From the category archives:

Jujitsu History

A Brief History of the Kubotan

Designed by Takayuki Kubota, the Japanese Kubotan became highly popular in the mid-1970s when it was introduced to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The LAPD eventually began teaching female officers its proper use along with lessons in jujitsu and other martial arts.

Read the full article →

A Brief History of the Jutte

The Jutte is a weapon from the Japanese Edo period, used by law enforcement offers of the era. The weapon is said to have “the power of ten hands.” It is a baton that features a one-pronged tine.

Read the full article →

A Brief History of the Yawara

The Yawara is a Japanese weapon used in a number of martial arts. Essentially one or somtimes two small, thick sticks they can be palmed and used to throw opponents, applied to pressure points or even break bones. Yawara is also a form of martial arts, and the name is used interchangeably with Jujitsu.
It is [...]

Read the full article →

A Brief History Of The Jo Staff

The jo staff is a wooden staff used in many forms of Japanese martial arts kobudo, such as jujitsu. The form of martial arts that uses a jo staff is called jojutsu, or jodo. The jo staff is a little more than four feet in length made entirely out of wood.

Read the full article →

A Brief History Of The Sai

The purpose of the Japanese Sai weapon was debated about for a long time. Some people thought the weapon was intended for just that purpose, to be a weapon.
But other people theorised that the Sai was made as an agricultural too to measure crops, to bale hay, to hold rolling carts in place or to [...]

Read the full article →

A Brief History of the Bo Staff

The Bo staff on the surface is one of the most simplistic of all Japanese weapons. Used in many different art forms from karate to jujitsu, the Bo staff is one of the most destructive and adaptive weapons available to the martial artist.
The Bo Staff is used extensively in Jujitsu kobudo (weapon training) as [...]

Read the full article →

A Brief History Of The Tanto

The tanto is a Japanese knife that can be either a single or a double edged dagger or knife. The blade can range from six to twelve inches in length, and like most knives can be used as both a stabbing weapon or a slashing weapon. The tanto first surfaced between the years 794 and [...]

Read the full article →

A Brief History of the Yari

The Yari is an ancient spear weapon introduced to Japan centuries ago. The spear has been used by many cultures. The most recent version could be considered to be the bayonet on the rifle. The Yari has had many variations over the centuries, all lethal. It has been a part of the Japanese culture [...]

Read the full article →

A Brief History of the Tonfa

The martial arts weapon, the tonfa, is one of the more popular devices in the Okinawan and Japanese karate and Jujitsu. The tonfa is essentially a club with a handle that protrudes at a 90 degree angle. This allows a practitioner to hold the handle in a solid grip while the club protects the forearm.

Read the full article →

A Brief History of the Wakizashi

This sword has the traditionally curved blade and was worn at the side of the Japanese Samurai. Foreigners refer to the Wakizashi sword as honor blades because the Samurai would save them as a back up weapon. As a means of displaying trust and respect, the Samurai would leave his main sword at the door [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries