did
learn
not
only
the
weaponless
fighting methods from chinese master Ku Shan Ku, but also the using of the different weapons, especially the Bo.
But
one
of
the
most
famous
of
the
old
masters
was
Chatanyara.
His
hand
down
of
the
Katas
from
Ku
Shan
Ku
are
probably
the
most
authentic one. This includes the Kata Chatanyara no Kushanku, and the Chatanyara no Kon, Chatanyara no Tonfa, Chatanyara no Sai.
All
Martial
Arts
experts
of
Okinawa
were
also
masters
in
the
using
of
the
tradtional
weapons.
Also
there
are
a
lot
different
schools
of
Kobudo
with also very different performance of the techniques.
The
hand
down
of
the
techniques
of
Kobudo
and
their
history
is
even
more
difficult
to
research
as
in
case
of
Karate.
Though
masters
like
Kenwa
Mabuni
and
Gichin
Funakoshi
also
did
teach
the
Art
of
Kobudo.
But
especially
in
case
of
Funakoshi
there
are
only
very
less
stories
about it. Why it happen that Kobudo and Karate have been separated is only for to speculate.
But fact is that also today in Okinawa will be teached both.
Many
old
but
also
younger
Kobudo
Kata
have
the
name
of
famous
Karate
masters.
So
Sokon
Matsumura
for
example,
who
was
the
teacher
of Yasutsune Itosu did create the Kata Matsumura no Kon.
Though
Kobudo
and
Karate
are
close
together,
we
can
find
school
which
are
teaching
only
Kobudo.
One
of
them
are
the
Yamanni
Ryu.
Yamanni
Ryu
is
a
very
old
fighting
method,
especially
for
the
Bo,
handed
down
from
China.
In
Okinawa
the
style
was
in
the
hand
of
the
Chinen family. Later was Kishaba one of the last grand masters and there was also a time that Yamanniy Ryu thought to be lost.
Another famous master of Kobudo was Shimpo Matayoshi.
He
was
one
of
the
first
who
did
start
to
give
public
lessons
and
did
work
for
to
spread
the
Art
of
his
school
of
Kobudo
worldwide.
The
Matayoshi
Ryu
is
totally
different
to
the
Yamanni
Ryu.
The
techniques
are
more
straight
and
it
is
very
important
ot
have
the
right
timing,
for
the right performance in the right moment.
But
the
techniques
don't
reach
the
great
power
of
the
Yamanni
Ryu
techniques.
But
this
isn't
a
true
weak
point
if
the
techniques
will
be
done with correct timing.
A
great
meaning
the
Kobudo
has
in
Naha.
In
the
okinawan
version
of
Goju-Ryu
as
well
as
in
Ryuei-Ryu.
Especially
in
the
Ryuei-Ryu
we
find
a very versatile Kobudo with 14 different weapons.
As the first strange student Teruo Hayashi was accept as a student for to study the Art of Ryuei Ryu Kobudo and Karate.
Later
he
found,
based
on
the
Ryuei-Ryu,
his
school
of
Kenshinryu
Kobudo.
The
speciality
of
this
style
is
a
trainings
method
for
combat,
where are fighting exercises will be done, sometimes even with sharp weapons.
One
of
the
most
famous
masters
of
Kobudo
was
Yabiku
Moden.
His
best
student
was
Taira
Shinken.
And
Taira
Shinken
was
it,
who
did
save
a lot of the old Kobudo Kata.
He did research Kata and did spread them by making them public. Also he did create own Kata like the Kongo no Kon.
Taira
Shinken
did
learn
from
different
masters
also
from
Kenwa
Mabuni.
A
student
of
Taira
Shinken
was
Motokatsu
Inoue
who
made
some
books about Kobudo and the Kata of the different weapons.
Though there are some organizations for Kobudo a head organization like in case of Karate is hardly to find.
Also there are no worldwide recognized tournaments.
Of course Kumite competitions in the Kobudo are very difficult to organize in a kind of safety level.
But Kata competitions, single as well as in team, would be possible. There are really enough Kata available.